Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-09-25
Communicated
To the Public.

Ever since my resignation as q
teacher in the High School of our city,
various reports affecting my character
have been in circulation in the city
and vicinity. In justice to myself and
those near and dear to me, / deem it
necessary, by the following represen-
tations, to show to the public that what
ever rlmors there may be, and by
whomsoever originated and circulat-
ed, they are false in their conception
and slanderous in their PRONUNCIATION.
Whoever originated them has done
me an incalculable injury, and those
who have circulated them have but
intensified that injury.
| On the eve of opening the school l
was Informally requested by the
member of the Second Ward of the
Board of Education, without mention
of reason, to resign. Thinking that
my services were no longer required,
and confiding for the time in the
| Judgment of that member, complied
with the request, Learning, however,
that the request was based upon ru-
mors affecting my moral character,
and being conscious of no INSIDE
meanor. I withdrew my resignation.
Then that member of the Board stat
ed that he would prefer charges. but
was under promise not to name the
charges, nor the parties involved, to
the Board. But he urged the vague
charge immortality to be entered on
the minutes, and pressed my tempo
rary suspension on that general an
definite charge, stating that at the
next meeting he would prefer charges
in form. The law considers every
man innocent until he is proven gull
| ty, but that very act placed me in the
| position of criminal and deprived
me of my just rights.
| On September 7th the regular
meeting was held, at which the ac-
cuser was to present formulated
charges, but he did not make his APP
pearance. I then submitted the fol
lowing letter in brief:
MARTfNsBURG, w. VA,
! September 7th, 1886.
Gentlemen OF the Board Of Education:
Some days ago one of your members re-
quested me to tender my resignation to
your honorable body, declining to give me
any reason there for. felt that could not
afford to hold a position where my res1gna-
ton was desired. l rendered the resigna-
ton. Afterwards learned that this action
originated from a general rumor OF serious
charges against my moral character.
withdrew the resignation, as l could not
afford to resign with charges pending.
am now suspended by your Board by rea-
| son, as / understand, of these charges,
which are yet without form, and intangi-
BILE, while my reputation suffers from your
inaction. / therefore demand that an III.
vestigaton be at once held on the premises,
Orthat be at once restored.
Yours very truly,
! l.. ID. GERHARpT.
Inasmuch as that member had fail
ed to appear and prefer charges on
the 7th as he proposed to do, a special
meeting was called on the 10th, and
to get rid of the matter the Board by
circulated signature requested me
to resign, but I insisted on the pre-
sentation of the threatened charges,
when that member stated that owing
to certain papers in possession of the
accused, as he learned, he aods unable
to prefes. any charges The Board
then and there 5itlly econeyGted me,
and upon that exoneration I volun-
tarily resigned.
| But as the above facts have not
been made public, rumors damaging
TO my character are still afoat, and
cannot but hold that member respon-
sible for the injury / have sustained,
both as to character and position. As
an honorable man, he should have
the manhood and sense of justice to
publicly confess his error.
I leave it to the sensible public to
draw their conclusion from the above.
have been nurtured and reared
among you from childhood. I have
had correct training in morals and
propriety, and my parents have spent
money for my education, and God
forbid that should distress them or
lose self respect by being guilty of
any such acts as have been a tributed
to me by accusers and slonder-naogers,
have, through injustice, lost posi-
ton of public trust, which I claim
that / filed with satisfaction to the
community.
Respectfully.