The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1890-03-14
WAS 1T TOO SEVERE?
A TEACHER CHARGED WITH
BRUTALI.Y BEATING A hoy.
3. n. ChedeSter the Accuser and
Iis Son the Alleged victini-The
school Committee Examining
Into the Matter.

school Committee Examiuins
Into the Matter.
The school committee are wrestlin,
with problem this evening which ha
some sensational features.
Hugh Chichester, the thirteen-ycar.olc
son of S. r. Chichester, went to schoo
Yesterday morning.
That is everything that all parties agree
upo as being facts. At noon he returned
home and told his parents that while do
ing nothing for which he should be pun
ished he had been brutally assaulted by
Assistant Principal c. A. Webb. Just be
fore school was called in the morning ht
said he sat alone in his desk. He had q
tuning fork in his hand. Mr.. Webb told
him to put it in his pocket and he com
piled. Then he began to study his history
lesson and while so engaged the teachc,
called to him and asked him not to talk
out loud.
"I'm not talking out loud, he replied
and returned to his book. Afew minutes
later he was again told not to talk
so loud, and again he denied the charge
Then, according to the story of the boy
Mr.. Webb started down the aisle and
catching him by the neck, checked him,
and pulling him out Of the seat threw
him to the floor. Mr.. Webb is accused
Of pounding the boys head against the
boards until he had satisfied his temper,
and that as grand finale he put his
foot upon the boys neck and pushed
him down.
The other side tell an entirely different
story.
The boy. they say, was misbchaving
and Mr.. Webb corrected him. Still
he continued, and when forbearance
had ceased to be virtue, the
teacher started down to see about it.
When he had reached the desk the boy
rose out of his seat, slapped the teacher
in the mouth. and settling down again
braced himself in his seat and could not
he removed. During the tussle that fol-
lowed the boy is charged with having
drawn knife. Mr.. Webb knew that
something must be done, and after few
minutes he succeeded in overpo Sering
the boy. He was sent to Principal Man.
gum, who administered corporal pun.
ishment.
Each side claim that it can be substan.
tiated by every scholar in the room, and
Mr.. Chichester says that this is not the
first time Mr. Webb has made an exhibi.
tion of his temper.
The case was first called to the atten.
tion Of the committee yesterday after.
noon and meeting was at once called.
1t was pronouncedly stormy. Mr.. Ched.
ester was present for his side and
said the boy could not appear
because of his condition.
After long discussion the meeting was
postponed until to-day. and the father
promised to produce physician's certiii.
cate to the effect that his son was so
badly injured that he could not be out.
The board then began its regular
monthly work and before they had
finished Mr.. Chichester returned. He
bore a paper signed by DR.. J. II.
Williams stating that his son was
in nervous condition. The com.
mittee examined it and later sent DR..
Burroughs to look into the case. The
latter reported that he could find no
marks indicating beating, and that SO
far as he could see the boy was not suffer.
ing.
DR.. Williams was seen this morning.
He said that when he saw the boy he was
nervous and fcvcrish and had a headache.
He gave HIM some medicine and wrote a
statement to Mr.. Chichester to that Ct.
feet. He could not say that the condi.
tion OF the lad was produced by the al
legged beating. lie had seen no bruises.
Mr.. Chichester states that the boy sus.
tained bruises, and that his throat,
where he was grabbed by the teacher, is
very sore.