The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-09-11

nominee for state superintendent, to-
ward the school board of this city is most
contemplate. Directly after entering
into an engagement to teach the school
at this place, he accepted the nomination
for state superintendent. The board did
not choose to employ man who seemed
inclined to give more attention to poll
ties than to his school and who might be
called away at the end of four months.
But he wanted everything arranged with
reference to his own wishes and was most
impudent in his demands. The board
was sincerely anxious to get rid of him,
but having promised him the school they
offered him the choice of teaching the
school or running for the superintend-
ency. He insisted upon dividing his at
tention between the school and the
campaign and with cOnsummate egotism
committee had fathered his candidacy
because no other person in the state had
ability equal to his and SO special,
adapted to the functions OF the state de-
partment. His sclf-praise did not con-
vince the board that half service from
him was more valuable to the district
than the full service of others who nigh,
be secured. and Mr.. Wells was given time
from Saturday until Monday 8 \. N. to
4 10 .lHti how |, ,,,n,,ll fnnah ,.I-oJ
take pant in a political campaign. He
chose the, latter and thea rushed into
print to tell how fearfully he was absusod
because the district board did not make
him pensiOner.
He informed the public through The
Milwaukee Journal, that he was taken
into a back room, the doors of which were
closed, and that the board used most re-
prehensible means to force him off the
ticket. That he fought manfully and re-
fused to be coerced. But he did sign a
contract, under duress, to notify the
board by Monday morning whether he
intended to teach or not. The three VII
lains who with almost criminal intent
decoyed Wells into back room with
closed doors, were Charles Luling, Mich
ael Kirwan and Thomas Torrison. 1t
seems Wells escaped with his life ard he
brought his honor out unscathed also.
Then the thought occurred to him that
he should get a copy of that diabolical
contract. How could he circumvent the
board? He cautiously crept into Mr..
Torrison's office, unknown to the other
members of the board, and through his
courtesy secured the coveted copy. The
villainous plotters, Luling and Kirwan,
were outwitted. Luling's dislike of Wells
was due to some editorials the latter had
written On the school fund question,
some of the ablest articles on that sub
ject which ever appeared in print.
| When it is known that the back room
is the private Office of the national bank,
where meetings of the board are always
held, that the meeting was one regularly
called, that the door leading to the pub.
lie office of the bank was closed so as to
prevent Interruptions, that Mr.. Wells
was not restrained of his liberty, AMI was
simply pressed to answer yes or no te
the question whether he would teach as
he had agreed, that he could at any time
obtain copy of the contract which he
signed, = contract by the way, which
no person wonld be asked to sign whose
word was trustworthy; that Mr.. Lul
ing had never seen the brilliant editorials
that the board was sincerely anxious tina
Mr.. Wells should remain on The ticket
! the account Mr.. Wells gives of hts hal
breadth escape appears ridiculous.