Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-02
WHY HE'S NOT IN IT.
Professor Jones Gives an Inside
Story About His Discharge.
HOW A WOMAN'S TONGUE FIGURED.
Financial Methods in Vogue in the Seventh
Ward School Board.
SOME ECHOES OF THE LAST CAMPAIGN

All Allegheny was agog yesterday ovel
the summary discharge of Prof. Milton
Jones from the principalship of the Seventh
ward schools, where he has been in service
| for the past 90 years. The discharge was
alleged to be made because Mrs. Jones had
circulated slanderous stories about the
Board of Directors.
According to the professors story, the
discharge NAV be called an echo of the last
campaign, together with the fact that the
Principal once loaned money to a Director
and would not do it second time. The
story told by Prof Jones yesterday is as
follows:
81 have been in the Seventh ward school
for about % years and never had any
trouble before this. can deny any direct
fraud on the part of the board or that my
wife circulated any such story.
Charges of Neglect of Duty.
"The way it came about was this: The
affairs of the ward have not been conducted
economically for years. Last July $4,000
worth of bonds fell due, and there was only
81 100 in the treasury with which to pay inter
est and other contingent expenses Knowing
that had some money the board requested me
TO buy in the bonds and they would renew them.
had my attorney co come to my home to find
out whether it was a safe investment and
among other things told him the board had
not published any financial statement for the
past six years. The attorney at once said that
the board was liable to fine of $500 for each
year. My wife overheard the conversation. l
took the bonds.
Later my wife had some trouble with a
neighbo in which school director became in
volved. and while angry she said the director
was liable to be fined $500 for not pu ublishing a
report. She also told two other people and the
matter became noised about the ward. The di-
rectors finally summoned me before them. 1
explained matters and was exonerated except
that was instructed to exercise more author
ity over my wife. told the directors that, as
several of them had wives with tongues, they
knew that wOman's tongue was mighty hard
thing to curb. Everything was smoothed over
for the time.
"Well, at the last ward election the extrava-
gance of the ward schools and the unpub-
lished financial statements were used with the
result that Peter Bolster one of the old mem
berS, was defeated. had always attended the
meetings of the board up until the meeting be-
fore the last when 1 detected change in the
atmosphere and said would not attend any
more of the meetings. AT the one on Wednes-
day suppose they were angry beca use 1 did
not come.
May Not Serve Out This Year.
"At last they have discharged me, and I do
not know whether will serve out the balance
of this year. By making fight could hold
over for another year. Five years ago was
the first man in the city to be elected to prIn-
cipalship for three years. At the expiration of
my term was reelected for three years and
this election was reaffirmed last year.
"As for the authority of my wife's statement
! can say that no report has been published
and the reports given to the Board of Con-
trollers does not cover the points of the law
for their method enables the board to bond the
ward for almost unlimited amounts. They
have appeared as economists by keeping the
millage down. but aG the same time they have
not been making any impression on the debt.
In 1880 when the new schOohOuse was built the
board reported bonded Indebtedness of s24, ,0O0
There was also floating debt which they after
ward covered with bonds. Since that time
they have only recalled Sl0,500 worth of bonds,
but in that time have paid over $4,000 in
interest. The bonded Indebtedness is still
go, 500 and no buildings have been erected in
the past ten years"
AT this point Mrs. Jones ventured the remark
that her husband would have been all right if
he had not refused to lend money to director.
Then Mr.. Jones said:
Since the matter has been brought up l can
say in explanation that six years ago one of the
directors became embarrassed IN oil and 1
loaned him money and exOnerated one years
interest. He paid me several years later, and
has since been reputed to be very wealthy.
Lately he got in deep water again, and, although
intimated that a repetition of the past aid
would bc acceptable. As the money wonld
have to be gwen his individual security,
refused TO give the loan. l believe if had
given the money nothing would have been said,
and my wife could have talked as she pleased"