Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-11
HIS FIRST OPPORTUNITY.
Wash-Jeff Students Ignore Their
Faculty's Ultimatum and
INDULGE INALIVELY CANE-RUSH.
A Greene County Man to Stand Trial for
Numerous FOrgeries
NEWsY NOTES FROM NEARBY TOWNS
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH.1


HARRISBURG, Feb. 10. - Ex-senator
George w. Wright, of Mercer, the prlncl-
pal member of the syndicate which man
aged the soldiers orphans schools from 1874
TO 1889, testified to-day before the Leglsla-
tive Investigation Committee, of which
Representative Jesse NJ Baker IS CHAIR
man. General J. P. S. Goblin was present
as counsel for Mr.. Wright
The resolution under which the commit
tee is acting empowers it to investigate the
management of the schools during the
period when Gordon and Wright controlled
them. If the committee can prove that
these men enriched themselves at the ex-
pense of the schools and State they can still
be forced to return the money thus acquired
to the Commonwealth.
The witness declared under oath that ne
had never been given an opportunity to de-
feud himself from the serious charges made
against the schools and their management.
He said, in substance:
The Gist of wright's Statement.
We paid SIS, 900 for the Mercer property.
We purchased it because We were creditors
of the former owners and they were becom-
ing insolvent For three months we received
Lo money from the State; after that we were
given $50 for each pupil The scholars were
liable to be taken from us at any time II the
inspectors were not satisfied with us. In
the winter we never kept within the appro-
priation, but we balanced this by lighter
summer expenses. The State officers were
satisfied with our school, or we would not
have kept the school. We received no extra
pay for extraordinary expenses. we pur-
chased the NJ. JOY school, and so reported
to the State Department.. The department.
asked me to take charge OF it, and did so.
J. l. Gordon, J. l. Ball and myself were the
purchasers. giving Sle,5Oo
In 1883 Mr.. Wright leased the Meal
listerville school in his own name. Chester
Springs was purchased in 1885 He stated
that his relations with James j. Paul, OF
the Soldiers Orphans Department, was the
only thing concerning which he had doubts
The two were associated from 1877 to 1885
There were scandals connected with each of
the schools at the time Mr.. Wright was
made manager. The first trouble he had
was in 1886. He took a six weeks trip to
California and on his return found that an
investigation had been instituted. There
was talk all over the State, but he was not
summoned by the Governor or the G. A. r.
Post which had commenced the proceed
irgs Never before this day had he been
given a chance to be heard.
Wright Believed TO BE Innocent
The comparison of reports of General
Wagner evidently impressed the committee
in favor of the management, as the findings
of General Wagner were thought to be
scarcely justified by his ratings. The wit
ness said the clothing for all the boys in the
schools was made under one contract and
from the same material; also, with the
clothing of the girls the quality of the goods
was always carefully examined, and not
withstanding the fact that the quality was
Ia in oil 10 schools
ner had marked the quality differently in
the several schools.
"In buying goods for the schools, - said the
witness. Il bought ont of season and dis
counted nv bills so as to take advantage of
the reduction. l bought the best of meats,
sugars. flour and all the necessities for the
table
Wright said suggestions of inspectors had
always been regarded. Witness did not be-
lieve that any matron or principa ever en-
ployed by him would testify that he had dis
regarded any suggestion for the betJerment
of the schools. He said with one exception,
a lady who retired voluntarily, all the
principals and matrons employed Ivy the
syndicate were at present employed by the
State Commission in the schools Witness
said that the reports of the inspectors re-
garding syndicate schools were uniformly
good.
His Testimony Still Unfinished.
This afternoon Mr. Wright resumed his
testimony. He took up the report of Gen
eral Wagner regarding the poor condition
of the Mercer school. and stated that the
rating. from the inspectors own figures,
WAS much better than the report stated. Ac-
cordmg to the figures, the school should
have been rated as "tolerably good, and
even this average was lowered by those
features which did not concern the heslth,
comfort or education of the children. Mr..
Wright also stated that the second report of
General Wagner showed the school to be
greatly improved, although little change had
been made since the first report.
After brief session the committee ad-
journed until s P. NJ. At that time Hon.
Jesse NJ. Baker said il would take two
hours to complete the examination of Gen
eral Wright, and the committee therefore
adjourned until O'Clock tomorrow morn
ing.