The morning call., 1893-04-13
FIRTH'S MATINEE.
The Grand jury Is Busily
at Work.
F. ANTOINE IS INDICTED.
Continuation of the School Scandal
: Investigation-Fun in the Wit
nesses' Waiting-Room.
MATINEE.
ANTOINE IS INDICTED.

"Schoolteachers know nothing Of how
appointments in the department. are Sc
cured. That is the conclusion we have
arrived at" said ]. K, Firth. the foreman
of the present Grand Jury. after he and his
colleagues concluded their extra long ses-
sion late yesterday evening.
This remark was made at the conclusion
OF the testimony of seven of the cutest and
prettiest schoOteachers in the employ Of
the city, who each and all had given evil
dence to the effect that they were entirely
ignorant of any fraudulent or purchased
appointments.
Individually these seven young ladies
were quite certain that they were indebted
for their own situations 10 the kindness of
influential friends who interested them
selves in their behalf.
1t was the same old story over and over
again, and the jurors are now satisfied that
if teachers places have been purchased
they will never discover any conyicting evil
dence by examining teachers.
I'VE will continue the investigation
Friday" Mr.. Firth said. but we viii start
out in new direction and. lnstead oil queS;;
tiOning the teachers themselves, we will
hear what their kind friends who secured
their positions have to say"
The lady teachers who were in attend
ance as witnesses yesterday were the
Misses n. c. Kelly, R. E. Morgan, Fanny
Edwards, Lizzie johnson, Nellie Foley. Ida
Roberts and Maggie Crowley.
Alexander F. Spear, the stevedore, was
also a witness. He had been summoned
because the jury had some information
which led il to believe that he knew some
thing about the Methods employed by people
who are anxious 10 influence School Direc-
tors in favor of some seeker after teachers
place.
II turned ont. however. that Mr.. Spear
had only general hearsay testimony OF no
value whatever to give,
Thomas A. Madison, formerly connected
with the School Department, testified, but
besides recitng some ancient history and
telling how things used to be some ten
years ago Mr.. kirkpatrick was poor
witness for the purposes in hand.
1t was likewise when c. II. CrOwel. al
old teacher, was asked what he knew OF
purchased positions.
Mr.. Crowell only knew that such things
are talked about in general way among
The employees in the School Department, but
he had never heard of any specific case.
There was lust one more witness IN the
school scandal investigation, and indeed
while that partlcula ar witness, ike The rest
Of them, gave the jury absolutely no infor-
nation of any consequence, she proved to
be an extremely lively and interesting lady
to the weary walters who had to pass hours
In the anteEoom while the jury was In ses-
sion.
Mrs. Isidor Shirpser was her name, and
she was subpenaed because some uukind
individual accused her few weeks ago Of
carrying on regular brokerage business
| in the teachers position line.
|. Mrs. Shirpser Indignantly denied these
charges TO the jury and everybody else. II
am a life insurance agent only and know
| nothing OF all this business" she repeated
dozen times at least, and as the hour grew
| later she became very impatient TO be sum-
named into the jury-rO0m.
81 am in hurry to get back to my Office,
| and il is shame to keep business woman
waiting here all the afternoon" she eX-
| planned.
| OF course her lamentations attracted the
| attention of the other people in the room.
| and Mrs. Shirpser soon was the center Of
| attraction.
Everybody asked her questions and
| wanted her photograph, until size became
| nearly frantic, and doubtless felt greatly
| relieved when the time for her testimony
| came at last, for as soon as that ordeal was
| over the much troubled lady lost no time in
| making her escape from her tormentors.
| Ohannes w. Bird, the man DR.. Clinton
| referred to when be told the Grand Jury
| that some one had tried to influence him in
| behalf of a young lady who wanted n
! position as a teacher, was for several hours
| patient waiter, expecting TO be permitted
| to address the jury in his own behalf.
81 Just want 10 talk to them few min
| utes to vindcate myself" Mr.. Bird said,
J but somehow tile jury did not want any
/ fluulCdAlOuS NesttludJ, duu MI. Dliu WAS
told that he would receive due notice when
| his presence was wanted.
He left very much disappointed because
| he could not get chance to make his
eXDlan alton right there ana then.
| Before taking up the school investigation
| the jury looked into the case of I. Antoine,
| who, after being held in the Police Court
last month on a charge OF feloniously as
| sauling Esther HolZer, a 14-year-old girl
was discharged In Judge Sewells court on
| a writ of habeas corpus because the papers
| containing the information against him
| were missing when they were wanted In the
| Superior Court.
These papers have since been found, but
Antoine has made good use of his restored
! liberty and left the city.
| The Grand Jury heard the testimony of
| the little girl, who is mere child, ana of
| and arrested Antoine, and finding that the
latter is human monster, whose crime de-
serves the extreme penalty prescribed for
| such cases, they promptly indicted him on a
charge of tel0nious assault and reported the
indictment in Judge Garber's court.
| The court ordered AntOine's arrest and
fixed the bail at 5000.
Some of the officers familiar with the
| Antoine case claim they know hls where
abouts and will have him behind the bars
very shortly.
Three more counts were also added to the
indictment filed on Friday against D. NJ.
! Blank and Gardner Landon. who are
charged. jointly, with obtaining money
under false pretenses from the 1allani
Banking Company, by cashing worthless
| checks
The jury adjourned until to morrow
aff