The morning call., 1893-04-08
SCHOOL SCANDAL.
The Grand jury Continues
to Investigate.
PRETTY TEACHERS TESTIFY.
They Were All Quite Sure That No
Money Was Used to Procure
Their Appointments.

known as the Grand Jury was once more in
session yesterday afternoon.
Only fourteen of the grand jurors were
present. but every one OF them indicated a
determination to continue the investigation
of the charges made to the effect that
many teachers employed in the public
schools owe their positions to corrupt in
fuences until they have either brought some
of the guilty parties before the courts or
until they have exhausted every possible
means to discover who they are, and are
therefore forced to give up the task they
have undertaken.
Several young lady teachers were exam
ined rs witnesses yesterday afternoon, and
there are lots more who will be subjected
to the same ordeal before the iuves tigation
is ended, it being evidently the plan of the
july TO endeavor first to find out how much
these teachers know OF the ways and means
employed TO secure for them the positions
they now hold.
So far this line of action has not been
crowned with much success, because it APP
peared tn at most of the young ladies have
very little knowledge of how they got their
appointments.
If corruption or bribery has been used in
their cases IL appears from the evidence
that it has been done without their knOwl-
edge and by people who, while working in
their behalf. did so indirectly and were not
employed by them.
Some Of them were even utterly unable to
state of their own knowledge to what par
ticular School Director they are indebted
for being employed by the department.
The seven pretty witnesses formed a
charming group in the anterOOm of tho
jury while they were awaiting their turn to
testify.
OF course they were all a little nervous
at FIRST not necessarily on account OF any
Gufa hut
them had ever seen such a thing as Grand
Jury before aud they did not know but
there might be some dreadful ordeal before
them.
Besides this the room was full OF strange
men who Oglpd them, and they did not like
to be on exhibition. as it were.
Then there were these horrid reporters,
who had been to their schools and TO their
private residences asking them all kinds of
annoying questions just to put their names
Into the papers next day.
There was whole crowd OF these inqusi-
tive fellows, telling stories and laughing
about them, apparently so heartless as to en-
tirely ignore the presence of seven little
girls from school, WHO were suffering agones
of expectancy, right near them.
No wonder the plumes and punches of
flowers on these seven spring bOnnets moved
in nervous fashion ana every one of the
seven wearers Of them wished it was all
over.
just before the jury commenced opera
tiOus Bob Hogan. the detective, strolled
into the room, ard somehow the news that
he has been especially detailed to assist the
Grand Jury in the sch0O-scaudal inVestga-
ton reached the seven teachers, a bit of
Information which only served to increase
their uneaSines.
Lawyer Destaeh had client by the name
of johnson, who was the first witness
called, but his testimony had nothing to do
with the sensation of the hour, it being
connected with some other case, of which
probably more will be heard hereafter.
Mrs. Isador Shirpser," cried Bailiff
Stark next, and as quiet little lady in
fawn-cOlOred ulster responded TO this call
and passed into the jury-rOom verybody
knew that the trouble had commenced.
Mrs. ShiTpser Is the lady who has been
mentioned as carrying on regular bro kerr
age business In selling teachers positions.
What she told the jury is not known, but
IL could not have been much, because she
was only very short time telling it.
They asked me lot of questions about
the School Department" said Mrs. Shlrpser
TO a CALL reporter, as she emerged from
the jury-roOm all flushed in the face, and
then, with an expression of injured iuno-
ceuce, she added: Il told them | knew alb
solutely nothing of these things. and l do
not know why they should call ON me for
Then with an Excuse me, my husband
is waiting for me-" she skipped downstairs
and was lost TO sight.
man with gray goatee, whose name
was Purdy. dallied a few moments with
Foreman Firth and the thirteen other iurors
and after he left them he volunteered the
information that somebody had told some
body else that lie (Purdy) knew a " hole lot
about how teachers places are ATTAINED.
This foolish talk has reached the Jury"
said he, "but inst told them it is all bosh
and that really knew nothing of the kind"
So Mr.. Purdy and bis Goatee were ex-
cused.
j. p. McMurray. the plasterer, was the
next witness.
1t was only necessary for Mr.. McMurray
to say that he hnd told the jury nothing
new when he had finished his testimony,
for those interested 10 know what had been
testified, for lie had told his little story
seventy-fve times at least, before his name
was called.
He is the man who procured an appoint
ment in the School Department for Miss
Edith Jones, who testified to that effect be-
fore the Grand Jury on Wednesday.
This is how Mr.. McMurray explained it
all: ''Ex-School Director Pennington is my
friend, socially and politically, and one day,
over a social glass, he promised TO give one
of my friends an appointment.
81 mentioned Miss Jones, and he kept
his promise by giving her the place. No
money was paid or mentioned, and that is
all about II"
CCbOOl DiEeGAOE Jerry DuEkP, VINO has
just returned TO the city after an absence of
ten days followed the politician and plas-
terer as q witness.
"They just asked me the stereotvped
questions which have seen in the papers
have been asked of so many people of late
namely, whether l knew Of any corrupt
practices in the appointment of school
teachers" Burke said, and then he, in a
matteT-0f-course sort OF a way. added that
never having had any knowledge of that
kind he could give no Information Of any
value to the jury.
Then at last, but not least by any
means, came the examination of the seven
schoolmarms in waiting
Miss Kate A. McGiven, another appointee
of ex-Director Pennington, was the first one
summoned.
She told the jury that so far as she knew
she owed her position to the efforts III AIDE in
her behalf by her brother, Edward J. Me-
Given, and other influential friends, and
that previous to her coming to this CITY she
had taught four years in the public schools
Of fresno, being holder of normal
diploma.
By this time It became apparent that the
jury would coDfine itself for that session
exclusively to inqurng into ex-Director
Pennington's appOlntees for every one of
the seven ladies' present turned out to owe
her position to him.
The testimony Of Miss Mary D. Tanforan.
the next witness, was very brief, and ali
it contained was statement that she had
never inquired ntO how her friends managed
to secure her appointment. She knew
nothing OF any purchased positions in the
department.
Mrs. Alice l.. Staples. widow, who was
In :he department before her marriage and
was reapponted after her husbands death.
said to the jury that she owed her reap.
pointment to the exertions of some very
kind friends. and that she was very glad
she got it, That was all she knew about it.
Miss Lottie LaVery would not tell what
she had testified to.
There is nothing wrong about my sp-
pointment," she said. sDappishly, land
people ought to mind their own business"
and then she sailed away TO continue 10
teach the young idea manners and other
things.
Miss May l.. Day expressed great surprise
at the fact that of late she had learned that
she owed her appointment to ex-Drector
Pennington, because she had always be-
lieyed that the late Colonel Harvey pro-