The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-01-25
CHAPPELL PRESENTED
An Ex-County Superintendent
Charged With En-
bezzlement.
is THE MOVE POLITICAL (?
Ills Said to Have Said--A Friend of
Mr.. Chappei's Says He viii Clear
Himself at the Proper Time.

Himself at the Proper Time.
The grand jury of Wake county has
presented for embezzlement Mr.. w. A.
Chappell, former County Superinten-
dent of Wake county.
Mr. Chappell held the Office from
1892 to 1895, and made popular and
efficient officer.
Then the office of County Superin
tendent was abolished, and that of
County Examiner substituted Mr..
Chappen went out of office when the
Office went out of existence June 1895.
The doings of the grand jury are
supposed to be secret, but the fact of
the presentment comes direct.
IN MR.. "PER RIGGSBEE'S" OFFICE.
Mr.. per Riggsbee," who is de facto
Treasurer of the county, seemed to be
the only man who knew much about
the affair He said he didn't know
whether Mr.. Chappell had been pre-
scented, because the proceedings of the
grand jury were secret, and therefore
couldn't be known.
He quickly admitted that there was
and had the books marked to show the
exact amount of the alleged shortage.
He also knew very well the section of
the School Law which, it is alleged, Mr..
Chappell has not complied with. All
these he readily laid before the re-
porter.
couldn't know anything. 1t was
against all the rules.
THE SECTION OF THE LAW.
The part of the School Law which
Mr.. Chappell is charged with violating,
provides that on the second Thursdays
in February, April, July, September,
October and December, the County
Superintendent shall conduct the ex-
animation of teachers for school GER
tificates. land continue from day TO
day during the remainder of the week,
if necessary, until all applicants are
examined"
1T further provides that mo exam
nation OF teachers shall be held on
days other than those named unless
the applicant was prevented from at
tending at the regular time on account
of sickness. or unless the school in
terests will. in the judgment of the
Superintendent, suffer by delaying the
examination until the regular day"
Now this is the clause upon which he
is presented: And for each examina-
ton not made on the regular days, the
applicant shall pay the Superintend-
ent one dollar, which shall be turned
over to the Treasurer, and placed TO
the credit of the general school fund
OF the county"
WHAT THE BOOKS SHOW
Treasurer Rigsbee showed the re
porter Mr.. Chappell's record Of eX-
aminations from July /. 1894, TO June
I. 1895.
The sub-treasurer has gone through
the books and carefully checked each
examination where as he explains,
1T appears 70 have been on an irregu-
lar date There are eighty-two of
these checked off.
The fees for these examinations,
amounting TO Ss2. have never been
turned over to the county treasurer,
says Mr.. Rigsbee
Mr.. Rigsbee says, furthermore, that
Mr.. Chappell's records up TO July /,
1895, have never been turned over TO
the Register of Deeds, as the law re-
quires. He says the records should
have been given - the Register when
the Superintendent retired last June.
IS THE PROSECUTION PoLITtCAL9
Did the conviction Of Satterfeld and
Brown have anything TO do with the
presentation of Mr.. Chappell2 IL
would be sad to think SO.
IF it was retaliation, tears must
have stood in the eyes Of the bronze
Justice that stands guard over the
courthouse.
But there is talk.
A gentleman told Sheriff Page that
a member of the grand jury-a mem
Der of the same political party IN
which Satterfeld and Brown are shin
ing lights said to another gentleman
who affiliates with the party that
Mr.. Chappell belongs to-"Gou have
convicted two of our men up Their"
(pointing to the court-room), but we
have convicted one of yours down
here
WHAT HIS FRIEND SAYS
4 close friend Of Mr.. ChappelI was
seen Yesterday, and he said: MIR.
Chappell's character is of the highest.
He has never been guilty Of mean ac-
ton. even in his boyhood. | am not at
liberty TO give you his defence for pub
lication at this time. lie may have
been careless, but that is the most that
can be said. There are some things
about the charges against Mr.. Chappeli
hat show bad faith. They were
brought against him at time when
he was seriously sick with typhoid
fever, and when that fact was publish
ed in the papers, and they were
brought when the parties bringing
them knew that February 4th had been
fixed by the County Commissioner
for hearing the case. While the mat
ter was pending, and Mr. Chappeii was
| getting ready TO show his innocence
| at the investigation ordered by the
commissioners, the politicians who are
| prosecuting him procured the present
| ment without waiting for the ACTON
| of the County Commissioners ne
| prosecution sayors more OF spite work
| than anything else. | do not believe
| the presentmentw would have been made
| but for the conviction of Brown ana
| Satterheld Certain Fusionists IN Raj