Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-03-12

end. 1t was suggested that detective !
be employed and President Baird was
agreeable to this course. 1t was also
suggested that the matter he brought
| before the board but this was objected
to on the ground OF publicity 1t was
| thought that hCme detective would
be known and could not work up case
at tho school as we'll as u detective
| from another place. Finally il was de-
| cided to consult Philadelphia agency.
The president had inquired of me as to
the probable expense and ] told him
that l thought it would be about So a
day. went to Philadelphia and saw
Mr.. Franklin learned that the cost
would be 81 per day and made arrange
ments for the detective to come down
on the following Monday if they did
not hear further from me. | then saw
the president and we agreed to have
the detective here. He came and had
conference with President Baird. He
told me that the President was satisfied
that the should go ON with he case. "
The doctor then reviewed the work of
the detective He stated that he thought
the work might have been accomplished
in less time than was consumed lie had
informed the detective that the water
had been mysteriousy let out of the boil
or on three occasions and told him he
might look into that if he had time. In
this Investigation, he further stated, the
detective uncovered other plans He had
reported that the boys were planning
on one occasion to break into the school
at night and carry off some eXamina-
tion papers from the principals s. office
but the effort had been frustrated by
securely locking up the doors and win
I .k.t,. Dali, baN.
member of the committee, had been
acquainted with what was going on and
he agreed that it was proper to have
an investigation made. About the tail
end of the detectives hunt report of
his work was laid before the full High
School committee, who considered that
there had been no outrage proved but
were confident that there were other
matters at the school which needed
looking into
At this point, DR.. Grumbaugh hav-
ing taken his seat, President Baird
asked the indulgence of the members
and made statement of his connec-
J tion with the affair. He said that DIR.
Crumbaugh had Informed him that an
outrage had been committed in the
school and after investigating he sus-
pected certain boy. Mr.. Baird there
upon informed the doctor that he
} thought it was due the public TO know
that the scholars at the school would be
protected. They agreed on the point
that somebody should look the matter
up.
Mr. Baird admitted that he had
sanctioned the employment of a detec-
tive, but thought the entire High
School committee should first consult
on the matter and with respect to the
/ detective he thought five days would
suffice for that work. He also thought
that the board would pay a reasonable
sum for the service. The detective
went to his office and consulted HIM,
after which he went to DR.. Crumbaugh.
He thought the investigation might
, have been made with less expense and
3 more satisfactorily. He was amazed
to find that the bulk of the bill was
for looking after the principal of the
VI school instead of investigating the out
rage. lie had heard that the detective
had taken boys out of their rooms and
3 had walked around town with them.
2 He had heard very unfavorable reports
4 about the manner in which tho detec.
tive had consulted with the boys, and
he also understood that the boys filled
him full of all kinds of stories. If there
. had been an outrage committed it had
, not been proved and he was not sure
that there had been any outrage at all.
DIR. Palmer, member of the High
School committee, also made an eS-
o PLANTATION. He stated that after the de-
. tective had been employed he was adj
u vised of what was going on and the
. whole committee thought it was gooc
u course TO pursue. He did not know,
, however, what the expense would be.
Mr.. Baynard had been consulted BY
. DR.. Crumbaugh, who gave him what
y he considered positive proof of an out
rage having been perpetrated at the
school. He advised the doctor to dc
b what he could to find the guilty party,
:, and said that it he was the chairman
:, of the committee he would find some
:, way to ferret out the crime. He was
! convinced that criminal could not bt
found by hunting for him with brass
IL band. lie was convinced that the de
tective bad been employed to work ir
/ the interest of the board. He know OF
:, other instances where bills had beer
u contracted in the same manner, but he
q thought this bill was entirely too large.
He thought the bill should be referred
% back to the High School committee, al
y of whom knew of the employment of /
n detective. He thought tho committee
:. could eliminate the exorbitant feature
= and present bill that would be paiC
b. by the board He therefore movee
l. that the bill be referred back to the
70 High School committee.
J. DIR. Shortlidge was opposed to refer
!. ring the bill and thought the matter
10 should be settled at once and forever
n Mr.. Hartman thought some goot
a had been done, but the bill was on
t. tirely too large and he would nevel
10 vote for paying such an excessive bill.
10 Mr.. Morrow said that at the time thu
J. trouble was reported to him by DIR.
70 Crumbaugh he favored an investigation
1t and cautioned secrecy. He did no
y think, however, that the employment
le of detective would cost more than Sjt
10 at the outside. The thing, in hi
opinion, had been mixed up from be
ginning to end He doubted If any out
rage had been committed and also ques
toned the responsibility of the boart
for the payment of the bill. He con
sidered that there had been persecution
If of Prof Berlin. He understood that
N the detective had in some Instances
+. tried to loosen the tongues Of the boy
N with liquor. He would not vote for thu
N bill.
D, DR.. Crumbaugh said he knew moth
,d ing about the boys being given liquo
4 and said if on investigation 1t wa
10 found to be true he would not sanction
re the payment of a cent of the bill. Hi
er hoped the charges would be investi
a. gated.
M Hartman wan+ad IN know how /