Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-05-02
MIR. AMENTS ACTION
Claudius Makes Another At
tempt to Relieve Him.
TRYING TO DIVERT TIE MAIN ISSUE

the Union. to divert attention from
the main issue in the controversy in
volving the reelection of James f
Ament, as superintendent OF schools
in Rock Island. His endeavor at
this time is to substantiate the
charges that he made at Wednesday
evenings meeting Of the board that
The ARGUS was untruthful. and in
furtherance of that desire he asserts
that at the meeting in question four
members of the board emphatically
and by positive statements declared
that they had not heard Mr.. Ament
state at the meeting April IA, pre-
vious to the vote on superintendent
that he knew what the result would
be. Furthermore DIR. Claudius
states that after the former members
had given their expression. that Presi.
dent Robbins took back the accusa-
ton he had made to Mr.. Ament Of
the latter having made the remark
and admitted that he, too, had not
heard it. Now DR.. Claudius thinks
he has proven that THE ARGUS has
been guilty OF an absolute falsehood.
The Question Of veracity.
The question Of veracity in the
case is simply between The ARGUS
and Mr.. Ament. What the N EN- bers
OF the board did not hear is not ma
terial to the case. 1t was what was
heard that is at issue. The ARGUS
in its report Of the proceedings OF
April IA, in its issue of tn. following
day, said that during the discussion
as to the proprie.y Of voting on the
reappointment of the superintendent
that Mr.. Ament remarked, II don't
think any harm will be done in vot-
ing on the question. OF course l
know what the result will be-" and
in substautistion of the charge, John
NJ. Colligan, of the reportorial staff
of The ARGUS, who was present at
the meeting. this morning made the
following affidavit:
STATE OF ILLINOIS.
ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
John NJ Colligan. being duly sworn on his
oath says that he Is city reporter for THE Rock
ISLAND ARGUS; that Tuesday niyht, April H.
1895. he attended n meeting OF the board of ed
ucation Of the said city of Rock Island: that at
this meeting the question of the recrnploy-
ment OF James f. Ament superintendent of
schools was discussed and voted upon; that
during the discussion of the question Mr..
Amcnt was present: that one member OF the
said board appeared reluctant to vote upon
the question and Mr.. Ament urged her to do
SO. and said Il don't think any harm will be
done by voting on the question. OF course I
know WI n the result will be- That the Ian
guage was used As stated above according 10
this atlantis best knowledge and belief.
JOHN NJ. CoIIIGAN.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this I'd
day OF May, 1896.
b. d. CONNOLLY. Notary Public.
1t is now for Mr.. Ament to make
oath that he did not say it and the
public may form its own conclusions.
As far as the members of the board
are concerned, as said above, If they
did not hear the remark, that takes
them out of the controversy. The
ARGUS representative did hear it, and
it is quite natural that he should
have heard more than the directors,
as he was there for that purpose.
Furthermore, it was published at the
time. and nothing more was said OF
it. no contradictions made until two
weeks later, when Mr.. Ament finding
that the directors could not recall
having heard the remark, DIR. Kim
yon. still three days later, publishes
statement which appears in the IN
ion of this morning.
What President Robbins Thinks.
President Robbins in talking of the
matter this morning stated: IL
have no doubt whatever that Mr..
Ament made the remark The ARGUS
attributed to him, for he was the
chief spokesman So much of the time
and said SO much that l doubt if a
single member of the board can now
recall any particular sentence from
his remarks. A reporter who was
present Tor that purpose would be
very apt to get the more important Of
his remarks and retain them better
than one Of the board relying entire
ly upon memory. For my part I be-
iicve Mr.. Ament said just what
The ARGUS attributed to him, al
though did not hear the sentence
in particular, nor could / say now
that | can remember ANYTHING else
he did or did not say-still, 1 do not
believe that any member OF the board
will deny that the superintendent
talked great deal the night the
question of his reelection came up.
81 believe he said what he did for
the further reason that it is charac-
teristic Of him to the letter. He went
back to Carroll, Iowa. last winter
and Dragged about having three
members OF the Rock Island school
board under his thumb. l have let
tiers to that effect from people to
whom he made the assertion. Be-
yond that have discovered other in.
stances Of this character, one in
which he went to one OF our most
valued principals and told him
that I was his worst enemy. That
principal in manly way came to
see me about it. and I assured him
that had none but kindly feelings
toward him. and further that knew
and appreciated his work. When l
confronted MIR. Ament with having
made such a statement he denied it,
Now l am to judge between the su-
Perintendent and principal on the
question OF veracity-I believe the
principal"