The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-08-01
THE WHITE
INVESTIGATION
CONTINUED BEFORE COMMIS-
SIONER CLARENCE T. McVEY.
MeSsrs. Fox and Smith, of Zion, and
Riley, Citing and Logan TeS-
tify Under Oath.

T. McTey, Henry NJ. Mccullough. Esq., rep
resenting the petitioners, and John S. Writ,
ESQ, the respondent.
Mr.. John 4. Fox. one OF the trustees of
Grove school at Zion, was sworn and exam
ined. Mr.. Fox said, that he did not sign any
report :or Miss Sallie Miller. the teacher.
after the school house was torn down as
Commissioner White took charge of the
school, the trustees not being consulted.
Franklin Mearns. his fellow trustee. told him,
that Miss Miller had said that Mr.. White
would attend to her report, (obiectcd to as
merely hear-say evidence.) White had told
him ~ august 20, 1895, that he and his col
leagues were not properly trustees, they not
having qualified. President Everist, how
ever. who was present. said they We're the
truSte"~ until their successors qualified Re-
pair, Il the building began on the Saturday
befor@ It fell or was thrown dowu.
To Mr.. Wirt-AIr. White made no changes
in the oOard os the Grove school after becom-
ing 90 Hmssioner. Franklin Mearns. Ross L..
Smith and himself were continued as trustees
in 1895. succeeding themselves They never
'lutll--'' 'ltllfl l'ClplN IL III i''o vi
at any other time. Had mentioned the matter
OF rev school house to Mr. White in J&nu-
ary '25. White said ewould furnish a blank
but Il. not 50. The trustees did not apply
to III" roard. They could have gotten up the
petition but were told new school house
could rot be had that year. Asked if this
was not the true reason why they not asked
for = 4aw building, Mr. Fox said if they had
Sotten ;he blank they would have gotten the
requisite signers. Did not hear any discus
sion "- % the collapse of the building. Some
one may have suggested that it must have
beer battered down. Did not see any marks
on the walls a. if from timber used to batter
them. Could not say that the windows
shove! that attempts had been made to force
them ut. Did not see timber thought to
have "ecn used as Il battering ram. He
Thought il more reasonable to suppose that
the gable ends had fallen than to suppose
they been knocked down. but would not
commit himself to either view. Would not
call the building unsafe, but the walls were
more stable with the roof on than off as the
rafters. he thought, would tend to steady
them. Asked whether he was willing to risk
the fail of the building for another year in
the exp citation OF getting Il new building,
Mr. Fox said he was, but he thought it a
vast Of money to attempt its repair. Asked
in VIVA, respect Mr.. White had been in his
judgment guilty of misconduct, Fox said he
thought his undertaking to repair the Grove
L.
of an eligible room for 40 pupils at SO per
quarter. Another was cheating the patrons
out o: Il full term and then crowding the
scholars into Il room entirely too small so
that many could not be accommodated at all.
Ross Il. Smith sworn. Has lived within
sight Of the Grove school house since 1886.
Was with Mr.. Fox when Mr. White was asked
for blank for petition for a new building.
White promised to send one but never did
(Such blanks are not in use). Nothing came
of tn" matter and no suggestion was made as
to repairs. He knew nothing OF proposed
repairs until he saw the roof off the building.
Saw lir. White and Mr. Evcrist at the school
wheu the two differed as to the point whether
himself, Mearns and Fox were or were not
the actual trustees of the school. They had
uniformly signed the teachers reports. He
(Snith) had requested Mr. Everist to meet
the trustees in order to Judge of the advlsi.
bility of going on with the proposed repairs.
Whel he saw the building on Tuesday the
building was in such state as to be beyond
repair. On Monday the roof was off. the
floors out and the workmen were preparing
new ratters. On Friday a hole was broken in
the rJcf, and the roof was taken off on Satur-
day. Had talked with Mr.. Everist in Dccem-
ber last as to the disposition of the lumber
etc.. left at Grove school, Everist suggested
that i should be cared for. Smith told him
that White had it carted away Everist ap-
pearei to be surprised The flag pole was
removed by David Rittenhouse on Tuesday
morning. Aug. 90 Could not say who re.
moved the blackboards. Asked whether hC
thought the walls fell of their own weakness
or lack of support or were thrown down
Mr. Smith said they were as likely to fall from
one cause as the other. The rafters had been
removed. Had never heard of any efforts
being made by Mr.. White to secure bids for
repairs on the building. The patrons were
without school privileges during the next
term after the building fell. The last official
act Of the trustees was approving the teachers
report for the May term of '95. The room
offered by Dr. Clifford at $40 was double the
size .nally secured. Asked whether he did
not think that some parties had thrown down
the walls. Smith said he could not say. II
was probable that they had been pushed
down but in his judgment not likely. The
affair had created much feeling against Mr.
White in the community. His connection
with it or responsibility for it was the only
instance that he could urge as to Whites in.
competency, but he did not consider White
competent to fill his position.
Adjourned till Wednesday at 10 a. m.
WEDNESDAY.
d. F. Riley, of Conowngo, sworn: Has
been a resident and voter in the Eighth eec-
ton district for eight years past. Has known
John r. White for upwards OF eight years
Asked whether during the past year he had
had any talk with Mr.. White in reference to