The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-29
DENOUNCES SUPT. MEBANE.
Supt. Mebane Wakes up Vance County
Chart Agent.

AS the readers of the News and OBJ
server well know, Mr.. c. H. Mebane,
State Superintendent of Public Instruc-
,tion, has recently been pretty hot after
the agents Aho are going over the State
selling charts for use in public schools
for three or four times their real worth.
He has sounded note of warning 70
committeeman everywhere that they are
wasting their schoel funds; g that the
charts they are buying are Of very little
use. and that the prices they are paying
for them are exorbitant and unreason-
able.
The natural effect of this has been to
ruin the chart business. The agents
wake up these fine mornings, and though
the walking is good, they find their busl-
ness gone. Result: They are pouring
out the walls of their wrath upon the
head of the man who has been endeay-
orng to protect the school fund that 1t
may be expended for the purposes for
which the taxpayers contributed It,
The most irate agent he has yet en-
countered is Mr.. T. III. Crocker. of Mid
dleburg Mr.. Mebane had made the
statement that the charts being sold for
SIG were worth only about $3.50. This
was published in this paper. Saturday
Mr. Crocker clipped it out of an ex'
change and enclosed it in letter asking
Mr.. MebaIfe to please give him the name
of the company who published the charts
at that price. Mr.. Mebane suspectinS
that Mr. Croker was "A chart agent,
replied by asking the origin of
Crocker's interest in the chart business,
and whether or not he wished to purchase
charts: adding that if he did he could
give him some valuable information.
Mr.. Mebane mentioned these facts in a
general conversation with News and
observer reporter and they were printed
in this paper.
Yesterday he heard from the matter
again and found that, as he had sur
missed, Mr. Croker was a chart agent.
and he has written Mr.. Mebane the fol-
lowing letter:
..Niiddleburg, y. c.. April IS, 1897.
''Supt. c. ii. Mebane. Raleigh, \. c.:
Dear Sir: Your very brief and some
what curt note of inquiry came yester-
day and | hasten to reply. | have for
several years represented the chart de-
partment of. the American Book Com.
pany of New York. which is now con
pany of the same city.
Il did not think when wrote you, and
do not think now. that you have ever
seen the chart / sold AS you could not,
# you were IA man of common bright
ness and character, make such state
ments as | have seen in the papers from
You concerning charts There have
been from time to time several different
charts offered for sale in the State.
and as you charge fraud on some of
them | wanted to know who you meant.
And if there was a place where such
charts could be bought for $3.50 | GER
tainly wanted to know where IT was. l
also beg to assure you that there has
been no necessity of your being in doubt
as to what my business was, as you can
always find it by dropping me line.
And | will say further that if you or any
one >else affirm as per your suspicion In
the News and Observer, that L have
done other than legitimate business as
authorized by section 1855 of the School
Law of the State, or that | have prac-
ticed fraud or deception Oh any one you
are guilty of an infamous falsehoOd. l
am sorry to have to write you this let
ter. as l would very much prefer telling
you what / have written you face to
face | never write caustc letter I'M
less am forced to it, as you have done
in this instance in your precipltate haste
to try to damage my character. l trust
this will enlighten you as to the origin of
my interest in the chart business.
yours truly,
"T. II. CROCKER' e