The herald., 1897-11-19

were demanded have been before that
body and have told all they know. TIL,
fact that most of them refused to pungl;
up and defied the little ring makes The
case against the corruptionists weake
than it would otherwise have been. bu
there is certainly one man who did pay
his money.
AXTELL AND ADAMS
In this connection it should be stated
that it is not the intention to charge the
entire board OR even majority of it.
with venality, but when it is stated that
there is corruption in that body fact
is stated that cannot be denied. A plain
statement of the facts will show who
must wear the disgraceful shoe
Briefly, it is as follows: Shortly before
the last election of teachers and other
subordinate employees C. II. AXtell, su-
perintendent of buildings, approached
a number of teachers and at least one
janitor and told them that unless they
paid one months salary they would not
be reelected. One man, L. E. Cooper,
3anitor of the Sentous street school, a
poor man with family to support, did
pay $50 as result of AXtell's demand.
He paid the money to j. S. Pitman, a
former member of the board of educa-
tion, and the latter in turn paid it to
Axtell The latter stated that he had
I1,,fI H., Il ,ai5
all to j. L. Adams, the member of the
board from the Seventh ward Cooper
was asked to pay $65, but through the
efforts of Pitman So was returned tc
him. SO sly was AXtell that when Coop
er rendered the money to him in person
he was told that he must pay it to some
other person, who would call upon him
OF Thomas ]. Phillips, principal of the
Sentous street school, $40 was demand
ed by Axtell, but Mr.. Phillips comes of
fighting stock and, although advised tc
go and see Mr.. Adams and square the
matter" he did nothing of the kind, and
defied the corruptionists to discharge
him. AS a result of his defiance his posi-
ton was offered C. Il. Latham by Adams
personally in real estate office in this
city, and it is understood that price
was fixed upon it.
OF Mark Keppel, formerly principal of
the Harper school and now at the Union
avenue school, demand was made for
$40, and as he did not have the money
he borrowed it for use in any emergency.
He did not have it to pay for the reason
that he, too, defied AXtell, who made the
demand of him, although it required
several days to settle his case. He did
not lose his school.
Il. 3. Emery. principal of the Eighth
street school, was also approached and
told that a months salary would be re-
quired of him, but he also stood off the
demand until the corruptionists We're
afraid to press the matter, owing to his
threat to expose the ring.
COOPER'S STORY
CoOper's story proves to what ex-
tremes the corruptionists went in theil
Is poor man, the head of large fam
lily. lis position as janitor of the Sen.
tous street school pays $65 per month
which is barely sufficient to make botf
ends of his expenses meet. In addition
to his ordinary obligations there wa.
serious illness in his family during tn,
last school year and that almost con
sumed his little savings. AT the end o
Che school year Cooper had saved jus
x60, and with it he expected to keep foo(
on his table during the summer vacation
A few days before the election of teach
ers and other school employees he was
approached by Axtell.
AXTELL GAVE HIM TO UNDER.
STAND THAT HIS TENURE IN OF
FICE DEPENDED UPON HIS PAY.