The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-07-08
NOT A SIGN OF SURRENDER.
Mrs. AxteI1 Continues Her Warfare
on City Superintendent Patti
soo at Hhatcom.

Special Dispatch 20 the Post-InteIligsr
wHATCoM. wash. Jaly Mrs ". H.
Axtell, the defeated candidate for school
director az the recent election. has just
Instituted q personal crusade against
City Superintendent Pattisou of such
character as 20 compel the directors 10
take Official cognizance OF u and sive the
matter fuu hearing.
Shortly after the election Mrs. Axteu
appeared before the board and personally
read a typewr.tten complaint against the
superintendent and asked that il be fled
and the charges investigated. II was not
signed, but that was a mere oversight,
and her signature was affixed 20 the dccu-
Tnent last evening when the board organ
ICED by eiecting Dr.. Birney president,
and then proceeded 70 hear the evidence
presented by Mrs. Axsell in support OF her
allegations The anlmus OF the charges IS
SHOWN IN the very first sentence Of the
complaint, wherein IL Is stated that the
charges preferred are made in consider
alton OF the fact thg' we have a person
a. the head OF our public schools who IS
neither gentlemanIy nor honorable"
Complaint Is then made that Air. Patti
son Was present al the polls On election
Gay III The form OF ward politician,
marking ballots TO- people and urging his
position and acquaintance through the
schools as a means to an end, until finally
climax WAS reached AT ! o'clock in the
evening, when he deliberately pulled a
man away from the ballot box and in
sisted upon hts voting 10 please him. be-
cause the schoe,S had buried his daughter
fof him at some time in the past" Upon
demonstrating with the superintendent
against electioneering IN the polling place
Mrs AXIell says that 'he told me 10 go
away and mind my own busi-
ness. She says that such things may
be admissible in politics. but are dis
graceful in a school election. and especi-
ally when the only possible motive that
can be assigned for poiluting the polls
Is to insure one man job" In concius-
Ion she graVely informs the board that
IN case this occasion passes with mac
tion you viii necessarily be conpe lied TO
50 On record as approving such conduct
IN your superintendent"
Inc TWO aftlGaSits presented by Mrs.
AHten IN support OF her complaint do
not accord with the testimony of the
members Of the election board all OF
whom testified that they did not notice
any irregularity or any misconduct on
the part OF Mr.. Pattison although one
OF the atlantis had stated in his affidavit
that the superintendent had pulled him
away from the ballot box and talked 10
could hear. The attorney for Mrs. AxteIl
asked for permission to file an amended
complaint alleging dereliction OF duty,
and stated that they proposed to prove IL
| by the testimony OF teachers. all OF whom
+. they asked that the board request to be
present al a later hearing. The request
was granted and the hearing continued
until Friday evening.
II Is evident that the members OF the
board have little sympathy with the
charges although they are treating Mrs.
AxteH with all due courtesy and seem de-
sirons that the matter should be fully in
vestigated, does also Prof Pattison.
VINO, by Inc way, Is treasurer Of the State
TEACHERS Association. and among the
best known educators in the state For
/ several years persistent efforts have been
made here to dispense with the Office OF
superintendent, on the ground OF econ
oIny and this seems TO be a new move in
the game