The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-03
DIR, K|LG0 TALKS
Gives His Side of the Clark.
kilgo Controversy.
SAYS JUDGE WAS LATE
IN PROTESTING AGAINST AC-
CEPTING GIFTS FROM
MIR. DUKE.
SAYS TIE JUDGE THANKED DUKE
BY Voting for Resolutions of Thanks Reviews
the Whole Correspondence from the
First SaysT Trinity is Prosperous.

THSt--SdyS tliHitY Is iospolou''
Durham n. c., July 2.-Dr John =.
Kilgo. President of Trinity College, mas
been interviewed with reference TO tue
recent letters and interviews of Judge
Walter Clark.
II have read the interview with Judge
Clark and the letter from him to MT.
Southgate. | have also read Mr.. Soutn-
gates reply and think it covers all the
points of which the trustees had cogiil-
Zance In this matter from the beSll-
ming till now. | confess | nave beeh ''h,
able to understand Judge Clark. hau
regarded him as a man OF aDlltE an"
sincerity. and felt that he would act III
fullest sincerity at all times WIN an
emplovee of any board of which he
was y member. In my dealings win
the trustees | have always tired TO be
frank and clear: so when some OF my
professors expressed distaste TO amman
elections. 'and knowing that Woi1ord ool-
lege with which | was connected when l
came to Trinity, elected ITS faculty lor
a term of four years, l suggested such
a change to the board. One of the trus-
tees moved to include the President III
the suggestion. and ] objected to the
amendment. JUuSe SliIh obJttt'o W ~
proposition on the grounds of possible
BILE legal entanglements, and | withdrew
the proposition. The trustees did not
vote on it. / never once questioned
the frankness of Judge Clark. Shortly
after his action Judge Montgomery pre-
scented resolutions i'll which was ex-
pressed confidence in me and my work,
and pledging to me and the faculty
the more earnest support of the trustees.
These resolutions We're adopted by a
rising vote Judge Clark voting. OF
course | felt gratified at this expression
on the part of those under whose au-
tbority | work In about three weeks
Prof Flowers said to me that he had
heard that Judge Clark said that | re-
commended to the trustees the election
of the faculty for a longer term in order
to secure the Presidency for a longer
term. | was panied at the rumor. and
could not think it true, believing
him a frank and sincere man.
I felt sure that he would have faced me
with it then and there, and saved the
church and college from 'trickster,
but nothing of the kind was minated,
SO far as | ever knew. Then. the Judge
had stood up. thus casting his vote
for the resolutions commencing me,
He is also a prominent member OF the
Methodist church and as such | felt
sure he would not speak any evil of
n Methodist preacher. or any other
preacher, unless he had just grounds,
and in that case he would prefer charges
in the regular way, and being Il Supreme
Court Judge. he would be too prudent
to start such a rumor SO when |
wrote my first letter to him. / said.
Il am not disposed to believe this rumor.
yet | think it but just to you, as well
as to myself. to inform you of the rumor.
You remember in his first letter to me
he said, Il did not say what You state"
But Il have no objection to saying what
/ did say if you will give me the name
of your informant"
s'The tone of this reply to my letter
gave me to understand that he had said
something so at once / gave him my
informant In the Judges interview.
published in the News and Observer, he
says: After that it was a conversation
with Mr.. Brown This is not the fact
as you will see by reference to our cor
respondence as published in your paper.
j did not know that Mr.. Brown had any
connection with it, but wrote him imme-
diately that Professor Flowers had told
me. At that time no one had spoken to
me about the matter, except Professor
Flowers. AS soon as ! learned through
Mr. journey that Mr.. Brown was con
nected with it, | wrote the fact to Judge
Clark. / regret that the Judge, who is
accustomed to handling testimony. over
looked this fact. To my surprise his re-
ply to my second letter did not bring
what he had said, and which he prom
Used ON condition that / would give him
my informant. ! complied with his con
ditions, he did not. In the meantime /
heard more about the matter, the Judge
having carried his criticisms of me to
men not even members of the Methodist
church. much less Of the Board Of Trus-
fees. i began to feel that he was trying
to injure me for cause unknown to me.
In my third letter / said: Professor
Flowers did not tell me that he had had
any conversation with you on the matter
involved. He simply stated that he had
heard that you made the statement to
which ] referred in my first letter Rev
n NJ. Jurney. who had heard of your
making the statement told me on yester-
day that he understood that you made
il to Mr.. J. G.. Brown. | have not seen
Mr.. Brown. nor have | communicated
with him concerning the matter In
reply to this July z, the Judge says: TT
now turns ont that Prof Flowers told
you that he heard that Rev. Mr.. Jurney
heard that some one else said that / had
told Mr. Brown something like il. This
is too much like the three black crows"
This was such distortion of what I
had written that ] became confirmed in
the thought that Judge Clark did not
intend to be generous and fair toward
me. He tried TO, put me in the light Of
intruding myself into n private CONVEX
sation about the affairs of Trinity. This
/ denied in my fourth and last letter,
and being n servant of the Trustees
whose duties bound them to protect me
against unfair dealings. as well as to
nrotect the college against ''trickster"
fair dealings demanded that | should
foil the Judpe that 7 would refer tho