The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-01-05
That's the Question Teach
ers Must Answer
ALL ARE TO BE SUMMONED
THIRTY EXAMINED LAST NIGHT;
FIFTY TONIGHT
Webb Fails to Get Resolution in His
Favor Through the Board-May
Last All Winter

Whatever remote possibility there
might have been Of an early ending OF
the long -drawn-out and tedious investi-
cation before the board of education, II
was removed last night by the program
Of procedure outlined by the defense
There Is now nothing by which even
euese can be made as to the time when
the investigation will be concluded
Thirty witnesses were examined last
evening, and not single new fact bear
ing upon the case under consideration
was ELECTED, except that they had not
been approached" or paid for their
position. They comprised nearly all of
the new teachers who were elected In
June.
II AT the conclusion Of the examination
OF these witnesses the defense announced
that It Is intended that each and every
teacher, janitor and other employe
Of the school department shall be sum-
moned to testify as to whether they
have paid for their places. The prose-
cution will then produce certain inter-
esting evidence In rebuttal. There are
more than 500 of these employees, and
they will be examined as rapidly as
possible. Tonight fifty will appear At
that rate, the whole number Will be
completed within ten days. but there
will be absentees and other causes for
delays. 80 that, unless Providence or
some other kind agency intervenes, the
defense may continue the presentation
of its case for month or more.
Last nights session was not without
its unexpected feature. At the close of
the hearing Of the evidence, Webb pre-
sented q resolution calling upon the
League for Better City Government to
admit that there was no extortion prac-
tieed except upon those the robbery Of
whom has already been brought very
close to the Webb door, IL not actually
" min 1t. OF course. he failed to secure
tie passage o. this resolution. Then fol-
lowed an exchange Of courtesies be-
tween the two sides to the case, which
bordered upon the acrimonious. From
now on, for time at least. the sessions
of the investigation promise to be tedi-
Gus and devoid of sensational develop
ments, unless some Of the teachers who
are to be called admit that they were
made the victims Of the cupidity Of the
corruptionists on, or connected with. the
board. arse
Only three members were present when
the time for opening last nights session
arrived, Messfs. Davis, Conrey and Webb,
but by o'clock Messrs. Bartlett and
Poor arrived, and President Davis took
the chair. Webb had desired to proceed
with only the three members present,
but that was held to be useless, as 1t
could not result in anything. The new
president Of the board opened the ses-
sion with a characteristic firmness
which indicated that hereafter there will
be no delays during the meetings, and
that wrangles between attorneys and
members or between members them
selves are not to be tolerated.
Nfthe outset it was announced by the
defense that 1t had summoned some
thirty or more teachers for the purpose
of proving that none Of them had been
approached and that they had not paid
for their positions. Judge Phillips agreed
to admit in advance that all of them
would swear that they had not been
approached and had not paid, but Webb
said his purpose was to show the falsity
Of the innuendoes and differences that
these new teachers had been made to
pungle up portion of their coin in order
to secure their positions. He made his
statement In a manner that showed that
hss temper was not the best. although
he did not state what papers or persons
had published or voiced the differences
and innuendoes." There was nothing to
do but for him to present his case in his
own way. for that right had been ac-
corded him early in the case.
One by one the thirty teachers were
called and examined. Several who had
been summoned failed to appear. but
the following were sworn and answered
set Of questions so nearly alike in each
instance that there was a suspicion that
they had been stereotyped or committed
to memory. The streets mentioned indi-
cate the schools at which the teachers
are employed:
Mrs s. r. Lotshar, New Macy street;
Miss J. l.. Wethern, Sand street; Miss A.
M, 6prague. Sixth street; Miss A. H.
Cable, San Pedro street; Miss r. Nc
Phail, CASTELAR, street; Miss w. Clifford,
SanaP edro street; Miss N. Hutchinson, Sec
ond street; Miss Gussie Carter, Amelia
street; Miss Helen Aitken, Second street;
Miss "A. #. Phillipson. Ann street; Miss M
i. Payne. Hayes street; Miss X. M. Cooney,
Olive street; Miss N. Newly. Grimm ave.
nuei Miss =. M. Bates. Twenty-eighth
street, Mr.. g. 2. Putnam. Olive street; Miss
8. Comstock, CASTELAR, street; M. A. Tucker,
Breed street; N. c. Bledsoe, substitute;
W 8. Hall. San Pedro street; N. L. Lever
Ing, Seventh street; II. A. Thornton, He'll
man street; Miss z. M. Nevell Temple
street; Miss Q. L. McGaughey, Custer
street; Miss o. G. Hall; Sentous street;
Miss Mabel Cory, Seventeenth street; Miss
Ina wright, Twenty-eighth street; Miss
Josie Dryden, Staunton avenue; Miss A.
Eanborn; high school: Miss A. M. Minor,
Oates street; r. p. SHILLING, Custer street:
Mrs. A. b. Gregory. Hewitt.
This was the line Of questions fired at
the teachers by Attorney oliver cow
Ing to the serious Illness of his wife Az
torncy Meservc was unable to be pres
enD:
"You are q teacher in the public
schools Of Los Angeles?''
you were elected by the nresarts
board OF education last June?''
did You ever pay anything to seopre
your position?''
"Were you ever asked to paw a. Ga
cure your position or were any Of vo,,r
friends asked to pay Tor you7''
Sometimes this question was cha i,red
20: Was anything ever said 10 ro,,I
about gey!9s f0s your pasition'"