Evening journal., 1898-06-21
MT.CUBA SCHOOL FIGHT
Presiding Officer Accused of
High-handed Work.
REFUSED MEN A SECOND BALLOT

GAN MEN ORGANIZED AND
TRANSACTED THE BUSINESS ON
HAND.
There is trouble out in MT. Cuba
school district, due to the arbitrary ac-
tion Of the man who presided at the
district meeting. A voter in the dis
trlct, who is intimately acquainted with
the ins and outs of the controversy,
has this to say in reply to misleading
article which recently appeared in the
Every Evening:
For the information OF the Every |
Evening and its readers / wish to say
that the person giving It It's informa-
ton was certainly misinformed or a ds-
liberate liar, as you will see by the
following statement, which contains
the facts in the case, without any ex-
aggeratlon whatever:
"On Saturday, June 4, a stated meet
ing Of the voters was held in Mt. Cuba
schoolhouse, Diamond district No. 81
according to law, for the purpose OF
transacting the business Of the district,
including the election of a school COM
missioner for term of three years. as
is prescribed by law, the term OF Com
missioner Cornelius Horrigan. expiring
on that day. The voters assembled at
2.3O, and organization was effected by
electing Archibald Armstrong chair
man and John Frederick secretary. AT
ter the meeting was called TO order
Thomas s. Marshall and Harvey Lam
p born were appointed a committee TO
audit the accounts OF the previous term.
They reported and their action was
approved. The minutes Of the previous
meeting were not submitted for APP
proval or rejection, Chairman Arm
strong being so absorbed In the cleo
tion that he declared il next in order
A ballot was taken; thirty votes were
cast. Horrigan received fifteen and
Stephen Armstrong fourteen. Chair.
e man Armstrong cast his vote for Ste
y phen Armstrong, making the vote fif
teen to fifteen, or a tie. Mr.. HOrrigan
= after the result was announced, move'
to take a second ballot, the motion be
a ing duly seconded. Chairman Arm
strong refused to entertain IL, sayinl
that one Of Armstrong; supporters ha
gone away and IL would not be fair Z
take a vote IN his absence. This le
ID to a wrangle. IOrrigan's friends de
d clared that il Chairman Armstronl
IS did not put the motion they woul
compel him to leave the chair and pu
n in a man who would perform his duty
J. This led to more confusion. Some O
d Armstrong friends suggested that tn
meeting be adjourned until Saturday
June 70. Horrigan and his friend
strenuously objected to this telling th
Armstrong faction that under the la'
70 the meeting must be held then an
y there, and that 1t was the only day tina
certain OF the items could De transact
gs ed, such as leyying the school tax, fai
ure to do so depriving the district {
its dividend from the state school fun'
OF This business-lil1e statement did not a
feet the Armstrong faction, and the
declared an adjournment without Il
Ir. requisite majority to do so, their vol
being but fourteen to the fifteen vot'
re held by the Horrigan faction. Chai
man Armstrong declared the meeti1
m adjourned and left the chair. tt
IN Horrigan men organized immediatel
They elected a chairman, secretary an
ne auditing committee and invited Il
Armtrong factionalists to participate
ng the meeting. They refused to do S
nd and the work proceeded without the1
The books were examined, Cornelr
- ]. Horrigan was elected commissions
the tax was voted on and everythil
that should be done was quickly a
complished.
Friends OF Armstrong raised q
point that six of Horrigan's supporte
were Italians and that they had
right to vote. All OF them were na
r. uralized, had their papers and tax I
ceipts, were challenged and produc
their papers and receipts. They yot
at the school election one year aG
and for congressman and represent
tive at the last general election. The
facts demonstrate the fallacy Of Z
icy Armstrong contention. These Ari
ley strong men also say that Bernard D
ross, one Of the holding-over comm
eet sioners, opened the school That sta
ment is false, but in keeping with
Armstrong story in maliciousness. B'
nard Duross had no need to open
ave school because 1t was not closed un
nd the business for which Mr. Duross,
clerk Of the school, and his associat
went to perform was accomplish
eek The action Of the Armstrong facti
was unfair and wholly uncalied for.
'rse not only Injuries those VINO participai
60