The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-19
FREDERIC WON'T RESIGN
Charges Against Him Investi-
gated by the Committee.
He BORROWED THE MONEY
Trustee Frederic Attempted to Get
Money From Several OF the
Teachers and Succeeded
in Two Instances.

The board of school trustees will meet
this evening and the meeting will be OF
more thar usual interest on account Of
the fact that the report is expected of
the committee appointed to investigate
the charges made against Schoo Trus-
tee j. Il. Frederic. The committee has
prepared its report. II is understood
that II denounces the action of Trustee
Frederic and censures him severely, but
does not ask him to resign. 1t is under
stood to be the intention of Mr.. Fred
eric to continue his position and does
not propose to resign under any cir
cumstances.
1t is not known whether or not the
committee Will go into detail in respect
to the charges made, but 1t is known
that the committee ascertained enough
to satisfy II that Mr.. Frederic has at
tempted to borrow money from several
school teachers and succeeded in one or
two instances. II is said hat he also
borrowed money from one of the jani-
tors and from the clerk of the schools.
Mr.. Frederic has requested the Stand
ard TO publish this statement, giving
his side of the case:
1T was published hat I had used
my official position to extort money
frcm the teachers. They stated 81. 900
as the amount, then with their mode of
exaggerating and falsifying to suit
their fancy, they raised Ii to $4,000.
The whole conception was a tissue of
lies fabricated from the unbalanced
brain of the author.
1T is an overZealous act to stop the
good work I'm the schools and spread
g~ossipping. which is forbidden by rule
IL, and rule is says: All requests should
be made I'm writing and presented to
the superintendent at the office of the
board of education The place designed
for such discussion is at the board of
education, which was not done The
rules were broker i'm this case.
There is a law which says that "A
teacher abusing a pupil shall be fined
in any sum not exceeding 800, and in
this case II Is the board that sets the
example by acting under mlsinforma-
ton, and the wrong don me Is a great
abuse. 1 fulfilled my duty on the board
of education to the letter; my devotion
To the schools needs no advocacy. 1
have ~unjustly been exposed to the most
severe and unkind criticism. l have
been treated as a common ~vagabond
without a word to ascertain whether
the charges were false or true.
Where is the man who would like
To have his private business given to
the public? If l had lone any wrong
" NV "'uli ll,t oiSt thF
voice to defend myself, but | was
shamefully wronged; II looked like a
conspiracy. Teachers endeavor to i'm
press on the pupils sentiments of liberty
and freedom. while the spectre of
tyranny Is scrutinizing private and per-
sonal business. which is nobody's bust
ness but my own. Doubtless II is well
hat few have the resolution or inclina-
ton To chronicle their faults and fall
ings.
How many would shrink from maxi
ing a public display of their miserable
experiences for fear of being accused of
glorying i'm their past shame or parad-
ing "A pride that apes humility? What
l have suffered from this wrong accusa-
ton no one knows. 1t has created a
scandal through the perpetrators of this
wrong. II seems immaterial to some
people To cause the ruin Of some men
by tearing down their reputation. 1t is
their venomous nature to spread on
someone else their poison. al
caused by such vipers assassinates the
peace of families and let's out the vital
spark of life. 1t pierces hearts and en-
ters the bosoms of trust, goring IT with
gashes which God alone can heal. 1t Is
a robber who is deaf to hunger's cries
and sick wives pl. lings. Scandal is
a destroyer from wnom peace. comfort
and content fly. Death is an angel of
bltfNy h"fs
I will let the principals and teachers
speaks: after this unsolicited testimony
Is given the public can Judge"
Mr.. Frederic does not, however, deny
In the above letter that he borrowed
mone from teachers and attempted to
borrow money from other teachers. Mr..
Frederic also showed the following
statement, signed by IS teachers of the
public schools:
I'VE. the undersigned, or our own
free will. declare hat MIR. j. II. Fred
eric has never spoken to US about money
matters or concerning our position. or
any consideration whatever, or made
i~nsinuations of the same, in reward for
our election or promotion as teachers in
the Butte schools"
II will be noted that this statement
also fails To touch the point at issue. The
teachers do not deny that they were
asked To loan Mr.. Frederic money. The
statement is all right as far as II goes.
but neither the statement of the
teachers nor that of Mr.. Frederic goes
far enough. His friends would have
been glad to ave him show beyond a
doubt or dispute that he never Dor
rowed money from teachers and never
attempted to do 50. Anything less than
tina is an admission of the truth OF the