The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-29
The OFFICE CHASED BOTH
IT CAUGHT MIR. ANSELL IN THE
MORNING.
CAPTURED DR. RlrIERN TIE AfTtRN0ON
Nr. AnseI Submits his Case 10 The Decision Of
Supt. Mebne, b / Or, Ritter Grows
Wroth When L Q Tile u his
Office is Gu stioreA.

UiflCe is Qu SuoPe :
There il contest over the office Of
county superintendent of schools in Cur
rituek county, and it is a contest that
puts one of the contestants, Or. f. W.
Ritter and two of the county board Of
school directors j. e. c. Bell and j. >.
Summerell- in d very bad Light.
The facts, 50 far as State super'nten-
dent Mebane has been able to ascertain
them. seem to be about as follows:
On July 10 the Board Of School Dlrec-
tors Of C'urrituek county composed o.
i. Il. e. Bell, j. $. Sunmerell ard y. =.
Dowden, met for the purpose OF electlng
d county school superintendent aud town
shin school trustees, as provided Tor by
the new school law.
Mr.. BoWden placed Mr.. Ii. IS. Anse4f
ia nomination for supefintendent; the
nomination was seconded by Mr. sum
merell. ~The vote was taken anu Mf.
Ansell was declared elected, nobody Vot-
ing against him.
The other business or the session was
then completed. the minutes signed ny
Bell. chairman, and Ritter, secretary,
and the board adjourned. Later u the
afternoon. however, Bell, the chairman,
called the board together and with the
assistance. ii IL said, Of Summerell and
Ritter, the former county superintendent
had part Of the minutes of the corning
meeting erased and the following was
substituted:
1T was moved, seconded and carried
that the election Of county superinten-
dent be revoked and instead of Mr.. IL s..
Ansell being nominated for that office
the present incumbent, DR. 4. w. Ritter
be reelected to that office for the ensn
ing term Upon vote being taken Or.
Ritter was elected.
.In exclamation Of the above it is
deemed expedient to say that the above
reFprafion Was caused lis thr ffat That
Mr. Ailsell was put in nomination under
the impression that Or. Ritter was un7
able, owing to the pyess Of other bust
ness, to properly attend to the schools,
and upon learning that he had resigned
his office Mt Moyock and would naye
mere time to devote to its interest Dr.
Ritter VAS chosen to succeed himself.
This also was signed by Bell chair
man. and Ritter, secretary, their sigma
ates having been stricken ont.
These facts coming to the knowledge
of Supt Mebane he wrote for the facts
in the case stating that he desired IN
formation from both sides.
DR.. Ritter replied in il letter in which
he displays much i'll temper, but fails %
give any facts MS to the manner Of his
election He says he will leave il for
others to explain" lie processes ndig-
nation that his title 10 the office has been
called in question and boasts that his
reputation for honesty will compare
gery favorable with the Hon. G, II.
Mebane." He desires it especially un-
derstood that he never sought the office
and adds:
.1hat | have been aggrieved i'm the
former instance as well as by your let
ter you can judge when you hear
statement Of the FACTS from the Board
of Directors and the citizens. The office
Is too petty for Il gentleman to have his
finer sensibilities wounded over, and II
will afford me much pleasure in tender
ing my resignation not, however, before
| nave been fully vnd.cated.
The tone Of Mr.. Ansell's letter is quite
different He not only states in a fair
and respectful manner his side of the
question. but he sends copy of the min
utes, showing the alterations, erasures
ard amendments.
II didn't 90 to the meeting of the board
Gu the second Monday of the present
month. ne writes. hut ] send you all
the proceedings of that days work, eN
cept the names Of the township trus-
tees. They elected me regularly and
then after doing some other business the
board, after reading and adopting the
minutes. signed the same regularly.
Now Bell don't hike me. After they
had held the session, closed and signed
IN, Bell said il wouldn't do to turn Rit
ter down and that he was going for
Summereii and intended to change the
days proceeding So he went to work
wire-pullng and got Summcrell to say
he would vote for Ritter with Bell if it
could be fixed. Bell, the chairman, then,
late in the afternoon. called the board
together again and lie and Summerel
put Ritter in. Bell put Summerell in the
chair SO that he CBelD could make mo
ton. He and Summerell with Ritter
changed the regular proceedings of the
day.
Now let me say. | didn't seek that
position didn't want it: but since they
elected me fairly | don't propose to be
turned down in that ungentemanly way
by Joe Bell and those he can turn and
twist to do such a nefalions net.
Now ! wish to know who is the law
full superintendent for Currituck county
/ wouldn't qualify, as my friends wished
me to do. until ! heard from you. ]
shall submit to whatever construction
you may put on this proceeding without
a word Of complaint.
To this letter Superintendent Mebane
has not yet replied. hut that he will
decide in AnselPs favor may be seen from
the following letter yesterday written
to DR. Ritter Mr., Mebane wrote:
II received your letter Of July 9th in
which yon make a great display of your
bad temper and compare Yourself, with
myself ms to Your renutations and MI
such stuff; but yon fail to give amy f;lcts
MS To the manner Of your election. !
simply meant what ! wrote you. have