The age-herald., 1899-07-07


 these parties by the school for keeping the P..nos and allowing girls to practice there had pianos at other houses. but had to moye thena. 2s eW,r,c-s q the houses ob- jeeted to them remaining.
 In making this charge tie committee used this language: We found one of the best new pianos in the residence of ". B. Rey- holds and another in the residence of D, ". ShlYers, and no account of any rent therefor" Thereby cha girg by implica- tion either that l had collected rent on tn SC pianos and failed to account for it, or that l had fraudule1tiy given the rent to thesa parties. Instead of finding these pianos at these places the chairman of the finance committee on stating to my attorney who mentioned the subject to me. that there were two pianos missing, was informed by him that these pianos were in these resi- dences. where they had been placed for the use of the music pupils of the school. large numbers of whom boarded at these places.
 Escaptd lis Memory
 With respect to the charge that I had included in my last unpaid account charge of $9S4, which had heretofore been paid me. If that be true then it should be deducted from my account Such payment, If made, had escaped my memory, and the only book showing it was in the possession of the finance committee when l made out such account
 
 dorf's depositing $29 and remaining only short while and receiving but S1 back, have this to say. It is the universal rule of all boarding schools that pupils leaving except in cases of sickness or providential causes will have no money refunded them. I am quite willing that the school have any surplus that has come to my hands from such sources provided they will also as- sume the losses. 1 see from their rules for the next session that they propose to adopt the same methods.
 The committee allude to the fact that charged them $lOO for expenses securing legislation for the school. This charge was made necessary by the following facts: At a meeting of the board just before tEe legislature met, brought up the question of how much appropriation we should ask for building purposes. Finally it was agreed that we should ask for $l5,U00, and the gov ernor agreed to help secure such appso- priation After the legislature met and the bill for $15.000 was introduced l went down to see after il. Standing in the lobby of the house, I was handed a note from Gov ernor Johnston, stating that if the con- stitutional convention bill was allowed to pass he would not consent to the appro- priation for the school. l construed this as notice to me to pull off my coat and go to work against the constitutional conven- tion bill, but 1 did not do 1t. l took com- mittees to Montgomery and paid their eX-
  in securing the appropriation When the bill giving six hundred thousand dollars to the common schools passed the house the governor announced that he would veto our bill if the bill for the common schools was allowed to pass the senate
 We had to have our bill recalled from his hands to the house to keep him from veto.ng it. The records of the house and senate will show this fact Other schools are allowed to.pay for expenses of this kind. If this committee will examine re- ports from the university they will see where $S7 at ore time was allowed for ex- penses of securing legislation.
 No, they would have me foot all the bills as have done In securing 2500O acres of land.
 The committee reports that l was paid $200 for expenses for myself and another to Washington, implying that this was in set tlement of the large sums of money I ex- pended in securing the public land donation for the school.
 The executive committee authorized me- while this work was in progress-and long before 1t was completed-to draw $200 on such expenses. It was not intended as pay ment for all such expenses, the larger DOT ton of which had not then been incurred; and according to my recollection I never drew this money. The committee charges that MT. Reynolds now admits that he is chargeable for $92 for invitations sold, and of which he made no mention to trustees or committee until the day after the last statement, leaving an account of $1S2 which the printers claimed the trustees owe" This charge is predicated on the following facts: I was notified by the finance com mittee that it would meet at Montevallo on the 18th of June, where I was requested to present my account. I had this account partially prepared, when I was taken ill and could not complete it, and I inadver- tently omitted to place the debit. In this manner my account was presented to the finance committee during the morning of the 18th. In about one hour thereafter my attorney, in going over my papers, recol- lected that he had omitted this debit and immediately after dinner on the same day went before the committee and made a statement of-the above facts, and requested the chairman to be allowed to place this debit on the account, which the chairman declined to permit. My attorney then made a statement of these facts in writing and asked that it be attached to the account, which the chairman agreed to do The mere statement of these facts refutes the charge contained in this clause of the report, and shows the spirit with which the report was made With respect to this matter the committee further says: MT Reynolds was never authorized to contract this debt" Yet the chairman of this committee, who was sent dozen of these invitations, made requisition on me for fifty more, and in structed me to send one to each member of the legislature. It is usual for even third class schools to issue commencement in- Nl- H-7 ET. E