The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-28
THE SHORTAGE
is INCREASED
Continued from First Page.)

Der, 1897 1t was impossible for the pres
ident he says, to carry in his mind every
transa Gtion of the Board, and the confl-
dence he had in the clerk made it pos
sible for him to defraud the Board.
1T will be seen that as no discre-j
pances occurred as to that time. IL can
be reasonably conceded that confidence
was abused says Captain O'Brien.
This was a part of his written state
ment. the sist of which was that having
known the clerk and held him In the very
highest esteem, he did not scrutinize all
warrants brought to him by the clerk. as
he would have done with one VINO was
less esteemed by the community and by
every member Of the board.
MIR. BAYLEY HEARD.
Mr.. BavIey, the chairman of the board,
vacated the chair and made a statement
in defense of Captain O'Brien. He said
that it was a. fact that tho former clerk
was a defaulter and a. fact that the mem
hers of the board had had the most i'm
plcit confidence in him. Such Things
were almost daily happenings, where men
in confidence were embezzling large sums
of money. The question for the members
at this time was not to say that any one
man was to blame for the defalcation,
but that some step should be taken look
ing to the recovery of a part of the
money.
Mr.. Bayley said that A1r. O'Bren had
been chairman of the board Tor twelve
years and that it was not strange that
he had signed fictitious warrants. Any
member of the board would have done
the same thing. and just because Captain
OBrien was president of the board when
the shortage occurred was no reason
that he should be uniustly censured.
Is,, NJ
endorsed what he had said.
IN a report that lad been prepared 1or
the board in explanation to the public, 1T
says that the only solution was That the
chairman thoughtlessiy signed warrants
in advance. All bills We're invariably read
after having been rloVcd by the com
mittee; that they probably came before
listed, considered and approved by the
beard at each meeting (when there were
bills Iresented). No bill, according to the
method adopted by the board, could be
properly paid, except it had first passed
the examination and approval OF the
proper committee and the board, except
teachers salaries
DIR. FUCKERS REPORT.
DR.. Rucier made the report OF the spe
cial committee recently appointed to take
such steps as they thought best in bring
ing the natter to the attention OF the
commemorative Attorney. He said that
further than that warrant had been l.;
sued for the arrest of Fitzgerald by the
president of the board nothing had been
done. The Commemorative Attorney vas
extremely i'll and the committee were at
a standstill, not being empowered to spend
any amount for a lawyers advice. lie
offered as suggestion that a small sum
be appropriated in order that a. lawyer
might look into the case and determine
what steps should be taken.
On motion, SO was set aside for legal
advice as to whether the Board would be
justified in an attempt TO recover some
of the misapproprated funds.
A communication was read from Mr..
F. p. Brent. secretary of State Board of
Education, saying that the School Board
had no right to offer a reward merely
for the apprehension Of the abSconding
clerk without hope of getting some Of
the funds back
Mr.. Pulliam invited the members of the
Board to be at a meeting of the Educa-
tional Association in Richmond Saturday
n.sht.