The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-10
WASHBURN'S
COUNSEL
QU|BBLES.
Serious Charges Presented Be.
fore Board Of Managers Of
State Agricultural College.

The board or managers OF the hhOuc
Island College Of Agriculture and Me-
chanic Arts had a meeting In the rooms
OF the senate comrpittee on judiciary in
the state house this morning, when formal
charges against President John II, Wash
burn were received The board convened
until o'clock.
Governor Kmball was an interested
spectator at the hearing. although he did
not interfere in the proceedings. AT first
it was decided to have the meeting be-
hind closed doors. but after the COVER
nor's arrival IL was decided 10 open the
doors. The governor advised that the
hearing should be public.
The members OF the board present were
Chairman Henry l.. Greene, Benjamin A.
Jackson j. o. b. Watson and Mr.. Cogges-
hall Congressman Bull was in Wash
ipgton and did not attend. Messrs.
Thomas @. Gazard and John @. Clarke
were on hand TO represent the complain
ants. Amasa NJ. Eaton appeared for DIR.
Washburn while orrin l.. Bosworth repre-
sented his opponents.
DIR. Washburn was present and the
reading of the charges appeared TO have
a depressing effect upon him. During
Mr. Bosworth's vigorous arraignment, he
look tOplOuS UOlts anu suBbts-
tions TO his counsel upon which obJec-
tions were based.
Mr. Eaton at the outset declared that
his client objected TO the form of the
charges, which are based, he said, on
hearsay and implication. Attorney Bos-
worth said that he had exhausted all his
legal acumen I'm preparing the bill TO make
il as unobJectionable as possible without
resorting TO the use of too vigorous
use of Anglo-Saxon.
CHARGES AGAINST wASHBURN.
The charges against DR.. Washburn are
sweeping in character, and while no
specific acts are alleged as TO time and
place. are nevertheless of such char
acter as to demand a most rigid investi-
cation. Mr.. Eaton insisted that the
charges were in improper form and denied
the right OF the board to try Dr. Wash
burn on charges affecting the latters
general reputation.
The board will meet again next Tuesday
at the state house when its action regard
ing the charges will be announced. The
base of the charges against Dr. Wash
burn follows, and his removal is asked
Tor on those grounds:
General reputation has not been con-
ducive to the welfare of the college. but
has been an injury thereto.
The college has been degraded and the
standard lowered by his mismanagement.
Because said president has not merited
the. respect OF his students.
Because he has treated moral and sa.
cred things in jesting and frivolous
manner.
Because he has encouraged smoking
among the students; has been intemper-
ate I'm the use OF intoxicating liquors and
has been unclean, impure and unchaste
in behavior and profane I'm conversation.
AT the outset Mr.. Eaton said that the
charges had been prepared by somebody
else than Mr.. Bosworth
The latter retorted that If any blunder
was made he was to blame. Mr.. Eaton
said that IL was the most extraordinary
production of the kind he had ever seen.
"Well. / am not ashamed Of it," said
Mr.. Bosworth.
THE charges are were libellous state
ments made upon hearsay and are not
statements OF fact The board should de-
cline 10 receive them in their present
form. / ask you now to direct that all
persons having charges against DR. Wash .
burn shall make them 10 you. specifying
time. place and circums tances, under
which the alleged Objectionable acts have
been committed
In his opening arguments, Mr. Bes-
worth said that he did not ask the board
TO hold an investigation OF DR.. Wash
burns conduct until he had investigated
the case for himself He declared that
the hearing was of vital interest to the
people of Rhode Island who took a just
pride in the institution that rests upon
Kingston hill
Mr.. Bosworth said that he had taken
great pains to make the charges as obnox-
ious I'm language and as courteous 10 DIR.
washburn as possible. No charges re-
garding DR.. Washburn's relations with
women were made but they were implied.
MY purpose" said Mr.. Blodgett, was
TO make the form Of the charges les "l'
noxious. less pointed and less public.
why quibble over the form OF the
charges and demand that we say that
Or Washburn got drunk or swore when
tho same thing can be conveyed in
milder way. When a whole community
Is talking about the bad management OF
an institution and the misconduct OF its
president. l believe 1t is high time to
hold an investigation.
The college has failed In its high OBJ
iccts and purposes" concluded Mr.. Bos-
worth, "and the people Of the state will
not send their children 10 college
where the personal and official conduct
of the principal Is n subject OF gossip.
The study and pursuit of agriculture has
been discouraged at the institution by
Dr. washburn."
Mr. Hazard said that al a meeting Of
organized farmers held In East Provi-
dence a year ago DR.. Washburn public
ly stated that the college az Kingston
was not an agricultural college and was
not teaching farmers sons farming.
LAWYERS DISAGREE.
Both Mr.. Eaton and Mr.. Bosworth
clashed over the publication premature
Is OF the charges against Dr. Washburn,
The former charged Mr.. Bosworth with
serious breach OF professional eti
quette. while the complainants' attor-
ncv declared that the suits brought
against the committee representing the
opponents OF DR. Washburn was
'bluff' and "A weak attempt 10 scare Off
witnesses who might testify against
him Mr. Bosworth said that the college
was simply dying of inertia under Dr.
washburn's direction.
DIR. Washburn made a brief statement
al the close OF the meeting lie said:
81 want 20 take just a moment TO ask
YOU FOR a trial OF these charges. which
know will be fair just and true Perhaps
II IS best for all parties that the charges
should be made more definite That. OF
course. is for you TO decide. Jealousy and
prejudice may do much against the man
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