Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-25
THE EGGLEsToN CHARGES.
Denouement in the Case at Richmond
Victim Very Ill.
Special Correspondence of The Star.


RICHMOND, Va, June "a. 1905.
The denouement of the Eggleston school
register charges has come and the city and
state is standing eghast at the revelations
made by the investigation. For twenty
years trusted clerk in the employ of the
department of public instruction, James A.
McGilvray has appeared before the board
and In a written statement confessed that
he had perjured himself when the matter
was investigated. He admitted having re-
ceived money from the sale of school regis
tiers to the state. a fact which he denied a
month or more ago.
Julian P. Thomas. principal of the high
school, who owned to the proprietorship Of
the school register, also united with Mr..
Mo Gilvray in the statement to the board,
coDfessing that he. too, had violated the
law and sold the register to the state when
the law forbade such a matter. Thomas
said he made the misstatement in order 20
shield and protect McGilvray, who was g.
candidate for superintendent Of public in
struction. and McGilvray said he was lei
into making the statement by reason of ths
fact that he did not care to betray hta
friend.
The board passed a resolution dismissinS
McGilvray from the service of the board,
not accepting his resignation. and the board
also passed a resolution censuring Thomas.
and while 1t had no jurisdiction In his c&se
1t had it's effect. Thomas withdrawing lbs
application before the city ScnOOl DodFQ lOE
rec ppontment.
The state board of education went right
to the bottom of the charges made by JOS
epli D. Eggleston, which led up to the dis
closures. Mr.. Eggleston charged the de-
pertinent of public instruction with ineffl-
cheney and incompetency, alleging that the
state was being mulcted for large amounts
each year when the department should
have exercised Its power and duty by pro-
viding the registers at cost. 1t was shown
that the board was paying 90 cents for g.
25-cent hook, the profits going to Thcmas
and McGilvray. in clear violation of the
law, and the fact was clearly established
that the transaction was a detail for the
attention Of the department of public In
struction and not one for the board to at
tend, and 1t was also made clear that the
firm which had the contract with the board
to print and furnish the registers was not
in any way involved in the matter to Its
discredit, but resolution was passed an
nulling the contract and opening the mat
ter for new proposals on the part OF the
board for supplying registers.
Mr.. Eggleston. who is directly responsible
for the affair, has subStantiated every
charge he made in every particular, and Is
today the candidate for the position of su-
perintendent of public instruction with
what is believed to be a free field. the oppo-
sition to him being local only and the view
entertained and expressed that he will have
no opposition when the primary is held
Mr.. McGilvray has always borne splen-
did reputation, and the effect of the boards
fir dings and the predicament In which he Is
placed is preying heavily on him. For two
months he has been Ill man, critically
ILL., and 1t Is feared that the effect of the
action of the board, and his own humilia-
ton. will completely PROSTATE him.
The board also named a committee-E. c.
Glass of Lynchburg. John 7. West of Nor
folk, and w. A. Bowles of Staunton-to pre-
pare a new register for use In the public
schools of the state. and this committee has
begun work by having the secretary of the
board collect specimen registers from all
parts of the country. The department will
have the registers printed and furnished to
the state at actual cost It is said that q
saving Of some 5000 a year to the school .
fund will be effected by this move.
Another step taken by the board indicates
its determination to reorganize the school
system of the state, the state being divided
into FIVE sections circuits. and men elect
ed to take charge of the circuits and exer-
else general supervision of the work of
the schools and to see that attention Is
paid by the district superintendent to the
matter of education e. H. Russell Is said
to have charge of the first circuit, Willis
A. Jenkins the second, j. s. Thomas the
third, Harris Hart the fourth. and Charles I
G. MaphiS the third