The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-25
PROBING BOOK
MATTER. DEEPLY.
State Board Of Education.
Hears Testimony
All Day.
LAWYERS ASKED
+ VEXING QUESTIONS
Publisher jenkins Testihes That
Account Is Kept in the Name
! Of Thomas and McGilvray.
Strong Denials From These
Gentlemen Coun-
sci Employed.

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For five hours yesterday the State
Board OF Education. In open session,
heard Testimony and brief arguments In
the investigation OF the charges recently
printed by Mr.. j. D. Eggleston. Jr., Of
Prince Ed ward. candidate for Super
intendent OF Public Instruction, wherein
that gentleman had stated that the board
had been "tricked" in the edition OF the
Virginia School Register at an exorbitant
price therefor. Adjournment OF the open
session was had at p. NJ, and the
board did not again take up the matter,
though It sat until 2:15 A. NJ, elccting
division superintendcnts.
The Investigation developed interesting,
not to say sensational, facts. The first
Of these was a bid from a reliable print
ing concernsto publish the Register for
eighteen cents, whereas the book Is now
sold for seventy-nve cents, and for ninety
cents with postage paid. 1t was further
developed that the Hermitage Press. sue
cessors to Che IL. Hill Printing Com
pany. print the publication, send It out,
and collect for 1t for twenty-five cents
per copy, and that Mr. j.. P. Thomas.
principal Of the Richmond High School
and owner of the Register. gets the diff
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five cents on about 200O to 2.4o0 copies
annually, less the discount to dealers in
school books. In short, It is. estimated
that Mr.. Thomas makes something like
800 to $500 per year royalty on the Regis
ter. which Is not copyrighted. and cam
not be. lss SIS; is$t
The most striking thing developed BY
the inquiry was that the account Of Mr..
Thomas for the printing and delivery OF
the Register stands on the books OF the
Hermitage Press, and stood on; those Of
the T.. u. Fill Printing Company in the
name Of Thomas and Mccs csilvray. No
body was able to satisfactorily explain
Why this was done. save that the pub
lsHkhers testified that Mr.. Thomas had
ested't in the Register Mr.. McGilyrny
etrenuously and emphatically disclaimed
any pecunIary3 interest In the publica-
tion. and Mr.. Thomas fully corroborated
this statement. The books Of the firm
were produced to show the entry. It
was developed, however that all checks
for the Register receipts were made
payable to J.,P. Thomas: and that Mr..
McGilvray was not known in the trans
action by the printing firm. nor even
known by sight.
Mr. McGilvray was particularly earnest
and emphatic In disclaiming any connec-
tion with the work pecuniarily. though
ne aQmltteO Will pTlues lHat ne Ilhu d!ueu
in the compilation OF the Register.
Without arriving at any conclusion or
fixing date for further hearing, the
board devoted the evening to other mat
ters and there the case rests. Mr.. Eg-
gleston sought to make good his charge
that the board had been imposed upon.
in that 1t did not know who was the
owner Of the Register or the. amount OF
the profit thereon, and made good GER
tanly, so far as the price IS concerned. &
Was the Board Tricked?
Major Anderson. attorney general, stated
that Mr.. Eggleston had been invited TO
appear before the board and present such
facts as might be in his possession In
connection with the adoption by the State
Board OF Education Of the Virginia School
Register. He then read a letter from
Mr.. Eggleston, in which he expressed the
belief that the board had been trtcked IN
the adoption OF this publication.
! Mr.. Eggleston arose with a copy OF the
formal notice in the shape Of resou-
ton OF the board requesting him to ap-
pear and substnntate his charge. and,
read the same. stating that he wished to
say in connection with this paper. that
II a man can disclnim what he has never
done nor attempted to do. he dsclalnl-
ed having brought any charges or I'M
puted any improper conduct to the board
OF Education not to any member OF IT,
"My reference was rather to the De-
nartment OF Public Instruction. three
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