The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-17
Letter Also Costs Principal
Morris, Of Mountain
View, His Wife.
HIS 'FATHERLY INTEREST
Thirteen.year-oId Child Admits
That he Took Long Walks
With Her--Village Aroused,
But Morris Is Away and
Out of Danger.

LITTLE FALLS. Aug. 17.-Charges
so grave that If proven in any court
will send him to State Prison, nave re-
suited in the dismissal of Burt Morris,
principal of the village school at Noun
tain View, In Passaic County, and
caused his wife to that she
will never live with him again.
Because of the reluctance of the
guardians of a young girl involved in
the accusations to make a move against
Morris, the matter has not yet been
brought to the attention of the county
authorities. Those concerned have been
satisfied to lay their evidence before
the Board of Education. 1t was hoped
in this way to avoid a scandal n pro-
tect the name of the young girl, but
the facts are public, n should Morris
enter the village where he was so pop
ular during his emu as school prin-
cipal he would undoubtedly be tarred
and feathered.
Morris was principal of the school
for nearly two years, and, because of
the record he had made inc his popu-
larity, was reengaged for the coming
year, when the scandal broke out.
Several days age Madge Darcy. Ii
years old, one of the prettiest girls in
the school, received a note from Nor
ris. Miss Darcy, who really looRs to
be 16, is the adopted child of the
Misses Elizabeth and Ann Darcy,
wealthy maiden women. She was reared
as beftted the station they expected
her to occupy, and while 1t was known
she was not of the Darcy family, the
child was everywhere ceived. At
school she was one of the most popular
of the girls.
Morris and his family were away on
a vacation and the note was received
by one of the Misses Darcy. She gave
it to the young girl, and watched her
read ii. Then she asked to see 1t. The
girl refused, but when told she must
give it up, did so. The contents of the
letter were such that the guardians
of the child were shocked. 1t vas
plain in terms, and left no room for
doubt in their minds.
Questioned, the girl broke down, ana
told Of how the principal had taken
her on long walks, explaining that ne
was taking a fatheriy interest in her
studies, and wished to see her
It was found that Morris was at
Newton, the county seat OF sussex
County, passing the summer with MS
wife and family on the farm OF ms
father-in-law John Ryder and Richard
Husk. members of the Board of Edu-
cation. were shown the fletter. They
brought the matter before the Board
of Education OF Wayne Township, and
Morris was informed that his services
were no longer required.
When this information was received,
Morris informed his wife that he had
NOT been reengaged. He asked her to
go to Mountain View, pack the fur
nitnre they had left in their pretty
home. and ship it to Sussex.
When the wife of the school principal
reached Mountain View she called upon
many of the persons there. All hesitateu
to tell her what they had heard, ana sne
attributed her husbands failure to get his
school back to politics. 1t was not until
she had called upon the Misses Darcy that
she was enlightened.
When told of her husbands action lhe
wife, a young and charming woman, ana
the mother Of two pretty cnlioreh'
swooned. 1t was several hours before she
recovered. Then she shipped the house
hold effects to her father and told Norris
she was lone with him forever.
Since the scandal has become public
there are many who say they never liked
the manner in which Morris was in the
habit of taking long walks with the eidef
of the girl pupils and the fatherly interest
he protested to have in their classes Al
the time he was there, however, he was,
after a few months, the social leader, ana
was considered a model teacher and hus-
band.
Morris is said to be in Newton. and to
be looking for another school in New Jer-
sey.