Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-19

In ruling that evidence prior to two
years ago was not admissible, the
tions, in its hearing of Trustee C. c.
Desmond's charges against Superin-
tendent J. p. Greeley of the Whittier
state school and Assistant Superin-
tendent DR.. w. v. Coffin, cut off a
number of Mr. Desmond's witnesses
and demoralized his program of testi-
mony yesterday.
1t resulted, moreover, in an earnest
request by Mr.. Desmond that the board
adjourn till Monday until he could get
additional witnesses here from River
side, Santa Monica and elsewhere.
Trustees 7. E. Newlin and James
Clarke, who are antagonistic to Mr.
Desmond, insisted on night session.
as DIR. E. c. Moore. the chairman, has
Monday afternoon engagement.
Religious Factor Enters
Yesterdays session disclosed that a
religious factor has entered into the
situation.
The assistant superintendent, the
laundress and others are charged with
having treated Catholic inmates un-
fairly while these persons retort by
saying that the night watch, Cath
olic, was doing proselyting in her favor
The state laws of California put
bar on all sectarlanism in public or
state schools.
| That the military discipline is a farce
as practiced at Whittier was plainly
shown. Maj. Truman Cole tried to in
| sist on the officers saluting each other
in military fashion, but some of the
civilian captains of companies declined
to salute the adjutant because he was
| cne of the boy inmates, and hence re-
| garded beneath them.
Members of the state board appeared
specially impressed by this lack of dis
cipline, and if the decision is against
Greeley and Coffin it will be largely
because they failed to make the mill
tary officers come to time in their un-
military, if not mutinous, stand
against authority.
Military a Farce
Father Ramm of San Francisco, one
of the board, particularly seemed I'M
pressed by chaotic conditions which
would hermit such gross violations of
military courtesy with no hand strong
enough to enforce rules at the school.
THE obstacles which Mr.. Desmond
encountered in the board were clearly
shown by an interview between Des-
mond and President James Clarke OF
Pasadena, head of the board.
Desmond testified that Clarke toia
him that he (Desmond( had started
fine whole trouble; that if he had kept
silent ali would have been adjusted,
ond that he could not reform the Worlu'
such practices existing even IN
churches. -,
morality exists only in the church OIL
hell" said Mr. Desmond tierceiy, AIter
that we were no longer rrlenos'
Exchanging Notes
During the day the fact was estab-
ushed by witnesses that notes mad beelh
exchanged between Capt Il. Eugene
Willes, the bandmaster. and glrls, aha
| siriIarIv notes had been exchanged
between Mrs. Wiles and boy inmates.
Both of these teachers were dis
charged. ,,air-
tanned stealthily for exchange OF pillets
doux between the boys and girls. renee
corners visitors pockets and other
bidinq nIaces served to convey the
notes back and forth between the IN
Bessie Mac Cammant, an inmate, tes-
titled that Capt. Willes tried TO KISS
her, told her he expected to make her
his second wife, had escorted her ,,t ~
| Westlake park and sent hel AiueSoiiS
letters and postals.
TWO boys, Cadets Fahey and WIZARD
| testified that they had often called on
| Mrs. Willes in her room. one cadet
narrowly escaped suffering the ire OF
an outraged husband when Capt. Wiles
heard of his riding to Elyslan park
| with Mrs, Willes. Another said MRS.
Willes had put her arm around him in
the halls ne day.
All News to Greeley
superintendent Greeley insists that
he was not cognizant of much of the
mischief in the school, but insists that
he acted promptly when he was noti-
fed.
mitted that he disagreed on matters OF
nolicy with the superintendent now ana
! mat they were not as harmonious as OF
wore. Particularly do they differ over
| the military features DR.. Coftn thinks
they should be merely an adjunct or
THOUGH Mrs. c. H. Thompson, acting
matron of the girls school, admitted
that she sent the laundry work OF her
daughter, a student at Berkeley, back
| and forth between the university ana
the Whittier school, she justified II by
saying she gave one of the Whittier
| girl inmates so cents weekly for doing
! the laundering. She said 1T was GUS
| tomary in her case to have this coui-
tesy for her daughter. who formerly
| lived with her at the school.
Parole Officer w. B. Webster of Pasa--
dena, who said a paroled boy had told
| him at Exton's music store on Spring
street that Desmond had promised boys
/ paroles who testified for him, was m
slructed at Mr.. Desmond's request to
| nave the boy on hand Monday. He de-
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