The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1908-07-23

Il
vestigation for the first time. The
entire article is reproduced for the
general insight IL gives into the whole
college affair:
Columbus. Miss. July 1s-P. "
Maer, a member of the board OF Grus-
tees Of the Agricultural and Meehan-
ical College. returned 10 Columbus
| today from that institution. where
he has been since last "Wednesday
attending a continuous meeting Of
the board OF trustees
From Mr. eAIaer many things are
| learned which 90 TO show that the
press and public have not respected
the wishes of the board since their
last meeting. that a suspension 81
| judgment should be held in the col
lege matter until the Investigation
could be completed. Mr. Maer said
| that certain papers in the State had
| bitterly assailed the college. the
board of trustees and the president
upon statements which were unius-
tilted by the facts in the case The
in the morning until Il o'clock. each
| night, and its session on SATURDAY
night lasted well into the Sabbath
before their labOrS were finally com
pleted. Their work included q search
ing and exhaustive Investigation into
every department OF the college and
every member of the faculty and the
teaching force upon the ground was
examined both as 70 his relations
with the president and as IA the frlc-
tion within the various departments
of the institution SiNty-odd witnesses
were examined. and many letters
We're read from members OF the fac
ulty absent from the institution aud
engaged in various works for the
summer.
The WellbOrn charges against
President Hardy were referred to by
Mr.. Maer, who unhestftatiugly de-
nOunced the statement that Governor
Noel had decided the tie vote 70 set
tie the matter i'm the absence of
Trustee White. and thereby sustain
Mr.. Hardy. There was no vote taken
upon the proposition to- defer action
until the arrival OF Mr. White at au.
and the matter was discussed infor-
mally. and il was agreed without ae-
tion that the board should at once
act upon the matter That the
boards reason for not awaiting the
arrival of NJ. White might noe D.
misunderstood. il was stated that it
was agreed at the last meetiue co
the board, the meeting at which Ehe
charges against 8Er. Hardy were
heard and tried that IF auy member Z
of the board found il imposSGble ro 4
attend the session at whfch the eon-
clusion was reached that he woald .
have the right Cd write his vote to
the president OF the board. and ar f
would be considered and recorded &
and be counted Just as il he were .
present. Mr. Whites vote was nor .
present IN writing and the members 4
of the board took the position that as .
the people of the State were anx-
iousIy awaiting a decision IA this fu,- f
pOrtant matter, and as there were
thirteen representative citizens ca
the board, including the governOr. f
the State superintendent Of e6aca-
tiOn and leading men whose services F..
were demanded at their homes or
elsewhere. ana as the institution mas F.
under expense in their forced STAY
at the college. that IL was no1hlns
but right and Just that definite ana .
final action should De taken ~.
White had wired that he expected to .
be there. bur the board eanclaae1 F.
that IN as much as the meeting had
been called a week In advance -
that date. and that he had right ga
send in his vote and had not done So. .
that they would proceed WITH the
Wellborn case
The statement sent out from stark .
vile By enemies OF the eollese ana
President HARDY thar the charges
were only defeated by one vore. re-
veal the character OF maIIguanr az
tacks which has been made unon the "A
institution That e may D. un8er-
stood Just exactly bow the vote sseos1 +
it must be made known thmr the
Wellborn charges were saeh that 81
was impossible 20 record the eoaela-
sion OF the board with the single
vote. ave or nav For the in9o~-
nation Of the public the charges are
thus referred 10 that the correcs
vote IN this matter NAV be made
known For instance. the first par
agraph OF the Wellhorn document
President Hardy with having
written TO members OF the beard.
urging their influence against an in-
---..s-...-s.r. 4 hs-..-.ra