Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-14

years applications, and had written to
the membership in an endeavor to
trace discrepancy between the applica-
tons as originally sent in, and as they
| appeared when accepted by the board.
The entire list that they succeeded in
| bringing up, as | remember now, was
less than one-half dozen, after having
carefully searched the records. There
was not one scintilla of evidence to
show that Mr.. Deets had changed an
applica ton, except that of these two
clerks who were then beneliciaries of
| Mr.. Dcets' confidence and trust, to-
gether With three girls occupying
minor positions. all of whom sWore
that no person had opportunity to
change the applications except THE
secretary, and therefore, it must have
been he who made the alterations. This
in fact of the fact that Mr.. Shollen-
berger or any of the other clerks had
as much opportunity to change the
applications as did the secretary. The
charges that were made that evening
also included a statement that a series
of dummy applications had been put
thru the office. and We're laid on Mr..
| Deets' desk. in the expectation and
hope of catching Mr.. Deets making
| the alterations. and that one of these
applications had been changed. How
ever. there was no direct evidence 10
show that Mr.. Deets had any con-
nection whatever with this, except the
charges that were made by the above
| named five parties.
| The evidence did not show that Mr..
Deets had been guilty of making any
| OF these alterations, but 1t did show
| conGusivelN that a very strong at
| tempt had been made to connect his
! name with the alterations. The evil
dence showed by their own testimony
that MIR. Harvey and Mr.. Shollenberg-
er. while being entrusted with the ut
most confidence Of their employer, had
conspired against him in an endeavor
to have him ousted. Whether this was
of their own volition, or prompted from
without. the evidence showed clearly
that they desired to get Mr. Deets out
of the office, and somebody whose hand
had not as yet been shown, placed in
position to take his place by appoint
ment.
Governor Cummins took the matter
under advisement and on March is,
1908, submitted his opinion In which
tile following language is significant:
Il believe, MIR. President that upon
the authority of the board you should
appoint three capable, skilled, impartial
members of the association, who can
come quietly into the office and make
complete investigation. hearing the
statements of all persons Interested.
and examining all the papers that are
material to the subject. The committee
thus created should take into account
not only the interests of the associa-
ton. but the interests of Mr.. Deets and
other employees. and upon it's report.
feel sure that the board of directors
will find some way of disposing of the
controversy without injury to the as
ISOLATION
You can thus see that Governor
Cummins had in mind the appointment
of a committee by the president Of
such high standing that the board OF
directors could afford to make the re-
port of this committee the report of
the board, and it's recommendations,
the recommendation of the board.
Immediately following this opinion
the writer submitted a resolution, au-
thorizing the president to appoint
committee of this character, in accord
ance with the opinion submitted by our
general counsel, which opinion had
been solicited by every member OF the
board, excepting myself, in writing,
having had their signatures affixed
thereto. This resolution was placed
upon it's passage. and the majority of
the board, Notwithstanding it had So
licited this opinion voted it down. and
Immediately offered another resolution,
as follows:
aThat a committee of three be APP
pointed to convey to Secretary Deets
this propositions: That all further in
vestigation would be dropped in tho
CONTINUED on Eighth Page.)