The Lexington advertiser., 1908-07-24
A. & M. Trustees Issue
Statement ExOnerating Hardy

continuous meeting OI JD6 DOaTu Oh
Trustees. From Mr. Maer many things
are learned which go to show that the
press and public have not respected
the wishes of the Board since their
last meeting, that a suspension of
| 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 unjustifi.
cd by the facts in the case. The Board
was in session from 8 o'clock In the
morning until 12 o'clock each night,
and its session on Saturday night last
cd we'll into the Sabbath before their
labors were finally completed. Their
work included searching and ex-
haustive investigation into every de-
partment of the College and every
member OF the faculty and teaching
force upon the ground was examined
10th as to bis relations with the presi-
dent and as to the friction within the
various departments of the institution.
Sixty.odd witnesses were examined
and many letters we're read from mem
bers Uf the faculty absent from the in
stitution and engaged in various works
for the summer.
The Welborn charges against Presi-
dent Hardy were referred to by Mr.
Maor who unhesitatedly denounced the
statement that Governor Noel had de-
cided the tie vote to settle the matter
in the absence of Trustee White and
thereby sustain Mr.. Hardy There
was no vote taken upon the PROPOSE
tion to defer action until the arrival
OF Mr.. White at all and tho matter was
discussed informally and it was
agreed without action that the Board |
should at once act upon the matter.
That the Boards reason for not await.
ing the arrival of Mr. White might not
be misunderstood it. was stated that
II was agreed at the last meeting of
the Board, the meeting at which the
charges against Mr. Hardy were heard
and tried, that If any member of the
Board found it impossible to attend
the session at which the conclusion
was reached that he would have the
right to write his vote to the president
IF theBoard and it would be considered
and recorded and be counted just as if
10 was present. Mr.. Whites vote was
present in writing ana the members of
he Board took the position that as the
)eOple of the state were anXiously
waiting decision in this important
natter and as there were thirteen
citizens on the Board, /
including the governor, the state Su- 4
npi inf Of nd n
nen whose services were demanded
It their homes or elsewhere and as the
was under expense in their
orced stay at the college, that it was y
lothing tut right and just that definite
nd final action should be taken. Mr.
White had wired that ne expected to u
70 there, but the Board concluded that a
n as much as the meeting had been '
allied week in advance of that date,
hat he had right to send In his vote t
nd had not done so, that they would
,roceed with the Welborn case
The statement sent out from Stark
lille by enemies of the college and s
President Hardy, that the charges y
we're only defeated by one vote, re- Y
cal the character of malignant attacks u
Which has been made upon the institu- .
ion. That it may be understood just
xactly how the vote stood it must be y
made known that the Welborn charges [
we're such that it was impossible to
ecord the conclusion IF theBoard with T
he single vote aye" or nay" For y
he information of the public the :
harges are thus referred to that the =
orrect vote in this matter may be =
made known. For instance the first =
paragraph of the Welborn document
harged President Hardy with having q
written to members of the Board, urg. !
ng their influence against an investi. d
.ation of himself. This charge was
lot sustained by q vote of ID to 0, one g
member of the Board qualifying his |
'ote The second paragraph OF the
Velborn charg 5 averred that Presi- I
lent Hardy had appeared as chief wit n
less and prosecutor against the said i
Velborn in the investigation conduct.
ID by General Darlington, of the G
United States Army, This charge was
lot sustained by vote of 13 to 0, one !
member qualifying, The paragraph :,
bout hastily and toolishly dismissing y
cadet failed of being sutained by a !
Jingle vote of thirteen to nothing, six L
members qualifying their vote, Then
zones the formal charges. The charge {
If arbitrary conduct was lost unani-
nousAE, one member qualifying, as =,
vas the charge of criticising members =
If the Faculty by the same vote. {
Charge No. 3, violation of college =
was not sustained by q !
vote of IL to 2. two members voting to :
sustain the same. Charge No4, gross
was not sustained by vote
)f 10 TO l. Charge No. ., willful mis-
and gross distortion of r
facts was not sustained by a vote of 9
II to l. Charge No. 9, making q false
statement to General Darlington un.
ier oath, was lost by vote of IL to /.
Charge No. 6, making misstatements
to public in jackson Clarion Ledger, I
was not sustained unanimously. /
Charge No. Oh, misstatements of
facts to people of Mississippi, was not {
by vote of 12 to /, four
quail flying their vote ;
Charge No. Cd, Misrepresentation
Of facts to pupils parents, was not
by vote of II to 2, six =
members qualifying,
Charge No. &c, referring to tho
lack of confidence in Mr.. Hardys in
segrity among the employees of the
college, was not sustained, two mem.
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