Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-04-27
SAYS NELL SHOULD RESIGN.
trustee of Clemson Sides With Minus
haainst President.

Trustee of Clemson Sides With Minus
Against President.
Rev. Coke D. Mann, member OF the
legislature from Oconee and trustee OF
Clemson college, has given out for pub
lication the following signed state
ment:
Capt. Minus. in Mondays issue OF
the News and Courier, made charges
against DR.. Nell, president OF Clemson
college,. for interfering with the dls,
cipline of the institution, which caused
him to resign his position as command
ant Of Clemson college. Now. are these
charges true or false? DR.. Nell IN ms
reply did not deny the allegations and
why not? He says: I decline to enter
into a newspaper controversy with the
retiring commandant on the admins
tration Of affairs at Clemson college ror
the following reasons: First, the issues
he raises belong entirely to the board
of trustees. The body has recently
considered these affairs, and nave an
nounced their decision / do not tnlnk
DIR. Nell can establish this fact or prove
this statement.
"The board only considered Capt.
Minus resignation and not the charges,
as DR.. Nell would have the pubic De-
lieve. And we accepted 1t with the un-
derstanding that on account OF the con-
tinued interference Of DR.. Nell WIN tne
discipline of the college that Capt.
Minus could not and would not submit
70 such treatment longer by DR.. Nell.
This was not the first time Capt. Minus
had complained to the board OF trus-
tees. AS many as three times Capt.
Minus had stated to the board that Dr..
Nell was interfering with the discipline
of the college. and II he did not stop
meddling where he had no business ne
would have to resign through self
respect.
"Dr. Nell promised twice to quit
meddling with Capt Minus depart
ment, and II he had kept his promise
we would have had none of this trou-
Bile and unpleasantness which Is now
threatening to tear up the college.
Capt. Minus has made the same
charges all the time, interference on
DR.. Mell's part with the military de-
partment of the college. AS l remem-
Der the interview with DR.. Nell IN re-
gard to his meddling with the military
mart of the college, he did not denv any
of Capt. Minus charges, but simply
tried to justify his course in meddling
with Capt. Minus department on the
ground that he was head OF the insti-
tuition. That is to say, there was no
appeal from the decision or action. In
a word, he was supreme, and that no
man could act contrary to his notion
of things without his changing the or
der. although the commandant had
made It. DR.. Nell Is very much mis-
taken, If he declines to answer Capt,
Minus charges and tries to dodge the
issue by trying to Law 1t on the board
of trustees. This is simply begging the
question, doctor; say, the charges
are all true or false. If false, say so;
and let the burden OF proof rest on
Minus.
GAS DR.. Nell is trying to make 1t ap-
pear to the general public. for one
will resent it and say DR.. MelPs expla-
nation does not explain. I believe In
fairness, equal rights to all men and
special privileges to none. Some or
us wanted an investigation, but from
what I could see when the charges
were made Dr. Nell did not want an
investigation, and in my judgment he
Is not anxious for 1t today. No man
who is innocent is afraid of an inves-
tigation. Had I been in DR.. Melrs
place all the board could not have pre-
vented 1t, on the condition II 1t was
not granted, they would have to ac-
cept my resignation. and not tried to
dodge the issue by laying the blame
on the board Of trustees, by saying
they had investigated the administra-
ton when they had not. And no one
knew that better than DR.. Nell, and
Capt. Minus has done the only thing
gentleman could do under existing
conditions.
Il ask the public to hear what Com
mandants Sirmyer and Clay have said,
or have to say on this point. Did they
not have the same charges, and made
them to DR.. Nell? and was not this
interference on DIR. Melrs part the
cause of both of them leaving Glenn
son college? What further evidence,
gentlemen, will the public demand
We have the combined evidence OF
three men from the war department,
all testifying on the same point. Are
they not sufficient to convince the
| most incredulous? Now, as I see 1t,
the best thing for DR.. Nell to do Is to
resign as president of Clemson college
for the criticisms and charges that are
against him will be too much for the
president of any great institution to
carry.
I'm my Judgment. DR.. Nell is over
| loaded and cannot measure up to the
responsibilities that have been laid upon
him, and l am not quite sure II one or
two of the faculty ought not to do the
same thing for the sake Of peace and
prosperity in Clemson college.
| "Coke D. Mann
| West Union, S. c., April g."