Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-05-12
PERSONAL|T.
ARE THE FEATURES.
iRetort Courteous the Stellar.
Incident Of George M.
BridWell Inquiry.
49,
SOME VAUDEVILLE STUNTS.
SOME VAUDEVILLE STUNTS.
Distinctly Undignilicd Conversation
Marks Last Nights Session of the
Board of Education.

Distinctly Undignilicd Conversation
Marks Inst Nights Session of the
Board of Education.
George NJ Bridwell, superintendent
of buildings and grounds, was ar
raigned before the board of education
as a committee of the whole last night
in regard to some alleged irregularities
which had been found in his pay rolls
and allowing men to work under as
sumed names. Although nothing Of a
Sensational nature was brought out by
the investigation, Blidwell declared
that he would hold Mathoniah Thomas,
q member of the board, accountable to
him personally for an insult to his Wife.
1 In turn Thomas declared that he did
not propose to be insulted by Atty, II.
e. Edwards, who represented Mr., Bird
We'll. Several times during the inves-5
tisation, members OF the board objected
to the manner in which the inves-9
ytigatIon was being carried ON, and
characterized the proceedings as Il
wrangle. M. ]. Cheesman. a member
from the Second ward, left the room on
one occasion after interrupting the in-
vestigation long enough to Cell the
board what he thought of the method
OF questioning the witness. He re-
turned later, however, when things set
tied roWn to business. After BridWell
had explained in detail the method OF
employing men and paying them the
board adjourned until tonight at 7:30
o'clock.
Bridwell was first questioned in re-
gard to voucher No 1883, which was
for work done from Sept. l to 10, in
1908. This voucher was not returned
to the clerk of the board OF education
until march IS, 1909, when the mem
bers Of the board demanded it of Bird
well. In explaining OF this delay
Bridwell said: I'm September think
the roof of my house was blown off and
my things We're scattered about the
place. These pay rolls among other
things were packed away. in the barn,
and 1t was with some difficulty that I
found these pay rolls. There are great
many of my personal checks which are
still missing
HELD FOR PROTECTION.
Later in the investigation Bridwell
added something to this explanation
about the delay in turning over the pay
rolls. He said that he held them to
protect himself IL any OF these men who
had been paid would fall back on him
and declare he had not received his
nancy. Mr.. Thomas brought out the
fact that the payroll required the, I'M
mediate return to the clerk. Bridwell
admitted that he knew this requires
ment and had failed to comply with it.
In was in regard to the method OF
keeping time of the men that led to
insult and injury. B1idwell explained
that he had no system Of keeping time
or making out the pay rolls. The men
oftimes did it themselves and turned 1T
over to Bridwell to check up. The fore
man, f, Fl. Evans, kept the time ON his
gang. T. HI Bridwell a. brother Kept
the time of men he worked with. Mr..
Thomas dwelt at length upon the fact
that some OF the time sheets Of the
employees We're 20. X and that some
wer not. Bridwell made an effort to
explain these things and admitted a
looseness in his methods of keeping
time.
..Who makes out these pay rolls, Mr..
Bridwell?.'1 asked Mr.. Thomas.
II do sometimes" Mr. Bridwell ans
wered. my brother 7. ]. Bridwell
has done the work on several occasions
after have checked 1t up
THOMAS VS. BRIDWELL.
y ..Are you the only two who have
made out pay rolls ?" Thomas asked.
No sir, my sons have Outlines made
out the pay rolls as have checked UP
the amounts and dictated to them. My
wife has also spent many evenings as
sisting me in making up the pay rolls
8 81 suppose as a dutlful wife, inter-
rupted Mr.. Thomas.
IT suppose that your wife would do
the same thing wouldn't she?' asked
Mr.. Bridwell
'tNIy wife is not under discussion, If
you please. - letorted Mr.. Thomas.
well, neither is mine" replied Brid-
well.
81 object to this witness being in-
suited" interposed Attorney Edwards,
who represented Mr.. Bridwell. y;
III feel hurt about it, exclaimed Mr..
Rridwell. that my wife could be spoken
of in sighting manner and Mr..
Thomas will have to account to me per-
for this insult"
Attorney Edwards interrupted MIR. Il
Thomas again and accused him OF deal
ing unfairly with the witness by break
Ing in on his answers. a tilt followed
between them, which resulted in Mr..
Thomas saying that he intended to
ask the witness any question that he
saw fit and that he did not intend to-
be insulted by Attorney Edwards
.I have heard enough, OF this" de-
ought to give Mr.. Bridwell plenty of
time to present his evidence. am not
willing to sit here and listen to any
more Of this hearing think we are
wasting valuable time
ST think that we are holding regu-
lar court here and trying this man
without giving him a chance to bring
In his witnesses. I am satisfied with
his explanations and I do not want to
sit here and listen to any more of this
II am DESTROYS of allowing Mr.. Bird
well to have an attorney here. 1t is
all right for his counsel to impose OBJ
iections IL he sees fit. to protect the
witness. 1t is ofttimes necessary to
crowd the witness in order to get cor
rect statements from him. These re-
marks were made by James 7. Ham
mond.
Then Mr.. Giauque said that he was
opposed to the class of argument. While
he was speaking, Mr.. Cheesman left the
ASSUMED NAMES
Chairman H. p. Henderson straight
ened things out in a few words
and the Investigation went along
smoothly again In regard to the eIa-
ployment of relatives, Bridwell admit
ted that his two sons had worked for