The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-13
I. MASK IS TORN OFF
THE SCHOOL BOARD
Hiring of Men Under Assumed
Names Advised to Beat
Americans.
BRIDWELL AND NEWMAN
MAKE OPEN CONFESSIONS
Second Session of the Inyesti-
CATION Almost Ends
in Blows.

session Wednesday evening Of the in
vestigation by the board of education
into the department of George NJ. Bird
we'll, superintendent of buildings and
grounds. and the skeleton Of partisan
ship brought forth and revealed and
paradcd up and down in its most OBJ
iectionablc form. And lively skelc-
ton il was, too.
Angered beyond endurance by the
constant prodding Of Mr., Thomas, act
ing an interrogator. Mr. Brldwcll-like-
wise William j. Newman Democratic
member from the Third ward-threw
caution to the winds and before he was
topped revealed enough board political
ecTcts 10 give that body S claims to
aonpartisanship the class it deserves.
.he most absurd aud hugest joke on or
,ff record.
Smarting under Mr., Thomas s point
cd lntcrrogatories. revealing question
able acts on the part Of Mr.. Bridwell
and Mr. Newman, both lost their men
'ai equilibrium temporarily and charged
MT Thomas with sending them word.
prior 10 tho school board election, that
the employment OF Bridwell s numerous
relatives and Newman s four sons
three under assumed names-must cease.
at least under their right uamcs, as it
would cndanger his chances of re-
election should it become known.
This so-called ''non- partisan board
Of education of Salt Lake City feared
that the nonpartisan'' candidates for
election to membership in the board
might be defeated, that the American
ticket might win, in other wards, and
to minimize the noupartisan can
didates chances of defeat Mr. Bridwell
employed his own son and three of the
Newmaus under fictitious names, he
virtually fully admitted
Polygamy Dragged In.
In connection with Mr.. Newman 6 as
sault upon Mr.. Thomas. the latter as a
polygamist was one Of the absurd pos
sibilites mentioned, by Mr.. Thomas
himself. In reply TO Mr.. Newman s
charges that he bad sent him word that
The employment of his sons must cease,
as it might impeul his chances of re-
lection, Mr.. Thomas classed the iufor-
ma ton as Every interesting" and fur
thcr said that he supposed it came from
The same source as the information in !
timating that he might have a plural
wife, that certain Gcntiles had found
il out and that they were using him as
a bait in the investigation, threatening
in effect 10 expose and oust him from
the board if he did not use his efforts
10 get Bridwell "fired.
The second session, as was the first,
WIS MARKED DN numerous NIdUSIfS Juu
ended in Il row. IN fact. il came near
winding up in blows. When Mr.. Bird !
well openly charged that il was AT Mr..
Thomas s request either that the New
mans were employed under fictitious |
names or that the employment Of so
many relatives of members Of the board
and of Bridwcll must cease-Nlr. Bird |
well failed 10 make this point clear
as it would endauger the chances of Ger
tain persons Of reelection should 1T be- |
come known, the lie was passed. Mr. |
Thomas branding the statement as an |
absolute aud unqualified lie. Taking off |
MS glasses. Mr.. RridweU fairly shouted: /
''You may take of your glasses and
meet me any place You desire, for |
that.
Henderson to Rescue
Judge Henderson, president. and |
other members FASTENED to interrupt the
bitter personalities, and what looked
like personal encounter was aVcrtcd |
Mr.. Thomas apologized to the board for |
his strong remarks and Judge IIcndcr-
son AUTOMATICALLY said that he was un-
able to remain longer aud must 90 !
home The president suggested. though, |
that the remaining members might con-
tinue the investigation with some one |
else in the chair. but rs it was late the !
Investigation was dropped for the even |
ing.
II was ihe efforts Of the astute Mr. |
Martin, member of the board from the |
Second ward. candidate for re-clcc- |
ton last fall, and who in the course OF |
the year furnishes many loads of coal |
10 the board in direct violation of the |
law. to get from under Mr.. Bridwell's g |
charges that certain non-partisan can |
didates for election to the board were
responsible for the employment of rela-
tiVeS of persons connected with the |
h,.t nd Hst a ION.
brought the hostlities To climax.
Mr. Moyle forced the unwilling adj |
mission from Mr.. Bridwell chat he had |
knowingly permitted persous-meauiug |
his own son, Will jefferson Bridwcll, |
and three of the Newman boys, David. |
Edward and Arthur-to receive money |
from fhc board under assumed names,
but not without tic knowledge of GER
tain members Of the board, the names i
of whom Mr.. Bridwell showed n reluc- |
tnnce 10 specify Pursuing the same
subject a little further, Nh Moylc
made Mr.. 3ridwell admit that he had
not told board members of the enter
ing OF his son g uame on the payroll
under the assumed name Of "Will Jcf-
ferson.' but had doctorcd the payroll,
adding the word EFBridweIi TO the
words ~ WILL jefferson - Then Mr.. Bird
we'll lost control and asked for perms-
sion 10 make AN explanation as TO the
employment Of relatives and the EN-
ployment of persons under assumed
names, The permission was hesitating
~ given, and the following is a
stcnographic report Of Mr.. Bridwcll s
confession. leading up to the row
that terminated the meeting:
Bridwell's Confession.
Mr.. Bridwcll-G would like To explain
that in talking with some Of the mem
bers OF the board about assumed names
aud relatives, that ii was said that in
the coming election last fall that il
Continued on Page Two.