The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-14
ton of the Plass manipulations

L
Plass was for six years president Of
Washburn college, here. He began his
work for the college in 1902 and left
the school in June, 1908, although, it is
stated that for six months previous to
that time, he had been on leave of alb
sence and received no pay from the col
lege for any services. His time was
devoted to the initial work Of the or
ganization of companies, the investiga-
ton of which has evidently thrown the
former college president into no end Of
embarrassing situations.
When PIass first received the pro-
motion inspiration, he practiced the
art on local investors and a number Of
Topeka people bought stock in at lea st
two Of the Plass companies. The late
Jonathan Thomas was known to be
one of the heaviest investors in the
scheme. Thomas is reported to have
bought $1,000 worth of stock in the
Norman Plass Lumber company. This
concern is considered a sister organiza-
ton of the Redeemable Investment
charged that the controlling stock IN
tF1 lumber concern is owned by the
same parties who control the stock of
the Redeemable Investment company.
Many Topeka people who have read
the press dispatches are inclined to
suspend judgment until Plass himself
has had an inning. While Plass had
frequent trouble with students at the
college and induced several of the col
lege professors to invest in his
work in securing needed aid for the
school deserves a postponement of
opinion.
PIass' Good Work for Washburn.
When DR.. Plass came to Topeka
Washburn college had been without a
IL
n1ent of George NJ. Herrick. Early in
1902 the college trustees announced that
$50. 900 had been secured for new OBJ
servatory. This was through the ef-
forts of DR.. Plass.
This endowment had come at time
when the college was badly in need Of
cash This Immediately put Plass in
line for the presidency and a little later
the announcement of his election was
made public by the trustees. Plass
never announced the name OF the donor
of the observatory.
During much of the time Plass was
with the college he remained in the
east where he was very successful in
securing large subscriptions for the
school. It was Plass who paved the
and heating plant that cost $4,000 more
The White house, the $500 home Of
the college president, is the result Of
the efforts of DR.. Plass.
The college n6eOeu HleUlCdI equip
ment. it needed men on the road 20
boost Washburn college. It was Plass
who planned a campaign that made
possible these things. All the time
Washburn college grew and people over
the state talked of the Congregational
school at Topeka-they talked of Nor
man Plass. who did things.
Gradually year after year the en-
roIIment at Washburn increased. WheT
Plass came there were 250 students
Now there were three times as many
and every day Plass put new ginger
into the school, the students were
made boosters; the professors and
teachers took added interest in the
work. Every little while Plass re
norted some new subscription. Plass
was making good. Washburn was rea
school.
Million Dollar Endowment Scheme.
IT was in his last year at Washburr
that Plass conceived the scheme of {
nnfI1ion dollar endowment. The worl
in topeka alone netted $4,000 of the
anount. The entire million was never
During his trips East, Plass became
Intimate with big men-men who die
bio things and wrote their check FOL
q million. These men had made theil
money in speculation and promotion
IF schemes that just naturally grew
11onev. Plass was offered a good po-
sition with one of these big firms