The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-27
bR|DWE[L MAKES
PUBLIC STATEMENT
Former Superintendent of
School Buildings Details His
Side of Story.
TELLS ABOUT NEP0TlSM:
COAL WAS ONLY YARD DIRT
Asserts He Was Not Given OPP
pOrtunity to Present His
Evidence.

That certain members of the Salt
Lake City board of education were
NOT anxious to have the investigation
into the conduct of George NJ. Bridwell,
former superintendent of buildings of
the board, carried through to the end
for fear that they would become i'm
pGcated in some of the irregular tran
| sactions with which they charged Mr..
Bridwell, is the claim made by Mr..
Bridwell in statement to The Tribune
Wednesday evening. From facts set I
forth in the statement it is very ar
parent why the investigation was !
stopped short before Mr.. Bridwell had !
an opportunity TO put In any evidence
in his own behalf
| Had he been permitted TO introduce
the evidence which he had at his com
mand. he is OF the opinion that all of
been shifted TO the shoulders of GER
tain members OF the board who are re- |
sponsible for the conduct of Mr.. Bird
we'll which caused the investigation.
The charge in regard to him placing
certain relatives of member of the
board OH his payrolls under fictitious
| names is shifted by Mr.. Bridwell to
". j. Newman, who caused HIM TO do
it. In connection with the charge
against him In regard TO the insufficient
heating of some of the school buildings,
Mr. Bridwell declares that that coudi
tioD was dueNto the fact that Charles
s. Martin. member Of the school
board, furnished very poor quality Of
| coal, and that ofttiInes ii was
nothing but yard dirt. When he would
complain to the members Of the board
about the coal, he declares that for n
time it would improve in quality, but
would shortly go back TO the same old
grade. All OF the members of the
board, he states, knew that Martin was
selling coal TO the board. aud thereby
! violating the law, yet they never paid
any attention 10 that phase of the mat
| ter at all. Not only was he selling
coal TO the board and violating the
law thereby. bat be also sent 10 the
schools very poor quality and re-
ceived full price for it,
Members Had Full knowledge.
The placing of relatives of ", J.
Newman. board member, on the pay
rolls under fictitious names, Mr.. Bird.
well declares. was done ut The sugges-
ton Of Mr.. Newman himself. and after
Mr. Bridwell had consulted Mr..
Giauquc. another member of the board.
about it, The other charges against
Mr.. Bridwell are cleared up In his state
little doubt but that be would have
'tmade good had the board given him
The opportunity TO present his evidence,
As to his resignation. Mr.. Bridwell
states that he was forced by President
Hammond and Mr.. Martin and Mr..
Giiauque to resign after they had lett
the impression that they intended to
discharge him if he refused 10 send in
his resignation His original resigna-
tioD WAS entirely differont from the
Que finally submitted to the board, and
was characterized by certain members
'as being too full of "ginger.' and
hence they prevailed upon him to with
drew up and sent TO him for his sigma
turc. The members of tho board who
induced Mr.. Brldwcll To resign informed
his attorney that certain prominent citi-
Iens would oppose the high school bond
issue unless he was compelled TO re-
sign.
Bridwell's Statement Warm.
The statement of Mr.. Bridwell CON
tains some very interesting matter, and
follows in full:
"At The investigation which was
started last March number of the
members of the board took the position
that the hearing was. not trial, but
merely an investigation of the board
into the conduct of one Of its servants,
ana IHdt l WoulO Hpi De 'UhiIIEu IO uINb
IN attorney represent me. l was In
formed that ] would be permitted to
hsyc an attorney 20 hear the testi-
mony. but that he would not be beard
to make objections of any nature TO
the testimony. When 7 called for the
specific charges 10 be investigated. that
was denied me by the board, and I was
informed that the members would be
permitted TO intcrrogate me on any
point they desired, took the position
that I should be permitted to introduce
any evidence desirable 10 substantiate
me.
Subjects for Investigation.
''Thc principal matters involved in
[ he investigation were as follows;
"1-The trouble encountered in heat
ing thc school houses during the winter
seasons
''2-The Insertion on the payrolls of
the names Of David Crockett aud other
fictitious names IN lieu of the real
names nf parties working for the
board who were sons and relatives OF
w. J. Newman. member of the board:
"3-That ] had required The wife Of b
a certain jauitor IN one of the schools
to perform certain services for me and
my family without receiving compensa.
tiOn therefor. thereby insnuating that
my sctiou was coercion.
't4-That wrongfully procured
from the hoard double payment of
bill due 10 ri w. Nichols, and had re-
ccived and retained the excess payment
personally.
''At all times during nv cxamina-
ton by Mr.. Thomas, who assumed the
role OF prosecutor the board insisted
hat Mr. Thomas need not confiDe him-
self to tho legal rules for the examIno-
ion Of witnesses hui might ask any
question he desired and in any manner
ne saw 6t. This resulted in Mr.. Thomas
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