The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
VAN LEV CASE
DIVIDES CHICO
into FACTIONS
President of the State Normal
School Denies Charges OF
Student and Others
Rev. c. Todd Clark Outlines His
Sisters Complaint and Old
RumOrs Are Revived
Especial Dispatch TO The Call

| Especial Dispatch 10 The Call
CHICO, July 21.-Chico stands to-
night town divided against itself, the
rock on which the community has split
| being the charges against DIR. C. C.
Van Liew, president of the state nor
| NAL school, who is accused of unbecom-
| ing and immoral conduct by Miss Ada
| Clark. one of his students. The official
investigation will begin tomorrow. Fac
| tionalism runs rampant. Rumors and
crossrumors, charges and counter
Iicharges fill the air.
The pedagogues opponents have
| harked back over the years and, resur-
| recting old scandals and questionable
! episodes, have breathed into them life
| impaired to them new vigor. And Van
Liew denies everything. He pleads no
| extenuating circumstances, nor does he
offer explanations He denies the
charges in toto, and in particular those
| laid against him by Miss Clark. The
two were alone in his Office at the time
Miss Clark has her story and DR.. Van
Lew denies 1t absolutely
MORE ACCUSATIONS PROMISED
One-half of the town stands by the
professor and the other against him.
Though the episode with Miss Clark is
to be the basis of the investigation it
| is by means the only affair to be
| aired. Additional charges have cropped
up and these will be laid before Gov
ernor Gillett, who is expected to attend,
and the board of trustees of the insti-
tuition.
Van Liew is said to have been more
or less prolific with his pedagogic en-
braces in the past. Furthermore, he is
declared to have caroused around the
town in an undignified way Also it is
whispered that he has at odd times
played his fiddle in certain gatherings
of appreciative but riotous youths. How
much of the mass OF rumors win stand
the searchlight of an impartial hear
ing is difficult to say, for Van Liew per-
sists in denying and his friends uphold
him.
BROTHER GATHERS WITNESSES
Rev. c. Todd Clark, brother of Miss
Ada Clark, gave a full account of his
sisters relations with Doctor Van Liew
today. He is the backbone of the prose-
cution and has gone to great pains to
gather his witnesses for the inyestiga-
ton.
"My sister, he said, 'ais a country
girl, IL years of age, and has spent all
her life without parents on the farm
near Woodland. She wished to take
up teaching as a profession, but al
we were not rich we could not see how
we could afford to pay her expenses
while she was studying at the normal
school.
'The problem was solved when l was
appointed pastor of the Broadway
Methodist church here. for it was ar
ranged that she should live with my
wife and myself and attend the school
here.
"she entered the institution last
January and was getting along in fine
shape until about two and a half
months ago, when a girl friend of hers
fell very sick. My sister nursed her
for two days. during which time she
did not attend the normal school.
GIRLS STORY OF INTERVIEW
"On resuming her studies it was
necessary for her to obtain what is
termed an excuse from Van Liew, and
she went into his Office to explain the
reason of her absence and get this ex-
he hut
it, and in short time later went back
again for second.
"She told me that on entering the
office Doctor Van Liew was telephoning
and asked her to be seated, Indicating
window seat. She took a seat and
upon the professor finishing his mes
sage he went across to his table and
wrote out an excuse.
after so doing he arose with it and
went and seated himself by her. He
then entered upon personal conyersa-
ton. telling her not to feel homesick
on account of her friends illness. and
then, as he spoke, put his arms around
her and drew her to him.
MY sister, as soon as she recovered
from her surprise, drew away from
him, saying: T always heard you were
of no account and now I know it,
ANOTHER STUDENT NAMED
Doctor Van Liew then attempted to
bluff her by speaking severely, but.
falling in this, became ingratiating.
saying to her: You ought not to oh
ject, an attractive girl like you'
"She ordered him to open the door
and left the room. AS she stepped into
the corridor she met another student.
Miss Nina Lindley,s who, noticing her
agitation, asked her about it. NV sis.
ter requested Miss Lindley TO get her
books. saying she was leaving the in
stitution.
..I tried in vain to have the board of
trustees take up the matter, and ulti-
mately hearing that they were about
TO hold meeting wrote to my sister.
who in the meantime had gone back
home, to come to Chico and tell her
story.
I'VE entered the meeting after long
debate between the trustees as to
whether or not we should be given
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