The San Francisco call., 1910-07-27

! of Chico against the place. / am sorry
| to have incurred the mans enmity, put
l was right
Dealing with the case of Elmer Ran
| ker. a student who made some of the
! most serious charges against him. Doc
tor Van LEW testified that the lad,
| though bright and clever, did not seem
| to have the ability of staying with any
| proposition for any length of time. AS
a result of this, he said, he called
Ranker into his Office and told him 1t
would be well for him to discontinue
his studies, as he was only wasting his
| time.
GIRL CAUTIONED
He left the school them" said Van
Lew, "and afterward / discovered that
he was paying undue attention to one
of my students, Miss Zeta Hudson. The
affair was attracting great deal of at
tention and I finally took the matter
into my hands. telling the girl that un-
less she changed her ways / would
write to her mother. Ny action seemed
to have the desired effect, for there was
no more comment. My reason was TO
save the girl from the embarrassment
and modification which / knew would
result unless she was checked"
During this testimony there was an
unbroken silence in the room. but there
came a ripple of excitement when the
witness went on to deal with his rela-
tions with Governor Gillett
Il made no such statement as he has
credited to me in regard to my having
made confession that my reputation
was bad" said Van Liew. Il think he
misunderstood me. He had asked me
whether l knew of the charges against
me and then he asked me If / knew my
reputation was bad. 1t was my inten-
ton to say that my reputation was bad
among certain people, but L had no in
tention of either branding myself unfa-
vorably or admitting the truth of the
charges.
He asked me for my resignation
then and l replied that before / gave
him answer 1 would like to consult with
the board of trustees and my attorneys.
He replied that he wanted my resigna-
tion or that / would have to go to
the bat.
1T was first my Intention to resign,
but after ] had discussed the matter
with the board of trustees L came to
the conclusion that l would fight the
matter out"
QUESTIONED BY WEBB
On being given over to the attorney
general for cross examination he
turned in his chair so as to face Webb
squarely. He repeated his answers re-
he sometimes took drink at bars.
In regard to the Miller matter" said
Webb, do you think he violated your
confidence in trying to secure and ar
range his credentials?"
NO, do not"
DO you think there was any i'm
propriety?"
NO. 1 do not. I was not so situated
as to stand in the way of his applica-
tion for the place
DO you think Miller was trying to
put you out of your placer"
After a long hesitation Dr. Van Liew
replied in the negative. On being cross
examined regarding the episode with
the governor he said that he thought
the governor had referred to his repu-
tation as far as the specific charges
were concerned, and not in the sweep
ing way 1t was taken. His explana-
tion of this was circuitous and formed
the weakest part of his testimony
When the governor made public the
statement 1 Immediately wrote to him.
outlining what / meant and hoping
thereby 10 correct his mistaken i'm
PRESTON"
NO KNOWN REASON
do you know any reason" said
Webb, why Miss Ada Clark should go
to the extent of perjury to tell the
story she has, IL 1t is not true@'
81 have no theory" replied Van Lew
You think she is a girl of sufficient
intelligence to understand the fearful
injury that would follow If what she
has said is not true?"
'I have not been in contact with her
enough to answer that question. 1 do
not know whether she would appre-
ciate the awful harm that would fol-
low. More mature minds have failed
in this respect"
He said he did not go to, see the girls
brother after hearing OF the charges
because, inasmuch as the latter had
taken the case to the officials, he
thought 1t would be best to have the
officials Investigate it. Toward the end
OF the cross examination he made the
statement that "the school and myself
stand or fall together"
He explained this remark by saving
that he had given his life blood to the
work of the school.
LIFE WORK IN SCHOOL
Il have put the very best effort of
my life into it." he said, and the fate
OF the school / Judge is mine. have
hundred friends where l have one
enemy in this part OF the state and
people send their children because of
ME. not despite me-
do you think it would be a wjse
policy" asked Webb for a man In
your position to have all the doors of
his Office open, so that no suspicion
could be aroused against him ?'
Il always believe that a man shou,d
not alone be right minded, but that he
should walk circumspectly. Undoubt-
ediy such policy as you menfion
would be wise one Don't you think
so?"
In the face of recent circumstances
do said Webb.
The last portion of Van Liew.s te.-
timony dealt with a school card on
which was shown the program for