The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-08

| pledges which prohibited them from
letting contracts to members of the
board. 1t is a violation of the law IS
TAR as sound policy is concerned, and
If lays the basis of corrupt practices.
re are under obligation to stop it,
Nicholson: Say, boss what is going
to be done with the money for the bills
| that you are trying to beat US out
of?'
GIeed: Perhaps we ought not to
blame the president of the board If
he thought he was doing right. How
ever, this board cannot legally pay out
this money for fees The president elects
to disobey the board-well, he must pay
his bills if he does. AS it is he dis
obeys the board, is forced to pay the
bills. and then comes to the board to
pay them. A mem Of this board has
been wronged. The greatest wrong has
been done to the schools and the people
when you stir mp suspicion. The people
remain suspicious when there is no
ground for suspicion"
Nicholson Throws VitrioI.
Here Nicholson, who at recent meet
ings has had but little to say, directed
bis remarks to President Swendson and
they were handed out in no gentle tone
of voice
Nicholson: st haven't said much
about the bills because I happened to
be a member of the school board. 1t
has gone out all over the state that
the board of education has been guilty
of buying and grating and counter
feiting. You are the man who has
caused all this trouble. You are the
man who has published this erroneous
matter all over the state"
Swendson: You are out of ORDER
Nicholson: IF there is any man on
the board who has been out of order
it is you. For ten years I have been
on the board. and no member of the
firm of Gillette & Nicholson has ever
solicited the board for business. When
the board has asked US to furnish ma
terials we have done so. In the first
place the chairman of the finance COM
mittee hid the Gillette & Nicholson bill,
for week, so that it wasn't presented
at the regular October monthly meet
ing"
LindeIl: ct resent that sort of talk
no hiding about it,
Holiday: THE platform was elected
on was that I had nothing to sell, and
you have been guilty of graft
Make Charge of Graft.
Nicholson: "You are the CRATER"
Carver: IF the board approves the
action of the meeting will you agree to
sign the Gillette & Nicholson bill?''
Swendson: Il don't know that am
called upon to answer, but there will
be some compromise.
Later Swendson agreed to sign all
the bills, If his attorneys fees were
auOW0O, OUT d InOClOn was killed Dy a
six to five vote those voting for the
proposition being, Nicholson, Smith,
Mrs. Evans, Magee, and Swendson,
and those against, KutZ, Holiday
LindelI, Cuthbert, Carver and Gleed.
The meeting was adjourned shortly
before the midnight hour with the re-
suit that the question involved was
as far from settlement as at the out
start. 1t was agreed that the mmebers
once more would indulge in a battle of
words on Saturday night.
Reads Attorney Generals Holding.
In the meeting Judge Carver read
a second opinion by Attorney General
Fred S. Jackson, Judge Carver having
given the facts of the Gillette and
Nicholson case.
Among some people there seems to
be misunderstanding" wrote Judge
Carver to the attorney general, cor at
least a misa pplicatiOn, of a recent let
ter you addressed to the state superin-
tendent of public instruction regarding
contracts by board of education in
a city of the first class with a firm,
one member of which is also a mem
Der of the board?
your opinion is used by the presi-
dent of the board of education of this
city as an excuse for refusing to sign
a warrant as directed by the board,
for the payment of a bill for goods
purchased by the agent of the board
under the following circumstances:
1.-THE superintendent of buildings, in
due course of duty, went to the firm of
Gillette & Nicholson, who are dealers
in lumber, cement and paint, and pur-
chased from them, Gillette acting for
the firm, certain materials needed and
used in and about the school buildings.
Nicholson was at the time a mem
Der of the board of education, but had
no personal connection with the trans
action. All parties acted in good faith
and the price charged for the materials
was the fair and reasonable value.
as the board of education legally
bound to pay the bill ?'
The reply reads: