Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-01-21
MANN HITS BACK At NELL.
Trustee Deals In Some Pretty Warm
Talk.

Replying to the letter of DR.. Nell,
published on the first page Of this issue
Of The Enquirer, DR.. Coke D. Mann,
one Of the trustees, is out in a warm
card which reads in part as follows:
IL had thought that the controversy
between DR.. Nell and myself had ended,
but saw in the Charleston News and
Courier of the 18th instant that l was
mistaken. He has number of charges
against me, all Of which are absolutely
untrue. AS his first charge he says:
While / was in controversy with the
last commandant in the matter of who
should discharge the duties Of the pres
ident's Office. the Rev. 9. d. Mann, a
member Of the board Of trustees, pub
lished an article in the newspapers
condemning me in my efforts to con-
troll the officers Of the college. and yet
portunity to inform himself concern
ing my side of the matter under con-
sideration.'
HE says further down that l had
disqualified myself from sitting at a
subsequent meeting Of the board OF
trustees. He calls 1t jury. The pub
lie knows what he means. Again he
says: He took part in the discussion,
which occurred in the board, and cast
his vote against me in the final action
Of the trustees What disqualified me
with the doctor? Specify. Was 1t for
stating facts which I tried to get him
or some one else to come and deny? l
made the broad challenge that If any
man would deny 1t / would prove 1t,
and he did not see his way clear to dis
pute it. Then why did he not come out
like a man and not wait like dirty
cur until he had left the state? I call
the attention Of the public to this fact.
Capt. Minus had already resigned as
commandant and DR.. Nell was trying
to put the whole blame on him, and /
knew it was untrue. Therefore l came
to his rescue and have nothing to re-
gret or take back"
Let me say right here that DR.. Nell
has mis- first time ever to deny one Of
Capt. Minus's charges before the board
of trustees. He gave us to understand
that he was supreme. Forgetting that
the other man was in authority In his
department and had rights to be OBJ
served and respected, not by the stu
dents in barracks, but by the president
Of the college as well. Capt. Minus was
and is a gentleman Of the highest type
Notwithstanding what DR.. Nell may
write or say. My interference in the
Mell-Minus controversy was not to In
terfere with Dr. Mell's duties as presi-
dent of Clemson college, as he would
have the public believe, but to show
to the public that DR.. Nell was trying
to run the commandant, trustees and
everything in sight When we had DR..
Nell and Capt. Minus before us at an
informal meeting. when about one half
of the board was present, Capt. Minus
making his charges and DR.. Nell hear
I'M nd Oft hao hot nf
these gentlemen. we went over the
situation, and we agreed that COM
mittee should be appointed to go next
morning and see II Dr. Nell would let
the Minus department alone. and DR..
Nell promised he would. Then the
committee went to Capt Minus and he
promised the same thing. This promise
was not kept by DR.. Nell, and Capt.
Minus's resignation was rendered dur
ing the session of the legislature in
1908.
Il am not at all surprised at DR..
Mell's criticisms of me for I believe
had it not been for my article to the
press DR.. Nell would be at Clemson
college today. I knew a great deal
more about his side Of the matter un-
der consideration than he thought
did / had not been on tine board Of
trustees two months before 1t was very
clear to my mind that he was too small
a man for the place and with the crit
icisms and charges against him, they
were too much for the president Of any
great institution to carry.
Now, l hope this will be sufficient.
l have not tried to hurt DR.. Nell and
would not for anything in the world.
Now doctor. believe me. Stop DR.. Nell,
or will take deliberate aim next time
and if l don't get you l will take the
consequences"
(Signed) Coke d. Mann.