The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-25
BARR|AGER CASE
!. BEING PROBEO BY
THE V.P.I. BOARD
Holding Open Session and
Will Push to Con-
cluSion
NOT HEAR ATTORNEYS:
Mr.. BYRD PROTESTS
Counsel for Welfare COMMITTEES
Declares That Next Legislature
Will Investigate Institution.
-Dr-Rarringer's= Answer.
BY LOUIS A. MCMAHON.

BY LOUIS A. MCMAHON.
Especial to The Richmond yirginian.l
BLACkSBURG. VA, March e.
characterized by some heat at the
outset. the hearing OF the charges
OF lack of administrative ability fiied
against DR.. Paul r.. Barringer. presi-
dent of the v. r. l., by Lawrenco
Priddy. of the Alumni Association.
will begin in the executive offices az
the institutional chapel Friday after.
noon.
With nine members present, the
board OF visitors met In executive aeu~
sion at 10 o'clock this morning. Those
present were ]. c. Darlington, rec-
tor; j. r. Noel. I'll. NJ. Smith. J. u.
Eggleston. Leslie d. Kline. J. NJ
Barker. James N Musgrace. c. d.
kizer and Peyton st. Clair. Mr. II
e. johnson was not presented. TINS
nine members adopted the following
method of procedure for the hearing:
First. meetings will be open a.
the public"
Second, no counsel for either si1A
will be heard. but they are privileged
to attend meetings.
Third. matters which have been
fully investigated and determined VIII
not be gone into again.
Fourth. no evidence be admittexls
unless relevant to the issue.
fifth, each charge and answer Win
be heard separately. and after hea1
Ing all the evidence on ali the charx16
for both side. the board will desid9
tho case
Speaker Byrd OverruIed.
Speaker Richard Y. Byrd. OF. th9
House Of Delegates. who In represenf,s
Ing Mr.. Priddy, strenuously and ems
phatfcaIly objected to the dectsion Of
the board by which argument ard
taking of testimony by counsel wAn
eliminated from the hearing. MI
Byrd filed the following formal pHo
test:
II desire TO enter formal protest.
against the refusal OF the board ~
permit counsel for the welfare CONS
miftee to be heard and tn perform 1AM
functions of counsel. was informGtss
that this investigation would 10 fun.
thorough and searching. This cAnnoe
be without tho assistance Of counsel
who have carefully prepared the cA1ee
and are relied upon to ASK certain
questions and to elicit informafjoM
In logical manner. ! am. OF c0uFSes
powerless in this particular. and ca1Ii
only protest
Will Mean Legislative Inquiry.
After filing his protest. Mr.. Byr4
said. "The arbitrary action Of thN
board In denying counsel the right III
examine witnesses after a Legislative
investigation was STAYED of by pro1xae
tses of full and searching inve1t39ns
tion does not help the situation. bus II
simply means that there will BE- NJ
by the Legislature AZ j
1919. The decision Of the board wAn
unfortunate and most unexpGcteds Y
Mr., Byrd said he had prepared The
case against DIR. Harringer with greAt
care. and had planned systema4t4a
line OF investigation. He also 1at6
that Mr. Priddy was In q position g. N
refute practically all the contrAdtns
tions OF the original charges Ale4
against Or. Barrtnger. sA
May Dismiss Charges.
n Ia understood among those 49,
have taken the time to canvass thA
members OF the board OF visitors thn1
N majority is In favor Of dismisefn
the charges, The board voted 6tto N u
10 eliminate argument and interrc6 HI
ton by counsel. and It Ia believed th1n
or unanimous ballot win be the xutM
To dismiss the allegations. ls
To await the coming OF Mr.. JOhn~8
son, the tenth member Of the board M
the other visitors went on tho cAn44E Il,
pus and witnessed the first drcas pele
rade had Mt the v. +. !. this seaec1l