The San Francisco call., 1910-07-28
Y 0 I E is 3
To z To
ACQU|T
Trustees Declare Miss Ada
CIark's Charges Against
Teacher Were False
GIRLS ACCUSATIONS
UPHELD BY HYATT
Decision Reached Quickly After
Day of ImpassiOned Ora
tory by Attorneys
NO EMPLOYEES OF THE
NORMAL TO BE OUSTED
Especial Dispatch to The Call

lSpectdl Dispatch to III he Call
@HICo, July 27.-After an hours
L deliberation. coming at the con-
clusion of a days impassioned
arguments. the board of trustees of the
Chico state normal school, by a vote
of to 2, exonerated DIR. G.. G. Van
Liew, president of the institution. dis
missing all the charges against him
this evening. Trustees Clifford G.
Coggins, chairman of the board; e. A.
Warren, resident member, and ]. F.
Campbell of Colusa voted for acquittal.
F. j. O'Brien. another resident member,
and State Superintendent of Public In
struction E. Hyatt. against whose serv-
ing on the board at the trial vigorous
protest was raised by the attorneys for
the defense. voted against him.
No sooner had the trustees arrived
at their decision than the town was
plunged into excitement. Those busi-
nessmen who had not closed up their
Offices and stores did so Immediately,
and groups filed the cafes and gath
cred about the street corners con-
graduating each other and seeking
Doctor Van Liew. But the latter had
fed Friends rushed to him with the
news. but so dazed was he that he
could scarcely respond to the well
wishes. The man collapsed COM
pletely. The nervous strain under
which he has been suffering for the
last few weeks brought its natural
results and he was hurried away in
an automobile to the home of friends.
Vote Quickly Taken
The vote was on a motion. Imme-
diately on retiring Trustee Campbell
of Colusa moved that Doctor Van Liew
be exonerated and all charges dis
missed The motion was seconded by
Warren and the vote was taken 1t
stood 8 to 2 There was no other mo-
ton and no other vote. For an hour
the three men tried to bring the other
two around to their views, arguing
that a unanimous decision of exon
Grafton would prove the best thing for
the school, but with no result. Neither
Hyatt nor O'Brien would bulge, and
ultimately the motion was passed over
their heads.
In discussing their respective votes
the trustees said:
Chairman Clifford C. COggins-My
vote expresses my views. I have been
member of the board of trustees for
II years, and every now and then
rumors and scandals have been started
against Doctor Van Liew. Knowing
the man as 1 do never believed them,
and my beliefs have been borne out by
my Investigations.
"As far as the present charges were
concerned. 1 wish to say that l could
not believe Miss Clark and Miss Lind
ley as against Doctor Van Liew. 1t
was a matter of Judgment, and I. with
the majority of the members of the
board. believed the man whom we have
known for many years. There were
many flaws in the story told by the
girls. and while we were sorry TO de-
eide against them we were forced to
do so.
Il also wish to state that the board
has agreed that there shall be no
changes. either on the faculty or among
the employees of the house or grounds
| of the institution No one will lose his
position for having testified or having
refusedsto testify. Neither the janitor
nor Doctor Miller will be asked to re-
sign. We have given this matter Sc
rious and long consideration. Those
who had charges against Doctor Van
Liew had ample opportunity to bring
them forward. and now that the inves-
tigation has concluded I hope we will
hear the end of the matter"
Willing to Call Halt
Trustee f. j. O'Brien-"While 1 was
willing to eliminate the charges brought
| against Doctor Van Liew by Ada Clark.
1 could not conscientiously agree to