Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-12
Crabtree Has it
Out with Normal
Board Members
Outgoing Principal of Peru Institu-
ton Makes Detailed Statement
of His Acts.
cFrom a staff Correspondent

LINCOLN, Neb.. May ll.-(Speclal Tele-
gram.)-J w Crsbtree. principal OF the
Peru Normal school, answered last night
the report Of Luther p. Luddcn, sect etary of
the State Normal board tiled some weeks
ago After discussing the two statements
for some time, the board agreed to take
them up at the next meeting. Mr.. Crab
trees statement was divided under the fol-
lowing heads; Private Water Connec-
TONS" oak Glenn" States Ice" Case
line" Paying Of Interest" "Triplicate
Receipts" Private Music" Horace Mann
Statue" and Mutton
At the conclusion of the Crabtree state
ment Mr.. Ludden announced that his re-
port and that OF the principal agreed ex-
cept probably in the matter of gasoline.
In his report Mr. Ludden showed that two
barrels of gasoline had been charged 70
! the state and delivered to T. J. Majors, and
later had been paid for by Majors, not,
however, until the vouchers to pay the bill,
endorsed by the authorities at Peru nor
NAL had been filed with the board.
Mr.. Crabtree read letters from the STAN
dard Oil company showing that Colonel
Majors had sent his check for the gasoline
some time in December and that the
voucher had been included in the bunch
den said he had seen the books of the COM
pany prior to the date of the majors letter
| from the company and at that time the
gasoline was charged to the state. He
asked Mr. Crabtree il the letter had not
been dated back, but the question. was not
answered. Mr. Ludden also volunteered
the information that the manager Of the
| Standard Oil company was asked about
this matter and replied that regardless
Of the date Mr.. Ludden saw in the books
! the letter carried date which settled the
matter
Mr. Crabtree said he had been instructed
by the board to connect his home with
| the normal water mains and this state.
ment was agreed to by Ludden who in.
sisted, however. that he knew nothing OF
any agreement about Oak Glenn, the Crab
tree dormitory. Mr., Crabtree produced
letters from j. l.. McBrien saying he re-
membered that had been done with The
sanction of the board.
Crabtree said he had taken very little
ice from the states ice house for his own
use then in case of sickness
The statement of Mutton, he said con-
sisted of eight sheep heads used by one
OF the classes for which was no charge ex-
cept the freight He maintained that he
paid the interest on money borrowed to
keep the school going by orders OF the
defunct board which statement was denied
by Ludden, who said a payment had beer
made after the court had decided the old
board was defunct. Crabtree then ex.
planned that the payments had been made
monthly. This money was paid out of the
book fund.
In the employment OF music teacher
Crabtree said he had simply followed pre-
cedent and did not know he was violatins
the orders of the board. The Horace Mann
statue, he said was paid for by order,
OF the board and so far as the trplicat,
receipts are concerned he had done tn
best he could to follow orders.
Mr.. Crabtree doubted that any privat
home in Peru was connected with tn
normal water plant and that he had give
orders to disconnect Oak Glenn.
The meeting was very harmonious an
little feeling was shown.
The board elected II. II. Hahn OF Blai
to be dean of the college of education a
the Wayne Normal President Conn wa
instructed to discuss with the citizens o
Wayne the time for taking over the schoc
by the state. The state will have no none
to run this institute until after the legis
lature makes an appropriation.
w. j. Assenmaucher of Lincoln got tn
contract for building the administratio
building at Peru for $3.50. The apprc
priaton is $4,000 E. Dovall OF Auburn &c
the contract for plumbing and heating fo
50, 643 and the American Electric company q
st. Joseph the contract for wiring for $50