The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-15

contention. Judge Atchison fully
agreed with him in his arguments, but
the two lawyers were not a little sur
prised when they found that there was
woman on the board who could
quote the law UNFOLDING the other side
of the question. This was Mrs. c. ].
Evans.
IF we affirm that that meeting was
Illegal" declared Mrs. Evans, 1--WE
submit ourselves to the libaility of a
lawsuit, she said. Then she proceed
ed to quote from the law, and she
gave the meaning of the word adjourn
as given in the dictionary. IF we de-
clared that meeting to be Illegal" she
continued, cit would remove the en-
tire board of teachers"
A. V. Lindell then gave further evil
dence on her side. However, the Gar
yer contingent won out in the vote.
Holman Chosen Clerk.
AS the election of M. G. Holman to
the position of engineer was declared
illegal after considerable wrangling,
William H. ConrOy, formerly with the
mechanical department of the Santa
| Fe shops, was chosen to fill the place.
1t was intimated that there had been
graft and crookedness in the office in
the past but proof was not forth
| coming. Judge Carver made strenu-
Gus effort to re-elect the former engi-
neer. W. G. Holloway, but without
avail.
The judge was the chief spokesman
| ut this time, and proposed that a
| clerk should be chosen to succeed W.
]. Stage and that the salary should be
fixed al a thousand dollars for the
| year.
]. NJ. Penwell amended the motion to
read 81, 200 a year for the clerks salary.
1t was stipulated by the judge, also,
! that the position of storekeeper should
| be abolished and that the clerk should
act IN that capacity. The result was
six votes for Holman, three for Stage
and two for Stewart. The voting was
dore by ballot The motion to make
the salary 81 200 prevailed.
I am acting in perfectly good faith"
/ declared Judge Carver before the vote
was taken. L have nolhing to say
against the work of the clerk. He was
hired as an expert and competent &C
| countant to uncover the crooked ac-
tons of the board for years past; the
work has been done and no graft has
been uncovered I am not making the
motion for reducing the salary for the
purpose of getting anyone out, but I
want to fix what I consider a fair sal
| airy for the clerk"
Clerk Stagg did not take kindly to
the insinuations of Judge Carver that
he had been employed for the sole pur-
pose of unearthing the graft of the
board meE berS in years gone by. 81
~as simply brought here to create a
business system" he said, land no
mention was made Of unearthing graft"
attempt To Draw color Line.
When L. NJ. Penwell. chairman OF
the committee on buildings and grounds
subn tilted his report on the janitors to
be chosen for the ensuing year it was
found that the names of several of the
colored janitors at white schools were
missing. Il am willing to be put on
record said Mr.. Penwell-Who by the
way, is said to be in reality a great
friend OF the colored race-''as not be-
ing IN favor of a colored man being
jauitor in a white school. The board
can vote ne down if it Desires
Here d.. Magee rose to his feet and
became excited. Il tell you this board
is poor place to draw the color line
said he. 1T is a reflection upon the
good citizenship and good sense of the
citizens of Topeka
. PenwelI-Mr. President, 1 have lived
: in Topeka 30 years. am willing to con
cede to the cOlored men anything com
: ing to them, but we had about a dozer
: white men wanting the places I have
: many friends among the cOlored people
and 1 have told them what I thinl
about this question.
; Magee-This board has no right tt
, throw anyone out on account of color
Mrs. Evans-TEere is no reason fol
+ turning man out except for incom
: potency or immortality.
Judge Carver have to disagree will
. my friend, Mr.. Penwen. 1 want t.
say if competent colored men can
: have chaLce to be a janitor he nigh
: as well go to the river-it is up.
Van Horn-To make a wholesale
change would look to me as being
: broad step.
Penwen-If I run for Office 7 dom
have to cater for votes. Privately II
J probably do as much for the coIoreC
man as any member of the board
1t was discovered that the member
Of the committee did not understand
q that a civil service system prevails il
connection with the selection with tn,
jauitors, and after three colored mel
S had been reiustated in their fOrme
positions and one or two other altera
q ton made the committee report wa
adopted.
Old Tax Levy Stands.
The tax rate for the board as befor
8 mentioned was fixed at IS mills. &C
81 cori ling to the recommendation OF tn
81 committee under Judge ". z. Atchison
s The levy for the general fund is 40
mills; building fund 8 mills; and in