Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-02
EDUCATION BOARD
INDICATES KNIGHT
Votes to Continue His Services
as Supervising Engineer
of Commission.

Voting down a resolution asking for
his resignation. the Board of Educa-
ton at o'clock this morning, after
a session which lasted from o'clock
last night, restored Supervising Engi-
neer George w. knight to good stand
ing. BY this act the charges of dis
honesty and dereliction OF duty
brought by Commissioner Johnson
were automatically dismissed.
The entire session. which was in
terrupted at times by comments of
the commissioners and counsel for
the accused, was devoted to the
hearing of testimony from a number
OF witnesses, one of whom was James
Taaffe, a former member of the
board.
Commissioner johnson was not
without aid in his attempt to bring
about the dismissal Of Knight On
nearly every important point the vote
was 5 to 4. with the majority favor
Ing the accused.
On the final resolution, which was
to the effect that Knight be immedi-
ately notified that his services would
not be required after June 1, the
vote was to 6. Commissioner Tom
kins offered the resolution and it was
seconded by Commissioner Johnson.
Commissioners Brown and Belfatto
also voted for its passage, while Com
missioners Taylor, King, Bruenig, Nc
Cabe and Smith opposed its adoption.
At the outset of the hearing Com
missioner Johnson sought to have the
board rule that Conover English,
counsel for Knight, should act only
in an advisory capacity and that the
hearing should not take the form of
cross-examination at trial.
This mode of procedure was object
ed to by a majority of the board
members, who commended that the
charges were of such a serious nature
that the accused should have every
opportunity of indicating himself.
Mr.. Johnson's suggestion was defeat
ed by to vote, Commissioner Bel
fatto switching to the majority. Com
missioner McCabe was not present at
this stage of the proceedings
Alfred g. Kreis, the stenographer in
Mr.. knights office, on whose in
formation the original charges were
brought, was the first witness called.
He stated that from December 81,
1912, to March 81 last he wrote
'twenty-seven letters for the board
and 1873 for Mr.. Knight and the lat
ter's business. In answer to another
question. he declared that he had
written specifications for Mr.. Knight,
half of which work he performed
during office hours and the remainder
on his own time. For this work. frem
September last up to yesterday. he
said that he had been paid $50.
Questioned with reference to the
time spent by Mr.. Knight in his office,
Kreis declared that he could not say
He stated, however, that at intervals
contractors on the outside had visited
Knight during business hours and
taken him out.
Under INSTRUMENTATION, Kreis adj
mitted that he recently had a personal
difference with knight, but added
that. SO far as he knew, there was no
enmity between them.
Former Commissioner Taaffe testi-
fed that during his entire member
ship on the board Knight, to his
knowledge, had always performed his
work. He said. however, that during
his incumbency as president of the
board, during 1912, he did not keep
close watch on Knights work.
Commissioner Tomkins interrupted
the proceedings at this point to ask
the witness IL he did not remember
that about a half year ago he told
him (Tomkins) that Mr.. Knight
would not give him the necessary
support. This Mr.. Taaffe admitted.
Other witnesses called were Philip
Tully. lanitor of South Eighth Street
School; the supervising plumber of
the board, Frederick Keppler; James
F. Kelly and Charles r. Fay, of the
Storm Plumbing Company, were heard
and testified in favor of Mr.. Knight
to the effect that they did not think
he neglected his duties.
The testimony of the accused HIM
self was to the effect that he thought
he was acting in good faith after
having received an informal consent
from some of the members to do out
side work. He asserted that he never
1T any time allowed his private work
to interfere with his duty to the
board and that he made up in extra
lime for and without extra compen-
sation time lost.
In summing up Mr.. English re-
'erred to the high standing of his |
client in the world of civil engineers.