The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-16
HAD NO EVIDENCE
TO PROVE CHARGE
AGAINST HODGES
Continued From First Page


heard Mr.. Hodges say: You can't
blame a man for taking all h can
get"
W. w, Douglass ono OF the attor-
ncys for tho prosecution went on tho
stand and said that he did not obicc;
TO Mr.. Hodges aa man. but he did
| object to him as II teacher. because he
used bad grammar. DR. IIagan testi-
/ fled that the superintendent had failed
to answer letter OF complaint he had
written. The prosecution rested when
Or. IIaEan had finished
! Mr. Moncure asHed If the board
wanted to hear evidence from the de-
Tense, and Attorney General Williams
said that Mr.. Moncurc must think that
/ the board had already come to its
/ opinion.
| II know your position in the matter
now replied the lawyer sharply Mr..
Stcnrnes made him withdraw the state
I mcnt.
4 Mr. Hodges on Stand.
Mr.. Hodges was the first TO go on
/ the stand in his defense. lie reviewed
the history OF his employment. and
said that no wouldn't have had the
! position for only $1,000 FOR thirty min
utes. The state superintendent ha,
told him, he said, that the school board
would supplement his salary. and the
school board Of Alexandria county ala
I visors' warrants for his salary two or
4 three months sometimes before they
I could be cashcd When the census
| increase gave him the right 10 have
Sl6e moro in salary, he said that he
! brought the matter to the attention of
the supervisors himself. lie called at
/ tcntion To the fact that tho petition for
! ms removal was signed by only 1879
I people, whereas the population OF the
county is $4,000
Mr.. Hodges stated that the super
/ visors had been hostile TO him and OPP
/ posed 70 education and added that one
OF them did not appreciate education
4 and was very unedUcated. lie gave Il
I comprehensive review OF his work
showing that when lie first took the
/ position the county had only 1915 chill
! dren going 10 school, while now there
are 2,l3i pupils. There were twenty
\ nine teachers then: now there are nj
| ty-two. most OF them normal gradu-
ates He had spoken on education in
7 one OF the county churches. ana had
been asked afterwards to speak In
every church in the county. He de-
clared that Major Ewing. one OF the
/ petitioners against him. had opposed
him four years ago in his candidacy.
and had said that Il raise in his
| tllodScs) salary would he I'm indorsc-
rnont of the state hoard
Jeounr,lizch Ills Soul.
II have done the best | could. in sea
son and ont. day and night" he said
/ II have jeopardized my souls eternal
rest by working ON Sunday. have
| even swept the schools out and made
fires in them when the janitor was on
! u spree The trustees can testify 10
/ this" He showed that the county
| schools competed with those Of Wash
| ington, and that many children who
! formerly were sent 10 Washington
schools were now enrolled IN the coun-
/ ty schools
Mr.. Corbctt, of the board of super
! vtsors' said that there was no unde~.
standing that MIR. Hodges was TO get
only $1,000 a year as the prosecution
u tried To prove, and that AR. Hodges
/ never stated that he was getting only
/ that amount when questioned on tho
point.
/ "Whnt was the Board OF SuperN sors
| to do with the superintendent? Mr.
Stearncs asked. we are very particu-
lar about questions OF yeracity. and IL
was only for that reason that wo
granted a continuance In this case
/ Otherwise it would have been thrown
out What have YOU to do with super
! intendentsH The State board nxes
salaries. and they may be supplemented
hy the county school boards We do
not like 10 have the character Of "A man
ruined on such testimony Don't You
realize that YOU have no proof against
this mans vorac!ty"'
"oh. certainty" replied Mr.. swindell.
ChnrGc Is withdrawn.
Then you should withdraw the
charge" said Mr. Stcarncs, and frank
Is state that YOU have no testimony
against his character"
The charge was Withdrawn. though
Mr. Douglas objected. There was a
call Tor Mr. Duncan, but he was not
present. owing. TO illness Mr.. Swindell
explained.
Mr.. l'ecbrey, a witness. testified that
! Mr. Duncan had looked exceedingly
/ Well when lie saw him tho day before
and that he had told him he was not
coming.
| George II. Fucker. clerk Of tho Coun-
II ~ Court. tcsuncd anusingly and in
/ formingly lie, too. had seen Mr..
Duncan. who was looking very Well
He said that Mr.. Hodges had done as
much for the county IS any citizen who