The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-10-23
IN
BUCHANAN CASE
Fulton and Stanley Object to
Findings of the Special
Committee
"HORSEPLAY": EDWARDS
President of Board Says Prose
cution Is Seeking a Grace
full Exit
"HORSEPLAY": EDWARDS

N BILL Of exceptions 10 the finding
"A Of the committee of four appointed
10 investigate charges preferred against
Superintendent Buchanan of the city
schools, was filed with the bonrd ol
education Friday evening by 4. J." ful
tom aud Grant STANLEY. attorney FOR
the rump0inants When the nllrgu
tinu. SET forth IN the bill were "ul.
lined ~ him. President Edwards ~ the
hoard characterized them rs horse
p.ay." and us nm attempt by the pros
ruuou 10 make graceful exit from
The situation
The main allegation, NJ the bll nr
that after the committee had adoplrh
the rules ~ evidence and procedure
which obtain In the state court " Oh
luhuma, tO govern their sittngs that
no notice NJ the time ar place ~ taking
~ dispositions by the defense were
served On the cumplninunts or their
attorneys, that thry did not know y
the taking ~ the dcpositiuns until
they were taken aud were thereby pre-
vented from being present aud eros,
examining witnesses. aud that the com
mittee during Thursday nights srssiou
oyerrued a motion 10y the attorneys for
the complannnts tu suppress the dcpo-
sltions introduced In spite NJ the fnct
that the statutes Of oklahoma provide
Tint notice to take dispositions must
be- served on the opposing party ~ his
counsel previous 10 such action. that
the charges against Mr buchanan
were filed with the board ~ education
and that II was the duties NJ Its mem
bers To hear the charges themselves,
hut instead they driesnted their paw
ers to the committee and since that ac-
ton made the committee In reality n
referee, their report must be- submitted
10 the board for action; that the orlgi.
nal charges against Mr.. Buchanan
we're informal aud were submitted for
the purpose " calling the attention
NJ the board to the matter, that the
charges would have been specific
enough had not the committee decided
IN adopt the rules Of evidence and pro
cedure Of the state courts, hut that un.
der such rules charges must be specific
aud direct and that for that reason the
attorneys for the complainants re
drafted the charges 10 conform, and
that, despite the fact that the state.
~ the state provide that amendments
In the interest Of justice can be- mndC
at any Of proceedings the commltte,
refused 20 allow the filing Of the
amended charges that after cOuns0
for the complnlnants withdrew from
the room IN which the hearing was be
lux held, the committee allowed action
10 be- taken with reference Ia the In
PRODUCTION Of evidence for MIR Bu
chanan: that the committee wenI
through the form NJ generating hin
from the charges further that Judg,
Selwyn Douglas the chairman " N,
committee. remarked In substance AM
effect that the complainants never In
tended 10 Introduce evidence, notwlth
standing the fact that the complainant
had witnesses In the building, n fac
known to the committee; and finally
that Judge Douglas and Whit NJ
Grant, members of the committee, haC
expressed themselves previous 10 tn
trial, as 10 the merits Of the charges
filed against Mr. Buchanan and there
by disqualified themselves as imaor
tlal judges.
Members Of the school board say tm
blll Of exceptions will have no effec
whatsoever upon he findings Of tn
committee since the board agreed 4
accept their Judgment NJ final Tn
only hope the complainants now hav
IA that the board reverse lts decision
which IL unlikely.