The Mena weekly star., 1919-06-26
j. Of A. ENBRCGL|O
TAKES new TURN
President Futral, Usder Charges,
Turns Tables on Profitable Farming
Bureau, Which Is Quickly Con-
yicted-COnducts Vindication.
rrom the Arkansas aaaette.

a meeting of the Board of Trustees
of the University of Arkansas for the
purpose of hearing charges against
J. C. Futrall, president of the univer.
sity, were presented with novelty
Yesterday. They were asked to hear
charges against themselves. 1t was
not until after the Board of Trustees
had conducted an investigation of the
Arkansas Profitable Farming Bureau
for five hours in an effort to convince
the bureau that it was "hampering"
force in the agricultural development
of Arkansas, that it was announced
that the board was ready to proceed
with the investigation of the charges
against President Futrall. The board
had begun its investigation of the bu-
reau at 10 o'clock in the morning and
had been so engrossed in tracing out
the defects of the bureau that it had
even failed to observe the lunch hour.
Judge H. M. Cooley of Jonesboro, who
acted as an attorney for the Profitable
Farming Bureau, explained that in
Justice to the people of Arkansas a
full and entirely fair hearing should
be held coscerning the charges pre-
ferred against the president of the
university. He said that the patience
of those in attendance had been worn
out by the five hours session; that
koH 81 thn
sion that should be investigated, and
that he must return to his home at
Jonesboro on other business matters.
President Futrall Takes Charge.
A motion was offered and seconded
by Trustees ]. K. Mahoney and J. D..
Head that a session be held until mid
night last night if necessary in order
to consider the charges against Nj.
Futrall, and that if all the testimony
were not presented by that time the
board adjourn to continue the hearing
at a later day. ]. l.. Bond made sub
stitute motion in which he asked that
the board continue the hearing until
next Saturday in order that the az Ar
kansans represented by Judge Cooley
might have more time to present their
charges. His motion was seconded by
Harry L. Ponder, who said he appreci-
ated the reasons of Judge Cooley for
asking for a continuance. At this
point President Futrall, who said that
as the defendant in the matter he felt
he had right to speak, insisted that
the hearing proceed. He said e. j..
Bodman, chairman Of the Arkansas
Profitable Farming Bureau and in the
opinion of the Board of Trustees, the
leader of the citizens who had prefer
red the charges against him, had
known him four years and should be
prepared to continue the hearing at
that moment. He also intimated that
Judge Cooley was the hired attorney
Of Mr.. Bodman for the occasion.
Bureau Leaders Walk Out.
~ am no hired attorney, sir" an
swered Judge Cooley. 81 am only here
today because have the interests of
the state and of the university at
heart"
1t was suggested to Mr.. Bodman by
Mr.. Mahoney that there were 100 or
so other lawyers that he might quick
ly secure, if Judge Cooley could not
remain. When vote was taken on
the substitute motion and every mem
Der of the board except the two pro-
posing 1t had emphatically voted
mo-" Mr.. Bodman, Judge Cooley, Geo.
W. Rogers and others who had been
interested in asking for the investiga-
ton of President Futrall, arose and
announced simply that they would
withdraw.
To Take Ii to the People.
In leaving the room, Mr.. Cooley said
"We will carry this to the people"
When Governor Brough repeated
the statement of Mr.. Cooley that Mr..
Cooley would carry the question of the
removal of President Futrall "to the
people," Mr.. Mahoney jumped to his
feet and announced that the question
might go to the people as far as he
was concerned. Governor Brough
called the boards attention to the fact
that Mr.. Bodman and others had with
drawn from the meeting in the belief
that the action of the board in con-
Stunning so much time in the criticism
of the bureau had been a deliberate
frame-up on the part of the board
members; that in their opinion there
had been a solid lineup against mem
bers of the Profitable Farming Bureau
and any others that had seen fit to
prefer charges against President Flu
trail and that the only recourse was to
take the question to the people.
Then the Vindication.
The board then preceded publicly to
vindicate President Futrall. No
criticism had been presented against
him. In fact, President Futrall con-
Quoted the major part of the investi-
cation in his own behalf. He read the
charges against him and after calling
various deans of the university and ext
tension workers to the stand, an
nounced in his own behalf that ut
seems to me that all charges made
against me have been answered" If
any member of the board dssented
with President Futrali's disposal of
the case, he did not do it publicly.
Any reader of the stenographic re-
port of the meeting may Judge wheth-
er President Futrall did not suggest
the answers to the major part Of the
questions proposed.
o.