The Caldwell tribune., 1919-03-21
.SCH0lTz MACHINE
STILL CONTROLS
Insurgents Make Desperate Attemp,
to Get Accounting of Newspaper
FUNDS; Ground Into Subjection.

! =
being made by w. G. Scholtz, Nonpar-
tisan league manager, of funds obtain
ed from members of the Nonpartisan
league for establishing league daily
newspaper at Nampa were overriden
by powerful Scholtz machine at the
first annual meeting of stockholders
OF the Nampa Cooperative Publish
ing company at Nampa Wednesday.
With the arrival of the first stock
holders in town about 9 o'clock Wed
nesdav morning it began to be circu-
lated about town that if the stock
holders were allowed to hear Deal and
Bumgardner's outline of their under
standing of the newspapers finances,
Scholtz would probably be elected
from its affairs. By the middle of the
afternoon, it was learned, Scholtz had
passed the crisis and the stockholders
were voting, in most cases, entirely as
| he desired.
Close Doors Against Press.
| On account of the subjects under
discussion. one of the first acts of the
meeting was to exclude newspaper
men. Excuses were made by individ-
uals afterwards to member of the
press that bylaws of the association
permit only stockholders who are
Nonpartisans to be present, but no
attempt was made to invoke this re-
striction in the case of George L..
West, who acted as doorkeeper: Gil
bert Shelby, who took shorthand notes
of the proceedings; a stenographer,
and several others.
Mr.. Shelby had been employed by
Deal and Bumgardner as members of
the board of directors, of which
Scholtz was the third member. With
election of new board of five direc-
tors. instead of three, favorable to
Scholtz Shelby's notes were declared
the property of the new board, and
an attempt was made to put through
a motion that he be required to leave
his notes at the newspaper office, and
do all his typing there, but Shelby re-
fused to do so, pleading Inconvenience.
AS soon as the meeting assembled
the Rev. Mr.. Deal, as president of the
association, asked the privilege of
calling another to the chair in his
stead, suggesting the name of Hubert
Peckham, which was fayorably re-
ceived.
Has Something to Say.
Gas member of the board of trus-
tees have something important to
say here today, and in order to prop
erly represent them l ask to be re-
lieved of presiding" he said.
A moment later when it came to
selection of secretary of the meeting
Scholtz took rap at Deal by saying
that unlike his predecessor who had
selected the man who should take his
place. he Scholtz, wanted to see Of
ficers selected from the floor He
quickly assured Peckham that his re-
marks were no reflection on him.
Cecil R. Peckham was elected sec
retary. Then the credentials commit
tee began its work.
Leaders of Losing Fight.
With Deal and Bumgardner in the
fight which failed was L. L. Young,
former Canyon county commits sioner,
L. J. Magee also thought a closer
check should be submitted on the
newspapers finances.
Clarence Van Deuscn, former Dem
ocratic state auditor. was called in to
read a report on Scholtz's financial
records. He found not only that there
was some money on hand, but that
there was some extra money-several
hundred dollars-more than they
could account for. Van Deusen ex-
planned that by further investigation
this long" money could be accounted
for, as he has not had time to properly
check up on It, M. H. Eustace assist
ed in preparing the audit.
Some Information Withheld.
Young and Deal both admitted that
Van Dcusen's report was correct
based on the information which had
been furnished by Scholtz, II was an
accurate summary of Scholtz's hand
ling Of the funds. But they protested
that Scholtz had withheld information
which should have been ascertained
for the benefit of the stockholders.
They declared that Scholtz had had an
in being able to say upon
just what records an audit should be
made.
Scholtz retaliated to this with the
argument that misuse could be made
of his records il he allowed them to
get out of his hands. and that those
politically against him might try to
railroad him as criminal by al
tering them to his disadvantage.
Jealousy and ambition to run the
affairs of the new publication, and of
the Nonpartisan league If they could
spread detection to the parent organi-
zation, were ascribed by Scholtz's sup
porters to the attitude of Deal, Young
Magee and others.
Afterwards Deal came down to the
first floor and encountering Van Deu-
sen questioned some statement he had
made before the stockholders. Van
Deusen sugge ested that maybe someone
else should have been accredited with
whatever he had said Deal secuted
the argument.