Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-22
OYSTER DIFFERS
WITH VAN SCHA|CK
OVER TESTIMONY
Former President of School
Board Repeats Words Cred
tied to Present Head.

| ScStlSdtioH VI tnc PuphC
schools today. President John Van
Schaick, jr.. of the board of educa-
ton and former President James F.
Oyster differed over testimony given
by Capt. Oyster to the effect that DP.
Van Schaick once had said to him.
| The public can be damned"
DR.. Van Schaick asserted that he
had no recollection of using such a
phrase, and insisted that 1t was en-
| tirely foreign to his nature. He also
declared that recently Capt. Oyster
had talked with him on the street and
had expressed the wish that he would
be confirmed as Commissioner.
Taking the stand shortly after DIR.
Van Schaick had concluded his testi-
mony, Capt. Oyster reiterated his
statement that DR.. Van Schaick had
told him IN 1917 that the public can
termination to put out Supt. Thurston.
Reply to DR.. Van Schaick.
| Capt. Oyster replied in detail to the
statement made today relative to him
by DIR. Van Schaick. which is publish
ed elsewhere in The Star. Referring
to remark by DR.. Van Schaick to
the effect that Capt. Oyster had told
he knew how to handle the colored
people, Capt. Oyster said:
II may have said to him that got
along splendidly with the colored
dence Dr. Van schaick also said that
he spoke to me laughingly about tax
ing place on the board again. Ho
| came in there and said he was going
to see that Mr.. Larner was put of
and that I was put on. He has said
| to me since that I was indispensable
to the board. l do not like to appear
to be paying myself compliments. but
that Is what was said.
After the Bruce investigation last
summer he met me and told me that
I had done grand and noble work In
the Bruce investigation.
He also said today in his testimony
that asked him to support Bruce and
had been on the board at the time that
Mr.. Thurston was elected superin-
tendent. Thurston would not have been
my choice. Thurston knew that.
But l said to DIR. Van Schaick in our
4 conversation in 1917 that Mr.. Thurs
ton had been superintendent. and that
he was liked by the school teachers,
and why not give him a chancer'
SugEested Getting On Band Wagoa.
At another point. Capt. Oyster suia
he had suggested to DR.. Van 0cAAtek
that he "get on the band wsgen"
electing supt. Thurston.
He did not get on the eaAd
why didn't he?"
Il don't know" replied Capt. oys.
ter. unless perhaps the horns were
not loud enough" r.
'Dr. Van Schaick." continued Capt.
Oyster. said that 1T was foreign to
his nature to use the expression, the
public can be damned and had said
he has no recollection Of doing 20.
will ask the doctor IL he has any rec
objection Of a conversation with me
! at the ball park. in which he told me
that the Parents League had invited
him to attend some of their meetings.
and asked my advice. ! told him that
| IL he was going there as friend Of
Bruce he had better take gatling guns
along, but that II he was going there
as an opponent OF Bruce they would
| receive him with open arms. He sai6
to me: I will see them In hell before
/ will accede to their desires"
| Capt. Oyster said that he had been
walking down the street not long a10.
when an automobile drew up beside
him and DR.. Van Schaick spoke to
him.
HE congratulated me on being an,
pointed rent commissioner, and aAlesd
me to go to the Capitol. to see some
of the senator's. asked him what
for and he said to get confirmed 3
said to him I wouldn't walk Across
He replied to me saying incidentally
You might help me become q Commits
sioner.'" 81
II said. 4 can't do that because yoa
don't represent the people Of the Dis
trict:' He said he appreciated my
Would Not Ne Able t. sDeak.
Replying to DIR. Van Schaick's stats.
ment that Capt. Oyster had suggestst
that there was to be . Board OF Trade
meeting that night and that he would
like to have him at the meeting. but
that he was afraid 1t would look ~
though an effort was being made to
get support for DR.. Van Schaick As
Commissioner and that he would have
him come later. Capt. Oyster said he
had told DR.. Van Schaick that he could
come to the meeting. but that he
could not have time to speak. since
all the time had been given out.
"Dr. Van Schaick referred to me a.
a candidate for Commissioner and said,
that / was disappointed because
did not get the appointment" contin-
ued Capt; Oyster. "President Tafs
and I went to see him. and he told
me that the democrats wero not al
lowing him to make any appointments.
and that even though I was appoint.
ed as a democrat might not be oon-
hrmed. I told him that I was not
candidate for the job. and he saia
many Of my friends had been putting
me forward as candidate. oAS4
Hell. no: I don't want the Sob and
he said to me, Well. I appointed Yen
as q democrat. but don't know whA&
those devils up on the hill are going
to do"
Capt. Oyster said In reply to . sug-
gestion Of DIR. Van Schaick. that b
had been disappointed because he was
not to be q member of the Public
Utilities Commission. Il wouldn't 70
on the Public Utilities Commission un-
less they paid me $4,000 salary"
Not Fitted to be On Beard.
Referring to DR.. Van Schaick. Capt.
Oyster said:
II admit he's q hne fellow In his.
class, but he IL not fitted to BE- . Dts
trict Commissioner and he II not Ae1s1
to be q member Of the board q s1a-
Supt. Thurston, Miss Notsn. peiu-
cipai Of the Miner Normal 0caQG6
Principal Maurer Of the Central H1Dh
School and Roy C. Clahin were tAe
other witnesses at the hearing which
Supt Thurston denied emphatically
the truth Of letter written by A II.
Glenn. formerly q member OF tbs
board of colored examiners. IN which
Mr.. Glenn charged that Mr.. Thurstou
had tried TO- MAKE psxson nim San1s., Snanss tns
Fountain Peyton. 2 colored msmher
of the board Mr.. Glenn. in hie letter.,
said that the examination papers had
been sent back to him three times
by Supt. Thurston. but that he would
that he had been removed from the
hoa I'd Of examiners by Mr.. Thurston
on short notice. without givtnH him