[Ronald Kane]: –has been made also on pure speculation. I think the facts will speak for themselves. You’re free to examine the contents on the table. These items were seized after I filed the injunction asking the court to close the University, and I think it was proper in this respect. We found many, many items like shotguns, machetes, marijuana, flower pots, we found all kinds of things which, in many instances, certainly, do not represent higher education.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Where were these articles found, sir?

[Ronald Kane]: They were found in the dormitories.

[Unidentified Speaker]: What day were they found, Ron?

[Ronald Kane]: They were found beginning the day that the injunction was filed on May 4, 1970, subsequent to the time that the injunction was filed.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Now there are some shotgun shells here that look as if they’ve been fired.

[Ronald Kane]: I can’t advise you on that.

[Unidentified Speaker]: What made you go into the dormitories and look for some of these materials?

[Ronald Kane]: Well, we want to ensure to the safety of the community that any items which might be a threat to life or limb were removed from any of the dormitories on Kent State University. I think this was the proper time to make a complete, fair appraisal of the entire situation and just see what we have at Kent State University.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Ron, can you say anything about the legality of inspecting each one of these rooms?

[Ronald Kane]: The State Highway Patrol has made a search of these rooms coupled with the Kent State University Police Department, and as far as the legality is concerned, at the present time, I think you’d enter into the question of legality when charges begin to be filed.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Will charges be filed?

[Ronald Kane]: Now, the problem with the situation is, is there are many people living in one room and to place the finger on any one person saying that they’re responsible for so and so is a little bit difficult to do.

[Unidentified Speaker]: But you are going to try?

[Ronald Kane]: However, an investigation is being completed by the State Highway Patrol and also by the Kent State University Police Department.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Would you describe some of these by looking at the dorms and identifying whether they’re male or female dorms?

[Ronald Kane]: I think–I’m not that familiar with the various dormitories. Maybe Captain Hayes can single it out more thoroughly for you. This is Captain Hayes, State Highway Patrol.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Captain, could you look at these displays–

[Break in the recording]

[Unidentified Speaker]: There are shotgun shells here that look like they’ve been fired.

[Hayes]: Yes sir, exactly.

[Unidentified Speaker]: What does that lead you to think?

[Hayes]: I have no comment to make to what I think. Like I said, it speaks for itself, it’s an expired shell and it’s laying on the table and was found in the dorms.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Can you identify some of these other articles? We first received many hunting knives–

[Hayes]: Can you be specific? We’ve got so much stuff–

[Unidentified Speaker]: Machete–what is this bottle over here? It looks like a wine bottle. Is that for smoking marijuana?

[Captain Hayes]: Hashish, it’s something along these lines, yes.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Do you have any totals of how many knives, guns?

[Captain Hayes]: Yes, sir, we have a total, but it’s not gonna be released verbally. You can see what we got here. This is it.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Why aren’t these figures going to be released, sir?

[Captain Hayes]: I don’t see any point in releasing them. That’s why you’re here taking pictures, so that you could see what we found.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Captain, what about the amount of drugs that were found? I see some pills on the table.

[Captain Hayes]: We have several of these.

[Unidentified Speaker]: You find one pill or ten pills or–?

[Captain Hayes]: The pills that you see on the table were found in the dorms.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Male and female?

[Captain Hayes]: Male and female and it runs from opiates to syringes, antibiotics, vitamins, we got a little bit of everything. We’ve got barbiturates, we even got some hallucinogenic.

[Unidentified Speaker]: I see a firehose. You’re asking for specifics Captain, I see a fire hose nozzle.

[Hayes]: Yes sir.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Probably taken off the dormitory fire hose to be used as a trumpet. How’s this a weapon?

[Hayes]: It makes a real handy mace if it’s picked up at the little end.

[Unidentified Speaker]: It makes a real handy noise if you blow in it.

[Hayes]: Right, right.
 
[Unidentified Speaker]: Sir, is the machete the one that was used to cut the fire hose at the ROTC building and slice the fireman’s coat?

[Hayes]: We don’t know that.

[Unidentified Speaker]: What plans do you have for arrests at this point?

[Hayes]: This is not what this conference is for today.

[End of Recording]

[New Recording]
 
[Unidentified Faculty Member]: –managed to come down right here, but we originally came from a meeting that had I’m now told well over a hundred and fifty–

[Unidentified Speaker]: It’s also at the Faculty Senate.

[Unidentified Faculty Member]: Members of the full-time Kent State University Faculty, and we represent now well over 150 at an ad hoc meeting, condemn our exclusion from a press conference held by county prosecutor Ronald Kane on University grounds. I know for a matter of concern to the entire University Community, such a closed conference serves to further inflame an already explosive situation.

[Bill Pierson]: So, what time was this meeting held?

[Unidentified Faculty Member]: This meeting was held at two o’clock.

[Bill Pierson]: Why did you wait until two o’clock this afternoon to hold it?

[Unidentified Faculty Member]: Precisely because–

[Bill Pierson]: In other words, we have no authentic representation here of these people's names. That there were how many there nor anything else.

[Unidentified Faculty Member]: We have a list. We have a list inside.

[Bill Pierson]: Where is the list?

[Unidentified Faculty Member]: We will produce it for you if you so desire. Could you identify yourself?

[Pearson]: I’m Bill Pierson, yes, with the City Press in the Falls.

[Unidentified Faculty Member]: Yes, we can give you such a list, Mr. Pierson, but we were sent over precisely because we were denied after Mr. Moore, I was an instructor in the speech department or assistant professor, excuse me, had checked with Ronald Kane about the feasibility of our admission to such a conference and we came merely to present our demasks to the press as you have seen. This is an entirely non-violent and orderly meeting.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Are you referring to the conference inside as the items on the tables?

[Unidentified Faculty Member]: We don’t–

[Unidentified Speaker]: That was not a press conference.

[Unidentified Faculty Member]: We don’t know what was held inside.

[Unidentified Speaker]: It was strictly a display. There was no conference.

[Unidentified Faculty Member]: Well, we felt as members of the University Community, we should have a right to examine such tables, to raise questions to the press, and we of course are upset upon our exclusion from a meeting, once again, that affects the entire University Community. Afterall, this is an issue that was generated at Kent State and should be left in control, or at least in partial control in faculty hands.

This meeting could have been better served had it been held, let us say then, in the County Prosecutor’s office instead of on the grounds at Kent State University. My reason for being here is that four students and eleven were wounded and I’m sick and disgusted of the University as well as County Prosecutors and petty officials who try to turn this to their own political gain, and I think I could speak for most everyone here, and this is the major reason that I am here.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Who do you represent?

[Unidentified Faculty Member]: I am part of a representation of a group that’s known as the Kent Faculty for Non-Violent Action.

[End of Recording]

[New Recording]

[Ronald Kane]: –are subject to search by the proper authorities without a warrant, and again, that is of course, property owned by the school district and this analogy is property owned by the state.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Was that the thinking under which you authorized the search?

[Ronald Kane]: No, this is part of the investigation. Don’t say I authorized a search, I authorized an investigation (unintelligible [00:07:19]).

[Unidentified Speaker]: I’m saying, you gave you the police blanket powers to do whatever was necessary to (unintelligible [00:07:28]).

[Ronald Kane]: I’m saying this to you, that police, under their investigatory powers, went into these rooms and searched them, that’s true. Now, don’t say I gave them power, the statute gives them certain power to do things. Don’t put it in any singular that I did.

[Unidentified Speaker]: You’re an attorney, you’re the one they’re going to run to. You’re gonna have to make the cases.

[Ronald Kane]: (unintelligible [00:07:52]) prosecutions, but again, like I say, I think they’re putting the car before the horse, because in many instances there’s so many people in and out a room that you really don’t know who those items belong to. You’re going to have to have evidence.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Ron, who specifically went into the rooms? Was it the FBI? Were they involved in some of this investigation?

[Ronald Kane]: Bob, my understanding is the FBI was involved also, however, Captain Hayes, you’ll have to talk to Captain Hayes–

[Unidentified Speaker]: He was in charge of the actual–

[Ronald Kane]: He was in charge, that’s true. I would be purely speculating. I couldn’t tell you.

[Unidentified Speaker]: Okay, thank you.

[End of recording]

[Beginning of new recording]

[Ronald Kane]: Ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed a pleasure and an honor to be here. Can all of you hear me in the back of the room? All right. I’ve never been accused of not being overly silent, however, that’s to the extreme good fortune, I think that they feed the speaker before they hear us speak because I’m sure in many instances, the majority of them would suffer from famine. Secondly, I’d like also to announce that if any of you finish my little speech here before I do, kindly raise your hand and you’ll be excused.

I had somewhat of a difficulty in deciding what would be an appropriate subject to discuss here today before you. I thought perhaps I would certainly be remiss if I neglected the situation at Kent State University in as much as it ties in with the other campus disorders. In paraphrasing, briefly, I took office on January 6th of 1969. On April 8th of 1969, the problems that Kent State University began for my office. It was precision timing the way I look at it, being new to the office, and then suddenly, being confronted with the situation at Kent State University. However, we managed to work our way through it.

On April 8, 1969, the University had a confrontation with students at the Administration Building. 8 students were arrested, tried, and convicted of assault and battery. On April 16, 1969, a group of approximately 300 to 500 students stormed the third floor of the Music and Speech department wherein they battered down the steel fire doors, valued at approximately $900. 117 arrests were made by the Ohio State Patrol who at that time, were called on to suppress the University riot.

Three of these one hundred and seventeen were convicted of malicious destruction and restitution for the doors that were battered down was made part of the sentence imposed by the court. Twenty-four of these students were, or I should say, pled guilty to first-degree riot. The remainder of the students were treated as trespass cases and paid their fines. Now, the trial of the arrested students from the April 16th situation, coupled with regular county business, I think you can appreciate, cast a burden on the county officials, as well as my office.

Now, we also have another ingredient in this situation of last year. We had a situation where narcotics tripled in Portage County. There were approximately 116 narcotics cases in Portage County as of last year. Now, the last case from the April 16, 1969 incident was disposed of in December of 1969. Everything progressed basically peacefully in that the problems were never surfaced until obviously, May 1, 1970. Now, finally, on May 1, 1970, as you all are pretty much aware, an eruption occurred in the City of Kent which subsequently transferred itself to Kent State University campus, wherein on Saturday night, May 2, the ROTC building was burned and the airplanes at the Portage County Airport were also sabotaged.

Suddenly, or I should say, Sunday, May 3, it continued to be an explosive situation, which to me appeared to be a clear and present danger to the Kent residents as well as to the bonafide students of the University. We had a meeting of course, which I’m certain all of you are familiar with, early Sunday morning and I had made at that time, a suggestion that the University be closed. Well, it was vetoed. Then, on May 4, 1970, which was a Monday, approximately 12:24 or some time in the afternoon in that proximity, four students were shot and immediately thereafter, I felt the necessity for endeavoring to get a court order to close Kent State University.

I had the office, my office, prepare the injunction which was taken over to Judge Caris, wherein, Judge Caris signed a court order officially closing Kent State University. This order went into effect approximately 5:00 p.m. on May 4, 1970. The students were given until May 5 at noon to evacuate the University. Thereafter, the trustees agreed to cancel the contracts of the students commensurate with the situation.

Now, subsequently, to the evacuation of the students and the canceling of the contracts, the rooms were searched by the Ohio State Patrol, under the supervision of Captain Hayes. Incidentally, Captain Hayes was the gentleman, last year, who also prepared the background for the arrests and convictions that we had on the confrontation of April 8 and April 16, so Captain Hayes again was involved in this situation this year. Now, the supervision of the search and seizure, like I’ve mentioned here, was under the direction of the Ohio State Patrol, wherein the items were confiscated from the rooms under the authority of the general health, morals, and welfare of the residents at Kent, and the county, and to ensure and secure the safety of the students when the University re-opens.

The items were placed on display and the news media and many people in the community called and were enquiring as to precisely what was removed from the student’s rooms. Now, I think it’s important at this time to mention that we are not saying that these items belong directly to the students because at the time, there were many people in and out of those rooms and I’m certain that they could have been placed there by anyone. However, these items were removed from the dormitory rooms on campus. I think they’re approximately 31 University buildings and Captain Hayes and the State Patrol searched the buildings and they came up with three tables of the various items that were put on display.

Now, the reason they were put on display is very simply this: we had a situation wherein there was a clear and present danger, which I think it was obvious for everyone to observe the windows were broken in downtown Kent on Friday night, the ROTC building was burned on Saturday night, there was an explosive situation throughout Sunday, and eventually, Monday, someone did get shot and killed. I think under this situation, it shows the general tenor, the general complexion of the entire situation, and I further want to bring out that the items were put on display because of the requests that were made as to what items were found in these rooms. The search was not made for purposes of prosecution, but to ensure and secure the safety of the residents at Kent and the bonafide students who want to go to that institution for an education when it reopens.

Now, this is precisely what was done. The items were labeled as to who secured the item, where they were found, and what the item was. Now, the press was there and of course, they want to interpret the situation as a press conference. This is pure nonsense. It was not a press conference. They were told to bring their cameras and to draw their own conclusions. This is precisely what they did do and of course, in many instances, you read reports and I feel strongly that some of the reports were distorted. Now, pictures will speak for themselves and the items were there, the news media was capable of going and looking and examining each and every item on that table.

Well, get on with it, the State Highway Patrol, at the present time, is still investigating the situation that occurred at Kent State on May 1 of this year. They have not completed their investigation as of this time and needless for me to say to you at this time also, the investigation is not open for publication. A Grand Jury session will be called upon completion in the State Highway Patrol’s report and this evidence will be submitted to the Grand Jury. The Grand Jury, of course, is composed of residents of the County of Portage. These are the proper people to examine what evidence is available as a result of the State Highway Patrol’s investigation.

I think it’s also important at this time to say that we are not unique in our situation at Kent State University. There exists campus unrest and disorder across the nation. Dissident students with dissident ideas which obstruct and thwart the bonafide students who are attending our University for an education. The seat of violence bears bitter fruit, thereby creating corruption and decay of our youths’ moral fiber. I think it’s incumbent upon us therefore, to set constructive examples for our youth wherein they respect the laws and our government. Laws exist for the protection of persons and property. However, the law is only a memorandum of men’s needs. Furthermore, the laws are only good in so far as a majority of the people respect them or support them. Therefore, again, it becomes incumbent upon us to preserve law and order in our society, and that we may function harmoniously.

Now, I think in many instances, we need the idealism of the youth. We need the intellectual atmosphere that the University creates, however, a check and balance system is, we need the practicality of the people. And I think the situation at Kent State here should not lend itself to criticism in either direction. I think it’s been overplayed. There should never be a situation which exists wherein people do not profit from, I think this is a key in many instances to it. Whenever a situation develops, irrespective of if it’s a bad one or a good one, you should endeavor to profit by whatever that situation is. There’s some things I think which we’ve learned here at Kent State University and I think that the key at the present time is not criticism, or radical criticism from either group. And I would suggest to you as a group that the main issue here is cooperation. Now, I don’t think anyone here recognizes the fact that we have a problem, however, individually, none of you can solve it. You’re going to need the cooperation of your clubs, remember, you’re trying to promote the best interests of the county and the people that are in this county, and also, tie in with that, the conjunction of Kent State University.

Now, we have many problems ahead. How they’re going to be resolved, I can’t tell you. Many of you have anticipated that this was a press conference. It came out in the bulletin here. This is not a press conference. It was never intended to be. And I’m not here to give my diagnosis, nor prognosis as to the ills of Kent State University. I am not their attending physician and I don’t intend to be their attending physician. I’m merely, in my oath of office, have agreed to preserve the laws of this state and by golly, any one caught violating them will be prosecuted and the people will be treated equally irrespective of who they are, where they are, or what they are. And I think we have to set examples, gentlemen, because we’re older and the students, many of the people look up to you. They want good examples. We’re going to have to set them. Now, I think overaction on anyone’s part at this time is disastrous. I think, therefore, we should all cooperate with each other to try to rehabilitate the situation which in many instances was disastrous. Thank you.

[End of audio recording]         

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