The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-04
LONG ISLAND LIFE SERVICE.
EXCITEMENT IRON ROCKlTdy BEt
OUT TO MONTdUK POfyT


The management of the life saving sta.
tions on the coast Of Long Island has long been
the subject Of severe criticism. Instead of
being recruited from the class known as surf
mon. on the shores Of the Great South bay, tho
crows of these stations, it has boon alleged. are
chosen from the kith and kin of the local and
Government officials in tho ncighborhood. As
result, II has been further alleged. the thirty
three stations comprised in the Third Life
Saving District, extending from Montauk Point
to Concy Island have dcgcncratcd into nero
political machines. run for local politicians
Early in January the rumors concerning
these stations assumed IA tangible shape. Spe-
| ciiic charges backed by sworn aflldavits wcrc
made against Capt. Henry T.. Hunting Super
intcndcnt Of the Third District. paper.
signed by twenty WE'LL known citizens was
drawn up. narrating the charges and demand
ing his removal. II was sent direct to John
sherman. The petitioners represented both
political parties. Among tho names
arc those of A. u. Scheenger. Benjamin H.
Barnes. Trustee of Montauk Charles T.. Hatch
Nathan W. Lester. G. b. Conklin. Charles Bah
cock. w. =. Gardner J. VI. Topping. +. o.
Hodges. Edward Ialscy and Josiah Foster
Nearly all are farmers residing In the eastern
| portion Of Long Island. II should be said
| however that three persons. whose names APP
| pear on tins petition. avcrrcd in their cNami-
nation that they signed without reading the
! contents. They supposed at the time that the
| paper contained u demand for the removal OF
the political restriction from tho service. An.
| 9thcr said that he had not signed himself but
nag Hmpowercd another person To do SO for him.
Although on three occasions previously SINH
| ,ar charges have been made and forwarded To
Washington no notice has been taken OF
| thcm, and. rs wcll-knOwn Long Islander
! SAID lately. thcy were suuclchcd" This time
however they had the desired ofIcct. com
mcnt On Jan. ~ to investigate IN" eh4rgos II
! ~ c9mmoscd OF Cnpt &. G, Adams, Special Agent
81 ' H. TIas,nry Dcpartmcnt and Lieut. WALKER
! commissioners arrived at Brdgchampton Few
dnnys lntrr; and at once began their labors.
Up to Wednesday. when, the official sitings
W.re closed. :, they, had visited Monauk.
AAmaGsansett, East HAMPTON, Bridgehanrt2n'
| yuosuc, .anl all the lifo-saving stations from
NJ. 70 No. "A INCLUSIVE Al these sessions be-.
sion. Mr. Charles l.. Hatch representing The
.ltiIens mixing the charges. and Capt. Hunt
tns the accused person, have boon present
from Ia" first day Of the investigation To- tho
last. witnesses have waited for hours in an ad-
Joining room for an opportunity to testify in
had either resigned or been discharged from
one or another Of the stations. On the other
manu- the witnesses introduced 10 rehut the
ton. belong 10 the crows Of the station and
%ore. thg1rriore testlfying to their own Ell
cmnry; Tho manner OF their examination it
could bc seen at glance. was not such as 10
nrlng out the whoc truth. When witness APP
b'nr.i. ne Was at once confronted with Capt.
J., Why. hello Jack or John, l." he would say. rs
he advanced and shook hands. what do You
know about all this corruption and pnrtisan-
supp Thus the impression was given 10 an
outsider. rs it was to a reporter for rHE Sun.
who sat through Tuesdays session. that tho
question of good fellowship was made to inter
,ene between the witness and his sworn duty
Again there were the constant intcrruptions
aud int"rI"ctions Icy Capt. Hunting. rs he paced
inc Moor IN front Of the witness. In Tuesday,
the stations WIS t"stiiying as to the taking OF
dovefnm"nt canvas 10y the prcsen, keeper Of
one OF the stations. who was then one OF the
What did you SEQ him do with the can
doris"
Did you ever see or hear anything of it
mo, sir-never did"
" nid he ever lake any more?"
dov he ;e sir Hnsn ne lett the house the next
=, The accused man sat opposite the witness At
this lunctur" he advanced toward him and said:
% you mean TO say stole III"
On, no. answered the witness. in great
The accused man then said that he hal taken
u on :" coast wrccking schoOner-didn'tkn know
whether lac had "a right Ia let them have II or
In the Investigation. the following facts were
Durtyd from the witnesses; jonathan Gould
VINO ior nearly eight years was keeper OF STA.
ton NJ. ?, produced lrti"r sent him and
signed 10y Hunting, ordering him to dis ahargo
WI" was uniiiNnrable To the Administration.
Collins testified that he was discharged in
HHi,,,ns Tor iidrn. ~ answer To- a question 10y
said you asked him why he kept that - Demo
'rLt IN lur-mHaniug mo"
Gould testified that ne himself. though he
hai been keeper of No.9 for nearly eight years.
MbS 81 s'hnrEvd Iust previous To the prcsidcn-
tai election, and replaced by a blacksmith
named Jams strong The rcnson given was
That StrIug could control moro votes than he
could. II was further shown that strong was
50 deaf that he could not hear what was said Ia
him. Mhnn the insprct)r s visited the station
l huf
We're forced 10 discharge him. Strong admitted
nat whil9 attached e. the station he frequently
rc,uiurd nome AT might.
=, N'slcy smircs. kecpcr Of the lighthouse at
nooisrqunt N,hmillcd that he had Indirectly
tsilnei that Squirrs had desired him To select /
a crow ior TINS station. and he would have them |
trp'ntrr Chairman Of the Repuhli an County /
convention, ask ing him To select six mon for /
thr crew ~ ~. II. and he would have them ap-
without the knowledge Of the keeper OF NJ. IL. |
Hni was; therefore. in direct violation ofthc |
r., 81 Luz !. nalln"ni giving Keepers the
49, Testimony wns. introduced 10 show that from
Station NJ, I AT Montuk Ia No IL. M Mnrichns !
4 distance Of fifty miles. there were onl, two |
Democrats. These two were stationed AT Mon |
muk, "a station from fourteen TO sixteen miles |
from any hahltiiion. Ii WAS shown that the |
reason ol their retention was hat no Republican |
w1s willing e. 20 SO far from home.
Elisha o. Hodges Of BrIdsohamI ton testified |
thnl part Of the crew at station 40. lad re-
tanned quantity of butter that had como ashore |
thoush they ARE sworn 10 safely proscryc and |
kcrpior the owners all articles coming ashore" |
a demand wi.s mail for the butter by The own
crs' ami the crow denied its possesson A |
snort time niterward II WAS found in their |
nnusr HUNTING WAS anprlsel OF tho circum-
them.
Testimony was introduced to show that sev-
were stu retained in the several houses, al |
h99{psh H. law.of 1874 DISTINCTLY prohhits Il,
EiJah Bennett, keeper OF No. I. testified that /
,f tlt..