New-York tribune., 1885-08-11
CUSTOM HOUSE REMOVALS.
ARE CIVIL SERVICE LAWS VIOLATED

VAGUE EXPLANATIONS GIVEN BY THE ooLLkcroh
..r sruvxyoR-soME or THE APPOINTMENTS.
p..~,. ~ valuations of the Civil Service laws IN
scrc,ntmsnts made at the Custom House navo
,sy,emtlv awakened considerable interest among 'ne
tfsr,,s ~ that reform. IL has been diffcuit 70
ss,n any Information on the subject. owing TO the
vicence Of the Gals and the fear " subordna,es
tb.t II they gave information to the press tney
sncn,i ie slmmarily removed. But careful iuqury
n the Custom House yesterday made ~ ,n evIucn'
that there Was substantial basis for thc repo.Ets E
A short time ago Inspector Benscl captain Oh tl'o
- nngbt watch. and Officers Rogers and Shepard were
renewed by Surveyor Beattie, and the announIpo
ment was made that John II. Becker. George ons ~;
Angelo and John Freed had been pp, ~ alI the
The promotion Of these men,. under the vivn WI
sva,,,oa,ion svs deputy Naval officer john ~;
Con stock chairman Of the Examining poal.' taon sa
yesterday that such exanina',ons Ia" nat he ,rrai
,'i,a,t tI,en lie lad heard talk OF snch appoint
nenfs' bnt ne had no official knowiehse oi .acn,
and he expressed the opinion that II 'no pnnGr
~. ;, Mr. Constock said that he was satished tna,
th .sident was in earnest IN requiring ia'tni"i
eNvya."ui vv,a ui,anirv was made of Surveyor Beatte
eonccrnina the matter he said that he had nade no
IN h appointments; and that he fully UNDERSTOOD
a.. law. and while he had his own opinion concern
mo lie nropriety or value he should obey IL. lie
aid that he had only appointed private secte's ~.
and four i've other men ior minor S me, an
n,i;ciaI familiar with Custom House AFFAIRS % whV
d . e Tie rcoort IA true and you will IND tnat
fLc Suryeyor has not been frank win You. nc .cls
the truth when he says that he has not maue any
such appointments for the reason t'"s ~ ~
;nsnectors and officers are all appointed Dy tno
Collector; but in nearly al cases oh '"0 '0''"
mendation of the surveyor o-u- uoaaor and
The REM rter then called on Collector heuuen an
i,,ouired il such appointments had peeh h"ut' t
y fhat IL something don't knoweanythingiaoou'
I,uf am. told that you and not tue onrveyor,
,,arc these appointments.n The Collector siniien
nleasantIy. Int appeared disinclincd to make any
further statement. 81, -, ..,,;ro
q Can You tell me whether or not snch nomlna-
tious have been sent to Secretary Manning ''r 'o"-
Nv nriva,e secretary is away sick" replied the
ro,lector. q lie will probably I've back tomorrow,
when can tell YOU all about IT," m,
Further search for information was eluaily
unavaug. report that tue aPpo'h1iiao pon1i,cian % os
p,ymastcr OF laborers, without an examination, IN
,isrerard of law, was denied, as his appointncht
was said TO como under the rule which excepts from
examination sdisbursing officers having the cus'ody
of M oney, who give bonds. A..
canals was recently appointed sugar examiner III
the Appraisers Ofce at salary OF III 500 IN place
of an old experienced officer who was removed;
The revised statute provides that no person snaii
lie appointed such examiner who Is not at the time
of his. appoint,,ent practically and Thoroughly
ACQUAINTED with the character. quality and value OF
the article in the examination AMI appra'semeht oi
which ne il 10 he emplayed.' When inquiry was
made of the Examining Board the reply was
received Yesterday that Mr.. Foskett passed an
examination and was appointed as result OF ~.
The Examining Board is TO hold n session on
THURSDAY. There are about 24O names on the
eligible list for appointments IN the various
branches of the Custom House.