Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-05

The civil service commissioners, as stated in
The STAR, have concluded their investigation
OF alleged Irregularities regarding examina-
tions and appointments in the New York GUS
tom house. To-day they spread upon the
minutes of the board report of the conclusions
of the board as follows:
The civil-service commission, having con-
cluded in part their investigation into the re-
cent management of the New York custom
house, so far as the behavior of the local exam
lining board and the question of the proper OBJ
servance of the civil-service law as regards en-
trance examinations are concerned. find as fol-
lows:
The recent management Of the examinations
for admission has been characterized by great
laXlty and negligence and on the part of some OF
the custom-housc employees by positive fraud.
The clerk of the board himself testities that
certain OF the examinations were farcical
in character, and it has been clearly
shown that at least in one case
an applicant for admission had his papers
written for him by another person; that appli-
cants have sometimes found out the questions
in advance owing to the loose way of conduct
ing the examinations, and have sometimes
been given the examination papers before
hand by custom-house employees for personal,
political or pecuniary considerations.
Accusations have been made to the commits
sion showing that the practice of keeping the
markings and the list of eligibles secret has
given rise in the minds of applicants to the sus-
plclon, whether well or ill-tounded cannot now
be said, that those who were without politi-
cal backing did not receive justice. AS an in
stance, one Michael Hart passed an examina-
ton for opener and packer, standing
at the very head of the list. with mark of 80
per cent, as the books show, yet not only was
he never Informed that he had passed, but
even his constant inquiry at the office, as he
asserts, failed to procure him the information.
This instance is but one of many that satisfy
the commission Of the wisdom of making the
list of eigibles public, for, though doing so is
attended by certain disadvantages, 1t neverthe-
less operates as a guarantee Of good faith on
the part Of examing boards and power ful
preventive of fraud.
Testimony has also been adduced to show
that certain members of the examining board
have openly sneered at and ridiculed the law
they were supposed to enforce and have per-
mltted the examning-room to be made head
quarters and gathering place for politicians.
This commission intends hereafter, wherever
practicable to insist that the examining board
shall be composed of men who have not taken
active part in political contests, i'll order that
the examination shall be free from all suspicion
of partisanship or bad faith
All evasion of the civil-service law, all mis-
conduct on the part of those entrusted with
the duty of carrying its provisions in to effect;
above all, any approach to bad faith in
its administration warrant peculiarly severe
condemnation. For its laxity and negii-
gence in the matters herein specified the board
of examiners in the New York custom house is
hereby censured. We hereby recommend to
the collector of the port that Charles +. Ter
hume and Saul Hollander, custom house en-
ployes, be dropped from the service, the testi-
mony as to their conduct being conclusive.
1t is our opinion that the testimony taken in
connection with the surrounding corroborative
circumstances would also justify the removal
of Frederick Davis. We also herewith file
certain affidavts and evidence taken before us
concerning the case of Chas. +. Terhune. We be-
lieve that he should be indicted and prosecuted
under section 5 of the civil service law, as the
afiidavits of two witnesses and his own confess
sion before this commission in our own opinion
clearly prove him to have been guilty of vio-
lating said law. This matter will be brought
to the attention of the district attorney for the
southern district of New York.
CHAs. LYMAN,
THEo. ROOSEVELT.
agree to all of the foregoing, except as to
the recommendation for the dismissal of Fred
erick Davis, the testimony as to his connection
with the fraudulent procuring of copies of ex-
animation papers not being i'll my opinion con-
elusive. HUGH S. THOMPSON.
The commission will probably send copies of
the report to the district attorney in New York
and the proper authorities, besides making
report of the matter to the President.