St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-05
BLooDTHlCKtGa THAN WATER
Civil Service Commissioner Ly-
mans Brother-in-Law Promoted
for DiShCuaSfy

CIVIl service COiGnllSSIOner Ly"
mans Brother-in-LaW Promoted
for Dishonesty.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4.-Some time ago
the Washington Post charged that the
civil service law was being violated by
the civil service commission. 1t charged
that the commissioners, while requiring
all department clerks to be appointed
after examination and certificatiOn
by the commission, nevertheless
appointed the clerks to the
commission without requiring them to
pass an examination and alleged favor
itism in their appointment. Suisse
uuently it made more serious charge,
viz: That examination papers were
being stolen and sold by clerk in the
commission who had been retained in
office and promoted, Notwithstanding
his guilt had been discovered. To-
morrow the Post will print four
column article in SubstantiatiOn OF
this latter and more serious allega-
ton. 1t will say that lady who went
to a teacher in this city for instruction,
preparatory to taking the examination,
was furnished by the teacher, FOR con-
sideration, with a copy of the questions
subsequently asked. These questions,
it says, were in the handwriting
of Mr.. Campbell one of the
clerks to the commission, and a
brother-in-law of Commissioner Lyman.
The matter was brought by Commits
sioner Oberly to Mr.. Lyman's attention,
and the published account says that the
next morning Commissioner Lyman
told Mr.. 'Oberly that his (Lyman's) wife
was perfectly overcome, that public
EXPOSURE WOULD KILL HER
and Campbell was as penitent as he
could be. The matter was then huShed
I'D, although called to President Cieve-
lands attention, and Campbell was
subsequently, promoted at time when
Mr.. LYMAN was the sole commissioner.
A long interview with former officer
of the commission now holding another
government office, is printed i'll support
of the charges made. The following
corrobOrating letter is also published
for the first time:
Williard's Hotel, Washington, April "a,
1SS9-To the President Referring to my
note to you of April 30, and 10 your request
through Secretary Halford that should send
TO you i'll writing the information referred to.
/ now do so, stating that was put In posses
sion of it only on the evening before my note
was written. The case is this, and 1t shows
that watchfulness is a necessity to ex-
act Justice in all civil service matters
and that where wrong-doing is brought to
light it should not be eondoned by retention
In Office. Mr.. Campbell, clerk in the COM
mission and a brotherin-law to Commits
sioner Lyman, several months ago, when Mr..
gOberly and Mr., Lyman were both members
of the commission, copied set OF examine
ton papers prepared tor an examina-
ton, aud gave them Cola to t e frlef 20,
SIS to Mr.. Flynn, the principal
came into the possession of Miss Blank,
who went to the commission to ascertain il
they were the questions to be used at the ex
animation. Investigation showed that the
papers were in the handwriting of Mr.. Camp.
bell, but the result Of his investigator was
his retention in Office by Commissioners
Oberiy and Lyman, because disclosures would
have an injurious effect upon his sister. Mrs.
Lyman. Mr.. Campbell has since and re-
Gently been promoted by Commissioner Ly-
man, sole commissioner, from S1.OOO TO
81, 200 salary There are matters connected
with the office of chief examiner which
would not bear a close examination, and to
such an extent are they known that the IN
tegrity of examinations is questioned
There is altogether too much left to the dis
cretlon of the commission; u for rough regu-
lations which the commission itself has power
to make, and by simple orders and varying
opinions, almost any desired result can be
secured. do not give you this information
for the purpose of inviting any action upon
il, but that you may be advised that there are
ways of wrong doing it is well for the presi-
dent to understand. A. P. EDGEIToS.