The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-07-24
ROUGH POSTMASTER


Tho Civil Service Commission Makes An
other Report ON Their Findings In Con-
nection with That Onice-What the Evil
dence shows.
A Washington dispatch says: The civil
service commission made public its second
report in the Milwaukee postotfice case.
The commissioners say that Postmaster
Paul was given every opportunity To ex-
plain the charges against him, and that
his declaration that he was condemned
without hearing and without being in
formed of the charges against him is a
gross misstatement. The report then
rscites the examinations made by Secre-
tary Doyle and Chief Examiner Webster,
whose reports showed such gross violations
of the law that the three commissioners
deemed the accusations Of such Importance
as TO warrant an investigation by the full
board. The report continues:
Except in two important cases we did
not try to got at any new facts; we simply
examined Mr. Paul TO see whether he
could disprove the statements or give any
satisfactory explanation of the charges
made in the two preliminary reports. He
entirely failed TO do SO. That there has
been crooked work in the office is admitted
by all. The only question is where the re-
sposhility lies. We examined the secre-
tary of the local examining board, Hamil-
ton Shidy, and the chairman, b. john
son. Shidy is admitted by all TO have done
the work of the board, the other members
doing little save assisting in marking the
papers and attending occasional formal
meetings. Shidy testifes that he was
compelled by the postmaster 20 give the
latter free access To the list OF eligibles,
although such access was at that time
strictly forbidden; and be further testifes
that the postmaster, knowing those who
were eligible, as well as their standing,
appointed whomsoever he chose, and then
forced him CShidy to torture the lists and
certifcation books so as TO produce certi
fcation which should bear the appointees'
names
The report further cites the evidence of
Shidy and johnson to show that they were
forced against their own judgment TO re-
mark the papers of an applicant, and also
the statement of Mr. Paul that he had not
forced them TO alter the mark. but that
they had been altered because he expressed
great dissatisfaction at the marking.
Shidy, in the presence of both Mr.. John
son and MIR. Paul, as we'll as of the three
commissioners, stated that the reason for
their changing the grade of the unfort-
innate applicant was to get him out of the
way of another man whom the postmaster
desired to appoint.
Continuing the report says
''In short, the official records show be-
yond possibility OF dispute that the lists OF
eligibles were twisted and garbled in al
most every conceivable manner in order TO
produce swindling Qualifications whereby
certain men could be rejected, although
entitled to appointment, and other men
appointed, although having no rightful
claim to the chance. For Mr.. Paul to
plead innocence is equivalent to his plead
ing imbecility, for no sane man could have
made appointments from n succession of
such Qualifications without perceiving their
character and it is quite incredible that
he could by mere chance have picked out
from each certification the very individual
to favor whose choice it was designed. Mr..
Paul alone benefited by the crookedness Of
these certifications, for he alone had the
appointing power; there could be no posi-
bic object in Shidy's conduct unless it was
fear of thwarting the wishes OF his supe-
rior officer. "