The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
HATTON AND HEWITT.
THEIR CHARGES AGAINST THE CIVIL
SERVICE COMMISSION.

Roosevelt aud Thompson Implich-
ted-NU Conclusions Arrived AZ.
The announcement that ex. C0mmis.
sioner of the Civil Service J. III Oberly
would appear rs witness before tue
House committee to day in the investi-
cation as to the irregularities existing
in the service with bomb shell OF
startling testimony had the effect Of
drawing a crowd of curiosity seekers
TO the committee room on the grounl
floor of the Capitol building.
Chairman Lchlbach of New Jersey
appeared surprised that such rumor,
had gained currency, as no arrange.
ments had been made, or even sug-
gested, to examine witnesses to- day,
and said that no examination would
take place in consequence.
After reading the minutes of the last
meeting the clerk was instructed to
read the specific charges as preferred
by Mr.. Hewitt, the prosecuting at
torney.
The specific charges as arranged by
Mr.. Hewitt are:
First. That on the - Of April, 1880, with
out authority by law, Charles Lyman. one
Of the Civil Service Commission, when act
ing as sole Commissioner, promoted Alex
aDder G.. Campbell, n brother-iu-law of his,
to 81 ECO clerkship in the Civil Service
Commission.
Second. That the said Alexander G.
Campbell, about the month of January,
lSSS, secretly distracted from the files of
the Secretary's division n list of the
questions that had been used In the exam
iDation of applicants for positions in the
departmental service and gave them to d
copyist in the Pension Office preparing for
promotion to the position of clerk, who
turned them over to one Flynn of the Ivy
Institute of this city.
Third. That the promotion of the said
Alexander G. Campbell was made by the
said Charles Lyman with the full knowl-
edge that he had distracted these questions
from the files Of the sccretary's division.
Fourth. That on the appointment of
Theodore Roosevelt and Hugh s. Thomp-
son as Commissioners, the attention of these
Commissioners was called to the fact OF
Campbells abstraction of examination
questions, but that the Commissioners re-
fused to investigate the matter any further
than to examine the party charged with
the offense and the secretary of the Com.
mission, who stated that he (Campbell) had
been investigated and censured for the of
fense.
Fifth. That Alexander G. Campbell is
still illegally retained as clerk in the
Civil Service Commission.
1t is further charged
That Edwin d. Bailey in violation of the
Civil Service law, which inhibits the pro-
motion of persons in the classified service
until examination, was promoted by the
Commission without examination to test
his fitness, as required by law, from a
clerkship to position of stenograpber, an
Inn N In 10 mi sin Nuln
it was VIGOROUSLY known that the said
Bailey was not competent to fill the said
position OF stenographer.
1t is further charged
Second. That this promotion was made
when there were several other clerks in the
commission who were expert stenogra-
pliers, and under the principle governing
promotions undoubtedly entitled to the
position.
That, with the knowledge of its mem
bers, on the 10Th of September, 1899,
Thomas Mitchell of Connecticut was APP
pointed to position in the Pension Office
bs copyist; that Mitchell, on Sep
tembcr so, 1887, was dismissed from
the service for cause; that Mitchell
failed in his examination held prior to his
last appointment, and that this failure be-
coming known to the parties desiring his
restoration to the service, his papers were
TG-markcu, anu De was raised from uUe III
eligible to the eligible list.
1t is still further charged.
That Theodore Roosevelt, member OF
The Commission, secured the appointment
of Hamilton Shidy to place in the Census
Bureau, when it was known to Commits
sioner Roosevelt that Shidy, an officer of the
| Civil Service Commission as secretary of
| the Board of Local Examiners of the post
office at Milwaukee, had persistently and
| repeatedly violated his oath of Office by
| making false certifications and in not re-
| porting violations of the Civil Service law,
| by the postmaster at Milwaukee to the
| Commissioners at Washington.
That the action on Commissioner Roose-
| velt's part was made with the full knowl-
| edge and consent of the other members of
| Commission.
1t is further charged:
That the Civil Service Commission, since
| its organization to the present time, has,
| by the manipulation of the rules and regu.
lations, brought about results In violation
| of the spirit and letter of the law.
Second. That by collusion with Depart
| mental officers appointments have been
made in violation of the "merit system" as
| provided by the law, and that favoritcs
have secured places, with little reference to
their qualifications.
| 1naJ persons, relatives OF the Of1lcerS oil
the commission, have been attached to the
commission, gaining knowledge of the
secrets OF the commission, handling the
records OF the Government-a privilege de-
MED Senators and Representatives-with-
out compensation and in direct violation of
| law.
That offenses which resulted in the dis
missal Of officers of one political party were
condoned when committed by officers of
the other political party.
Mr.. Hewitt was asked by the chair
man how he desired to proceed with
the prosecution. and said he desired to
take up the charges in order. He said
he would prepare list of names of
witnesses necessary to be on hand dur
ing the investigation; that it was a
sheer waste of time 10 call on so
many unnecessary witnesses, and
that three.quarters of an hour day
instead of three hours should be all the
time required to examine these wit.
nesses. The committee decided to con
duct the examination themselves and
thought by that means to facilitate
matters.
There was an indisposition on the
part of the committee to conduct the in.
vestigation at night. 1t was decided to
hold the next investigation at 10 O. clock
next Wednesday morning. The com
mittee then went into executive session