Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-04
PERPLEXING POOR PAUL
He Does Not Show Up to Much Advan.
tage on Cross-Examination.

GoK0 ON OTO0S-6xAm100C1On,
PROGRESS OF TIE c1v1r. SERVICE Rrroax IN.
vEsTIaArIoN roDAY-PRoBiNe THE METHODS ON
sHIDY.
The usual crowd of committeeman, news
paper men, civil service commissioners and
Mr.. Frank Hatton gathered in the lower
depth OF the Capitol this morning in anticipa-
| ton Of the continuing of the civil service in.
vestigation. The ball opened promptly at 10
o'clock.
Mr.. Webster Of the commission first made a
| statement in regard to the method Of certifica-
| ton under the civil service system. He ex-
planned the three classes in the Post Office de-
partment "a clerks, carriers and messengers,
and the method Of selecting the appointee from
the names certified to.
cRoss-ExAMINrNo Ex-PosrMAsrER PAUL.
Mr.. Paul, the Milwaukee ex-postmaster, was
questioned by Maj. Webster at considerable
length. He asked along question as to various
appointments made by Mr.. Paul from the GER
tihcation list showing irregularities in this
line. number OF appointments were
referred to specifically, as the appointment Of
one I. +. kaeveny, who was appointed stamper
| In February, 1888, when he had taken the ex-
animation for carrier, the next highest posi-
ton, and had been the lowest the eligible list,
when another candidate, standing higher
| than Kaeveny, had signifed his willingness to
take lower grade than the one for which he
then dated back. Six other cases Of such ap-
pontments by Mr.. Paul were cited by Major
webster and he asked that the witness explain
the matter, in view Of his
THROWING ALL THE BLAME ON sH1DY
the day before. Mr.. Paul in reply stated
broadly that no appointments had been made
by him without due legality. He did not pro-
pose to be held responsible for Mr..
Shidy's false certifcation of January
70, lssa Mr. Paul was asked,
man was appointed stamper December 8, 1887,
was promoted to carriers position on Febru-
airy l, 1885, and was not certified to until
February IL, 1888. Mr.. Paul replied that it
was through false certification, negligence and
Maj. Webster wanted to know il Mr.. Paul did
not sign the certifcation book. Mr.. Pauls
answer was evasive, and Major Webster asked
sharply, ''Do you wish it to be understood that
after all the professions you have made as to
your proficiency as business man you allowed
yourself to be
HOODWINKED By A SUBORDINATE"
The question was objected to by Mr.. Hatton,
and considerable discussion arose as to the
MIR. Pauls case was concerned.
Maj. Webster said he wished to show that
the witness had appointed men to positions
when they had taken the examination for
higher positions and had been placed on the
list SO low down as to preclude their appoint
ment thus placing these men irregularly ahead
OF men who had been placed high on the eligi-
BILE list for the lower position.
Inc witness was examined at some length by
MIR. Lind, and asked II he did not consider it
irregular to sign q certifcation on the 18th
day Of February, 1883, of a man who
1esn P0 .es fsawns pay ssa
He replied that he had no control Of the
certiication book. He had never compared
dates OF certification. Major Webster brought
out the fact that by the rules of the commission
it was the duty Of the postmaster when he made
an appointment to designate on the certifica-
ton book the appoin.ee and then sign
the book; in this the man was ap-
pointed in December, 1887, and the book not
signed until February, 1888, which
MADE THE APPOINTMENT UTTERLY UNLAWFUL,
This was equally the case in the other in
stances cited in the same group. Mr.. Paul
locked horns with Maj Webster as to the
rules, but Maj. Webster stated positively that
while the secretary of the, COM
the papers and books the certi6catlon book
was not withheld from the postmaster, who was
expected to sign it when he made an appoint
ment.
Mr.. Paul stated that he considered the GER
tlhcatlon book as private record, and that
Shidy had always gone on the principle that
his slips OF paper were what needed examna-
ton. There were other post offices, he said,
where the same principle was being carried
out up to the present time.
Maj Webster remarked that he had been in a
good many post Offices and had seen a like
system In vogue. Witness said that the trans
Ter or keaveny was made
AT THE SUGGESTION OF sHIpY.
Witness said that when men of higher grade
came to him and signified willingness to take
lower grade place he sent them to the secre-
tary OF the examining board to be put on the
lower grade register.
Maj. Webster asked il witness. had not
stated to him that when a man signfied a will
ingness to take lower grade place he, the
postmaster, told Shidy to certify this man for
the frst succeeding vacancy.
Witness said he might have said this, it WAS
fact, but that he referred to the general prin-
ciple and not as to individuals
Maj. Webster then read from the statement
made to him by Mr.. Paul and signed by him,
in which he stated that when man of higher
grade was willing to accept lower grade place
he asked Shidy to certify him at the next call
IT WAS FURTHER DEVELOPED
that by this means four carriers and one clerk
had been appointed to be stampers and the
men on the stampers list had thus been set
aside.
Major Webster asked il it was not true that
men low down on the clerks or carriers
list, having no chance OF appointment.
had been put on the lower list and
always selected for appointment. Witness
acknowledged that the appointments had been
SO made, and then explained that men trans
ferred from low standing on a higher grade
took necessarily a high stand on the lower
grade.
Witness was asked how he explained the
transaction by which Keaveny was taken from
a place on the carriers list, appointed as
stamper in December and then on February
promoted to be carrier, thereby getting the
appointment as carrier over the heads of
others on the eligible list of much higher
percentage and entitled to the appointment
THE WITNESS EMBARRASSED.
Witness hesitated and fumbled with this
question for some time. First he said that
Keaveny was an efficient man. Then he hesi-
tated, members of the committee asking him
to answer the question directly. He then
said that Mr.. Keaveny weighed $50 pounds
This caused a laugh and the witness
said he was trying to show his motive for max
ing the appointment. He then said that
keaveny worked as stamper from December 8
until February /; that Mr.. Keaveny wanted to
be promoted to carrier. Witness said he was
in doubt whether the law would permit this
promotion. He asked the opinion OF the board
of local examiners and Mr.. Shidy reported to
him that he could make the promotion. 1t
was developed that though appointed stamper