New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-19
A SCHOOL BOARD SENSATION.
CHARGES AGAINST Mr.. DEBEvoIsE.
THE TX sUPERNTENDENT DECLARES IhHi "i''
UNoUAIITEDLY FALSE START


! Az was expected the Board OF Education heiu ONO
OF the most important and sensational sessions III 10
history Yesterday afternoon Large numbers oil teach
ors trustees and citizens gathered in the ha TO bste
to the presentation OF the report oil TIE cofnhhe00 ~
buildings respecting the alleged devatioms from Sp0
Hcations in the contracts for the erecuoh OK '"o'
school houses during the superintendency OF ueofRe ""
Debevoise who resigned from his Office last june aud
70 the exsuperintendent's reply TO the report ihes
n.ctod startling and surprising statements. and they
ware not disappointed. For more than month ana
q half the members OF the committee have diligently
prosecuted the investigation which ended IN their re-
port yesterday. The sessions have been score.' "N
only parts OF the testimony have become, befe'oioe'
public property. The testimony before the comm''ee
fills hundreds of pages and includes the statements OF
Mr. Debevoise the various inspectors In MS once.
and the countless contractors WHO have bfcn IN ""e
way or another in the service Of the Board
According to the voumnous report the attention OF
the committee was first called to the subject under
consideration on September 81 by enc OF the russcs
of the Twenty third Ward G. Is. j. Shyoer' u'o
present Superintendent Of Public School Buildng' was
sent TO examine Grammar School No. 81. In One
hundred and-thirty eighth-st. near WilhsaVe' TIC
found that galvanized iron pipes had been substituted
for A. A. lead pipes. called for in the speciica
tioDs that the water supply was detective that ther
were only ten instead Of eleven, water closets that
the slate in the pupils closets rested upon wool IN
stead of upon iron, and that various other stipuarohS
had been disregarded further Investigation proved
that with minor exceptions. the same thing; existed
in Grammar schools Nos SO. 81. so. 4s. 90. 80 and
o. and Primary School No. 40. Eugene ). o'DeI
sanitary inspector in the superintendent office. when
called before the committee declared he had passed
the specifications by order OF the superintendent lie
was suspended from Office at once. ard was Subse
Quenty dismissed.
The Clerk Of the Board who was asked
to make supplementary investigation reported
on October 30 that allowance OF Sl2oo
had been made for the substitution OF stone In
Grammar School No. 80, but that about $4,000 had
been added so far he could learn to the estiatcu
costs OF the other schools
Mr. Dcbevoise was then called before the committee
and denied emphaticaIly that he had had any bnowl
edge OF the alleged substitutons IN the various bnd
ngs but according to the committees report, haa
depended almost entirely upon the examinations OF Ms
inspectors. He denied, also that he had Instructed
ODelI TO pass any specifications He declared that
his confidence in O'Dell had been very strong
He admitted however, that lie had not called the at
tcnt0n of the committee to his lack OF confidence In
his inspector, and had recommended that his saary
be increased last june the month In which Mr.
Debevose resigned.
fer Mr.. Debevolse had been before the committee
the Investigations continued and other discoveries
we're made 1t was found, according to the report,
that iron screens required by the specifications were
not furnished for twenty four windows in Grammar
school No. So, eighteen windows in Grammar schooi
No 80, and 1875 windows In Grammar school NO. 30
and that various changes had been made In the stone
work Of Grammar School No SO.
at Is on record added the report, " that an in
spector named Kelly, reported that the contractors
were not doing their duty this building, and that
thereafter he became involved In personal alteration
with the foreman OF the contractor lie suspended
from duty on the recommendation Of the superintendent
of Buildings Another inspector was appointed, arter
which no trouble occurred so far as the commit
tee has learned. From the contractors called oefore
the committee It was learned that they sublet the
different branches Of the work and have no knowedge
at all rs to whether ii properly executed or not their
only interest being to secure the certificates OF IN
srectors Of the Board that the work mas
progressed far enough for payment, or IS compete
The testimony OF the various inspectors in the
Building Department involved in the report OF the
committee, was equally surprising Charles BuscalL
one OF them that he had been instructed not
TO interfere with the work Of Odel, who was 10 IN
spect the sanitary work on the buildings "oi
course" he added "we all knew that galvanized pipe
was going in, and tho superintendent was tnere
once or twice a week, he knew the work that WIS
going on, He explained the fact that he had made no
report to Mr.. Debevoise regarding the deyiations
from the specifications By the assertion that he he'd
been instructed to take notice OF the heating and
plumbing, He had received those instructions about
six months after Mr.. Debevoises appointment In
1885, They had been conveyed TO him by note. I'M
signed, which had been laid upon his desk
81 took the paper" added Busta, according TO the
committee, "and asked him what 1t meant Well, sou
see what ii says he replied
Charles Brown, another inspector. was also sup
posed to that the Boards specifications were com
piled with by the contractors lie had been told, Also
according to his statements to the committee to pay
no attention to the gas fitting and sanitary work. ard
had been ordered 10 leave them alone under penalty
of being punished"
al began TO look over the sanitary specifications
continued Brown in substance, "when O'Dcll came 10
me and threatened inc with personal violence If
continued TO interfere with him. lie told me that II
did continue, he would kick ont of tn Office. as he
had full charge of the Department. | reported that
to Mr. Debevoise, who told me that need not NEEDLE
with the sanitary part Of the work. From that time
| did not"
william VI. McManus, an assistant TO the Supcrin-
tendent OF Buildings and an engineer, according TO
the report OF the Committee was OF the opinion that
the superintendent inspected the various school build
ngs before giving his certificate regarding them. He
did not believe that he depended entirely upon the
examinations OF the inspectors Mr.. De5evo!se,' he
added in the report rigid in all branches" lie
did not think that it was possible to overlook tho
Of schoo! buildings.
After reciting the testimony OF various other officers
the committees report continued as follows:
1.-THE members OF the committee have given much
time to consideration of this imports subject and
it seems apparent to them that such devatIons from
specifications pipes extending only one foot above
the roof instead OF three feet more, provided by
law: the substitution OF cheap iron pipe instead OF
specified A. A. lead pipe in large school build
ings requiring several years in construction the entire
omission OF large stoves and boilers in three school
buildings: the entire omission Of street washers, al
though specified in every case, and the failure TO pro
tect 1853 windows in three school buildings with iron
screens should have easily been discovered by ex-
pert, even If every inspector In the department
had falsely certified regarding the same. trustees
had failed to call attention to them.
Is The nplnion OF the commlitee that cQmpatrnt