Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-23
MR.. CRANES COMPLAINT.
He Charges DR.. Aammett with Acting N
Bod Faith.

Bad Faith.
KH sAYS N WAS PROMISED THR POSITION on
HEALrH oyYIcrn ron SIX MONTHS AID VOW
HIS CLAIM 10 IoxoRrp-pn. HAMnErr sArs
THAT TEE PROMISE WAS A CONDITIONAL ONE,
A story IVES circulated yesterday afternoon
that . new complication had arisen affecting
the health Office because DR.. Hammett as IL
was alleged, had promised the place Of chief
clerk and deputy health officer to several per-
sons. Messrs. John H. Crane and 8. P. Bayly,
DR.. Hughes and DR.. Gladmon were the persons
to whom, the story said, the Office had been
promised.
Inquiries by srAn reporters. however. showed
that neither Or. Gladmon nor Dr. Hughes made
any such claim and Mr.. Crane and Mr.. Bayly
only were left in the field. Mr.. Crane. who
feels himself aggrieved, today brought the mat
ter to public attention by addressing letter to
Col. Robert, Engineer Commissioner, in which
ne asked 70 withdraw all that he had said in
favor OF Or. Hammett in former letter in
dorsing Dr. Hammett for health officer.
Mr.. CRANES COMPLAINT.
"1have never" Mr.. Cranes letter says, ''been
an applicant for any position under the health
department, but DIR. Hammett urged me to
temporarily, saying he had promised the place
to Mr.. Bayly. who had been stricken with
partial blindness, and who. he was sure, would
not be able to attend to the duties OF the Office
for six months least If ever. After much urging
iconsentedt to take the place. the understanding
being that should hold it for about six months.
/ said to DR.. Hammett: If you desire me to
take this place l wish it distinctly understood,
so that can use the time intervening in post
ing myself in regard TO the duties Of the Office,
but unless l have your positive assurance that
am to 50 into the Office with you on the LIST Of
August do not wish to devote any more time to
the matter. He replied in the presence of a wit
ness: Mr.. Crane, you may consider yourself
appointed and want you to know that re-
gard your acceptance Of this position as q
great personal favor to me-"
Mr.: Crane proceeding. says: SIN this connec-
ton wish to state that according to reports
published at the time DR.. Hammett promised
Commissioner Douglass that he would appoint
pronounced republican rs his chief clerk.
and at Mr.. Douglass suggestion he agreed to
offer the place to DR.. Hughes, which
he never did. I would also say
Hughes was visiting DR.. Hammett he was
led to infer by DR.. Hammetfs manner that he
lhammett) was not trying for the position Of
health officer, but was using his influence for
DE-. Hughes" Mr.. Crane complains of what he
calls double dealing on DIR. Hammett's
part.
He criticises DR.. Hammett for having had
present at a conference to which Mr. Crane
was invited Monday night one of the clerks of
the health Office who for years had been a silent
witness of oil the doings of that office. DR..
Hammett, he said, had a secret conference with
this clerk the result Of which, Mr.. Crane says
be believes. was that this clerk was to be re-
tanned to assist Mr.. Bayly, while he Mr.. Crane),
who had been invited SO cordially to accept the
position Of confidential chief clerk. was ignored.
DRAWING PARALLEL
Mr.. Crane asserts that his treatment ct DR..
Hammett's hands has been the same as that
which DIR. Hammett complained Of on the part
OF the Commissioners when after unanimously
electing him health officer they proceeded to
elect DR.. Reyburn.
Zone week ago." he says, "Dr. Hammett
urged me to take the position OF deputy health
officer for six months or longer, if MIR. Bayly
did not recover in that time, and when finally
accepted he said he would send me my appoint
ment in few days, and that be wished
me to go into the Office with him
on the LIST day of August. was told several
days ago that he had made other arrangements,
but up to last night had no intinlation from
him that he does not want me to take the posi-
ton he 30 persistently rendered me one week
ago."
Mr.. Crane, after somewhat freely criticising
DR.. Hammett, asks to have this letter put on
file side by side with his letter Of the 18th in
slant, leaving it for Col. Robert to act after
knowing all the facts as his judgment may die
tate.
DIR. HAAIErTs STATEMENT.
DR.. Hsmmett when asked today about Mr.
Cranes complaint denied that he had acted in
bad faith toward Mr.. Crane in any way. and
said that there was a misunderstanding on Mr..
Cranes part which he greatly regretted.
The circumstances of the case as DIR. Ham,
NETT related them were as follows The Office,
he said, had originally been promised to Mr.. s.
p. Bayly. jr, whom he considered q thoroughly
competent man. Mr.. Bayly was a short time
ago stricken i'll while at DR.. Hammett's house
and remained there under treatment. His ILL
ness was of SO serious a character that DIR. Ham,
NETT feared he would not be able to undertake
the duties of his new office for several months,
if at all.
This, DR.. Hammett said, embarrassed him.
and when it was proposed by friends Of Mr..
Crane that the latter would take the office
aud help him get the new admins
tration of the Office under way he gratefully
accepted the offer and subsequently
had interviews with Mr.. Crane,
to him. He said his understanding was that
Mr.. Crane would discharge the duties Of the
Office only until Mr.. Bayly recovered sufi-
ciently to enter upon them.
The only promises he had made, he said were
cOnoltloneu on Mr. Bayly continued slcknesS
He had introduced Mr.. Crane to Mr.. Bayly and
asked them to talk the matter over. Now
he said, Mr.. Bayley was well and
able to enter the Office himself He
believed Mr.. Crane perfectly understood that
Mr.. Bayly would take the office if able, as he
had NOT supposed Mr.. Crane desired the Office
he was greatly surprised at the attitude that
gentleman had taken.
DIR. HUGHES AND Dr. aLApMoN.
DR.. Hsmmett has in his possession letter
written yesterday by DR.. Hughes saying:
81 hereby state that DIR. Hammets never
offered mo the position Of chief clerk or even
mentioned the matter to me, and 1 also state
that Mr.. John H. Crane told me that he was
only going in temporarily or until Mr.. Bayly
was well enough to take charge of the place"
DR.. Hammett said in reference to DIR. Glad
mon that he had not made any specific offer to
him, but had expressed himself as grateful to
him. He had, he said, perfect understanding
with DR.. Gladmon, whom he was assisting to
secure position not under the health officer.
DR.. Gladmon today declined to be interviewed.
he said he had not been treated in anything
but kindly manner by DR.. Hammett and he,
therefore, was not in the fight.