Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-25
THE LETTERS GIVEN OUT.
The Controversy Over Mr.. Lyman's
Ruling in the JentEsch Case.


The Controversy Over Mr.. Lyman's
Ruling in the Jentxsch Case.
The civil service commission has given
out for publication the correspondence re-
lating to the case Of Chas. w. L. Jentzsch
concerning whose removal Commissioner
Lyman had made decision alleged not to
nave been authorized by the commission
and one declaration in which has since been
repudiated by the commission.
The reflections upon Mr.. Lyman in the
published story are that he was guilty OF
double dealing. in that he made one decis-
lon In this case and one Numerically oppo-
site in similar case in the Columbus, Ga.
post Office. and that the decision itself was
unauthorized by the commission, though II
was given as Of the commission. That the
case may be understood for just what there
Is In 1t the commission have given out the
correspondence in full.
Chas. w. L. Jentzsch. receiving notice of
removal from the post Office at Little Rock,
Ark, wrote letter to Representative Ter
~. calling attention to the fact that the Of
fice had been placed under the classified
service by order of President Harrison JAN
uady 5. 1893. and asking If he should not
be by this protected from removal This
letter was referred to the civil service COM
mission. Mr.. Lyman replied in the follow
ing letter:
March 9, 1898.
"Sir: This commission has the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of a letter from
Mr.. Charles w. l.. Jentzsch, 1919 Broad
way Little Rock. Ark, relative to his ex-
pected removal from the post Office in that
city. In reply the commission would in
form you that the Little Rock office has not
yet been classified. in that eligible registers
have not been established as yet. and until
II Is classified 1t is not subject to the juris-
diction of the commission. Eligible regis
tiers will be prepared for that office as soon
as the Inadequate force Of the commission
can accomplish 1t.
Further, Mr.. Jentzsch admits that there
was an assigned cause for his removal
This being the case, the commission could.
OF course take no action in the matter. 1t
mas no power whatever to investigate a
case Of removal unless 1t be charged, with
offer of proof, that the removal was made
for political reasons.
Mr.. Jentzsch's letter has been referred
to the Postmaster General for such action
as ne may deem PTSPer: VERY respe e;S
Hon. w: L. TERRY. House of Representa-
tives, Washington. d. c."
The Ruling Reversed.
Some days later there came I'D in the
commission a case similar to this, relating
to the request for the designations of all
the employees Of the post office at that
place. because Of the change of admins
tratioh." This case was considered by the
commission, and the decision reached was
that the civil service rules went into eff
rect as soon as promulgated by the Presi-
dent, which was just the reverse from the
decision by Mr.. Lyman. The commission
then learned of the Lyman decision, and
pronounced 1t unauthorized and reversed
IT, as shown In the following letter to the
POSTMASTER General:
The Honorable the Postmaster General:
Sir: The commission has the honor to
request that you will kindly return to it
inclosed in its letter of March to YOU
The commission takes this action because
the following facts have been brought to
its attention:
w. l.. Terry. member Of Congress from Ar
kansas. complaining of his removal from
the Little Rock post office. This letter was
forwarded by Mr.: Terry to the commission
IN letter OF reply Mr.. Terry was informed
that inasmuch as Mr.. Jentzsch was dis
missed for an assigned cause, and as there
was no offer of proof that his removal was
made for political reasons. the commission
could take no action in his case; but in sur
plusage he was also informed that mas
much as registers of eligibles had not been
established at the Little Rock post office
1t was not yet classified. and therefore not
SUBJECT to the Jurisdiction of the commits
sion. This last statement was put into this
letter without authority from the commits
sion. At the time this letter was written
the commission had not considered the
question as to when the classification of the
free delivery offices took effect Ten days
or SO after the decision in the case of Mr..
Jentzsch the case of the removal of letter
carriers at the Columbus (Ga) post Office
came up. and after much hesitation and
discussion the commission finally took the
action In that case with which you are al
ready familiar. the view of the majority of
the commission being that the Offices were
classified at the time of the promulgation
OF the Presidents order, this being the d.
rect reverse of the statement contained in
the letter to Mr.. Terry signed by the presf-
Dent or the commission. The commission
therefore respectfully requests that Won
Will send 1t back the papers In the case of
Mr. Jentzsch for further investigation nv
the commission. and IL also feels bound To
let you know Of its letter to Mr.. Terry. in
view of the position which Ii subsequently
took on the same point in connection with
the Columbus post Office. Very respectfully.
'CHAS. LYMAN, President"
The material difference between the Geor-
gla and the Arkansas cases was that in the
latter case cause for the removal, other
tnan political was given, and the commits
sion necessarily had no Jurisdiction while
IN the other case political reasons for the
removal were assigned. The statement In
Mr. Lyman's letter that ''inasmuch as reg
listers Of eligfbles had not been esta blisbed
at the post office the office was not Vet in
the classified service had applica tion
equally to both cases and would bar the
commission from jurisdiction in the Geor-
gia case where, otherwise. they had it,