The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-09-14
MR.. DUFF'S STORY.
Says He Was Discharged For Political
Reasons.

Says He Was Discharged For Political
Reasons.
Mr.. Duff lives at No. 474 Central ave-
nue.. only two doors above Congress
street. He is a tall, white-haired gem
tleman and wears an iron gray nous
tache. He is fifty six years old and is
possessed Of more than ordinary intel
ligence. His home though that of u
poor man, is comfortable and neat. A re-
porter tor THE NEWS Gale upon Mr..
Duff last evening. and the following con-
versation between Mr.. Duff and the
reporte took places
How long ave you been ~jsuitor of
No. z Public School, Mr.. Duff" | asked.
Over eighteen years." he answered..
During that period. have anv charges
been brought against you in the discharge
of FOUR duties as janitora"
There has not. On ths contrary. time
aud again special Reports from the Super
intepdent and others of the ~sficient man
ner IN which No. z School has been X spt
were laid before the several Boards Of
Education"
Have you previously experienced
trouble with the directors in charge of
Never, until Director Allen was ap-
pointed"
what WAS the source of your trouble
with Director Allen?"
Politics. pure and simple"
why politics?"
THE CAUSE OF DISMISSAL.
well, this question requires y pretty
lengthy explanation. and / must 40 back
to September, 1892. u tfue when u cru
sade WAS made against several Demo-
cratic 1anitors, two being discharged. l
was visited by Director Allen aud was
informed that IL 1t were not for him /
1 vyor711 hnvn H1ap dfnak, ns.~d ot.o L.k ~a~s
II | wished to hold my position
l should follow q certain course mapped
| out as follows:-1st. That | should not
exercise any activity in politics. ID. That
| should sever my connection vita the
Democratic County Committee and
tender my resignation as a member OF
that body; but that the manner In which
l exercised my franchise woul not mill
tate against me with him. Having heard
This lecture from the Director, Uniformed
him that l would take the matter iuto
consideration aud give him an answer
later. Each day Cor five days following
Director Allen asksd II | yet had seut in
my resignation as CouuLy Com mittse-
man. Finally we discussed thu matter,
and he falling to show in a single instance
how my being a County Comnitteem n
interfersd in any way with my duties as
~ianitor, / then made answer aud sald that
l would not forfeit my rights as u citizen
Auu buOutu tnGl OCGilu0 W dCCGUt
his proposition. Thereupou Dire ctor
Allen got into a rage aud toll me LuaI
from that time l need not look upon him
as a friend.
YER CAREFUL.
81 was very careful not to give this
Director any opportunity to vent his
spleen IDOL me until I was calls I'D as
petit juror. | did every thing I knew to
get relieved from jury duty but failed.
However. l was careful that the school
would not suffer 10 any way during my
obsence. ] plac ,d my son, who is twenty
five years Of age IN chsrge, he having an
experience of being my assistant for
twelve years, and he also had the aid of
a boy eighteen years OF age to assist, and
all bsing under my special supervision up
to ten o'clock every morning, and again
after Tour O'Clock, showing that in no
particular could neglect of my charge be
brought against ME, But this watcnful
Director saw an opportunity of carrying
out this threat made by uInuendo, An d
preferred charges of neglect of duty
against me l was cited to appe tr betor 9
the Committee on Janitors. aud even
then when the Committee questioned
Director Allsn regarding wnera the
neglect OF duty was noticeable, hs was
compelled to answer that there was no
neglect, more than that the Janitor
was not present during the hours which
he was acting as Jaror-a physical im>
possibility"
ut Is claimed that you were impertinent
to Director Allen. IL this statement truce"
"Emphatically, no. l always gave
Director Alien That respect wnicn q mem
Der of the Board OF Education should re-
ceived from an empioye and challenge
anv assertion 10 the contrary"
Then you are positive. that your dis
charge Is nothing more than q politicsl
move co make room for q Republican ad-
nerent?"
II am confident that such is the case,
correct"
rs 1t uaual for politics to be introduced
into The business of the Board OF Educa-
tionf"
in my long experience this is the 1cst
time in which politics took sueh a pro-
minent part in the business Bosrd of
Education.o