The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-24

there were not. lie also told me that he
hut fhaf he had m do as he Was direcfed
l will state that I have had over nine
years experience in engineering work, and
for three and one-half years was assistant
engineer In q neighboring city.
Being out Of employment. took the ex-
amination for inspector with a view Of sue
c~essful) of getting on the force. so as 10 be
IN the line OF promotion. But il seems that
a mans qualifications for work count for
notsIns with the present administrator as
color. During my connection with the de-
partment 1 wholly refrained from discuss
ing politics and conducted myself in such
a manner that no one could charge me With
offensive partisanship.'"
Again. $50 names have been entered upon
the labor register, and a considerable por-
ton Of that number is still available for
any requisitions for workmen, yet no requi-
sitions have been made, and the labor ser
without reference to the rules. and largely,
as your committee is informed and believe,
from political considerations.
NO REGARD o RULES.
There are 13 laborers. including fcremen,
now in the service OF the city. and all APP
pointed in disregard of the rules. Oct. 10
the Board of Public Works notified the new
foreman OF street repairs that for lack Of
money he would have TO materially reduce
his force. This notice was sent him two
days before his appointment took effect. He
seems ~ nave Teluceu tie pay IOl oy ScoS-
ing TO assign work TO laborers in the city
employ. He has since hired other laborers
until his pay roll has reached the dimen-
sions which the Board OF Public Works re-
garded as quite lnadmissible for lack Of
r ro1 G,a OF he laborers now on the city pay
[ol clerk Piercy Z. Tall, in the office OF
FOREMAN OF street repairs, says: They are
All good Democrats. l guess; if not. there's
The Board of Public Safety. which has
charge OF the police and fire departments
and the markets of the city, IS governed by
other provisions of the charter. Section 80
and regulations for the appointment of
members OF the police and fire forces. pro-
vldlng that these forces shall bc equally d.
yIded politically. and that members shall
not be dismissed except for cause. They
may be removed for any cause other than
politics (Section go, and the written reasons
Tor such removal shall be entered upon the
records OF the board. Section 81 provides
mat upon conviction Of a member of the
city IRE or police forces for any criminal
~Oftense, or neglect of duty, or Of violation Of
rules, or neglect or disobedience of orders,
OF mcapaclty, or absence without leave. or
conluct injurious 10 the public peace or
welfare, or immoral conduct, or conduct not
becoming an officer, OF. other breach of dis
clpllne, said commissioners shall have power
10 punish the offending party by reprimand.
suspension without pay, dismissal. or by re-
duclng him 10 a lower grade and pay. Upon
any investigation OF the conduct OF any
member OF the fire or police force, or upon
the trial of any charge preferred against
dny member thereof, the commissioners may
compel the attendance Of witnesses, etc.
The commissioners of Public Safety un-
Der the administration of Mayor Denny, in
pursuance OF their power under the charter,
diopteu a series OF rules providing for adj
mission TO the police force and fire depart
ment by competitive examinations, which
lncludec reading, writing and arithmetic. to-
setner With such inquiries as would show
the applicants past experience and knowl-
edge OF local matters, and of the duties of
the position sought. A physical examina-
liOu ~ the DOUcG surgeon WAS also re-
CURED. Eligible lists were made of those
whose grading was not less than So per cent.
IN general efficiency, and appointments were
made from the three highest on these lists.
Inese rules have never been rescinded nor
altered by the Board of Public Safety, and
are as much a part of the law of Indian
apolis as the civil-service rules adopted by
the cabinet in reference to the other de-
partmentS.
Examinations were held under these rules
and there are still a number of names
upon the eligible lists of those who have
PASSED examination. In order to comply
should be half Republican and half Dem
ocratic, the eligible lists of each party are
kept separate.
DISRUPTION OF POLICE FORCE.
After the present Board of Commissioners
of Public Safety came into office there were
two designations in the police force and the
board discharged twenty-nine men. But
although the charter required that the
reasons for removal should be stated and
made provisions for a trial of the charges
against officers, yet these men were all
discharged without other cause than the
statement that the board found them to
be inefficient officers" No notice was
given to them of the character of he
had no opportunity to exonerate them
selves or TO prove the falsity of the ac-
cusations against them. Some of these re-
movals may have been warranted, but
no means were afforded of separating the
innocent from the guilty. and your COM
OF the rule which requires these charges
to be stated in writing has been wantonly
diSregarded. But even if the discharges OF
these men had been proper the appointment
or their successors was undoubtedly irreg-
ular and Illegal. On the Democratic eligible
list were the names of the following men
who had passed examination with an aver
age of more than 60 per cent. and some
of them at least were entitled to appoint
ments in case of vacancies: Chas. NJ. Hal
stead, Daniel Donohue, VIM. e. Brooks,
Chas. w. Quack, Martin Dougan, w. II.
Bigger. Harlan Il. Haskell, Augustus Hail,
j. Ia Byard. Not one OF these men. how
ever, was certified or selected. But in their
places eleven new men were chosen and
five men who had been on the force be-
fore but had been discharged under the
There were eight men upon the Repub-
lican list. None of these men were called
for or certified, but 1t SO happens that
four of them were selected without certi-
fication and eleven new men were chosen
without competitive examination. There
was a physical inspection by the surgeon
and the new men were required to write
their names. This was all. According to
this system q man may be appointed a
policeman in Indianapolis who cannot even
read the warrant which he is 70 serve.
The present Commissioners of Public Safe
~ appear to have totally disregarded the
rules established for the purpose of secur-
ing efficiency and impartiality in appoint
ment to the police force
COMMISSIONER MACK'S RELATIVE.
Among the new appointees was one who
had been dismissed from the police force
under a charge of levying blackmail on fall
en- women; another who had been refused an
appointment formerly on the ground that
he had been running a crap game, and
who had once been in Police Court for
assault and battery; another who had
been arrested for assault and
battery: another who was known
as a drunkard; another who. while
on the police force. had been charged with
borrowing money from a keeper of a house
of i'll fame, and who had afterwards been
dismissed: another who had been dismissed
from the police force for insubordination
and for leaving his post when on duty;
another who had been dismissed for sleep
ing while on duty; another who is ruptured
and is physically unfit to be a p~atrolman,
and others still, the reasons for whose ap-
pointment can only be found in their hav-
- tooo oo+sxo worEorc for the o1aCffnn