New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-23
ALDRIDGE CONDEMNED.
AN ARRANGEMENT BY THE CIVIL SER
VICE REFORM ASSOCIATION.
GRAVE CHARGES or VIOLATING THE coNSrilO-
TION AND WASTING PUBLIC FUNDS ALLEGED
UNFIT APPOINTMENTS REMOVAL OF
THE SUPERINTENDENT SAID TO
RE AMPLY JUSTIFIED.

RE AMPLY JUSTIFIED.
The Civil Service Reform Association. through
its secretary George McAneny. yesterday issueu
the following:
The civil Service Reform Association is satis-
fed that superntendsnt Anf on ~ pnbIc Works
has violated the civil Service section OF the ON
stitution in gross and Migrant manner The as
ISOLATION expects shortly TO be prepared to SHOW;
further. that this violation has been ptnt
The officers and employees of the Department o,
Public Works were classified originay under Syi d
snhs"ouenty by the Court Of Appeals. in 1881 that
the right to appoint his suboTdnaorS cog not he
modified by act Of legislation ana tnat III w.
cas- Of that Trn INF fe dar y hsrefor until
January 1895. the rules were not appiied 10 'he De
pa iiiS r'' inc o' constitutona difficulty in mind the
Convention Of 1891 adopted the amendment respect
stitution rs Section Of Article v ,..uu,or :,
The provisions OF THIS section are ,a'' nd nro
nations shall be made according to merit
and fitness to he ascerisined so far as praceapie;
hy examina tons which so far as p!actcabie' snail
be competitive
UNDER THE REVISED CONSTITUTION"
Since January l. 1885 the date which the re-
vised Constitution went into effect. appointments
In the Department of Public Works nave pecn
governed, both by the provisions OF the civil Ser
vice act. the application of which was revived ny
the adoption of the amendment. and the Droaner
provisions Of the amendment itself, which Inc
courts have held would remain operative. even
though the Legislature were to repeal every statute
the subject Of appointments in the CIVIL Service
on April 49, 1896 Governor Morton promulgated
n new classification Of the Department by virtue
of which certain officers were placed in the ex-
empt schedule. a, and non-competitive schedule
D. respectively, while others we're classed as w9rR-
men, and such exempted from examination,
and all positions not spec ihcaly DESIGNATED IN
ennne 81 tne schene r. Ire oicai action OF
the Superintendent has since been subject not only
TO the provisions of the law. expressed in this
iona provision that all appointments s snai be
based on merit. whether 'he posi'onS n''eu are
classified or not.
RESISTANCE TO CIvIL-SERVICE RULES
Both before and after the classification by Gov
ernor Morton. Superintendent Aldrdge resisted In
every way possible the application Of the rules to
his employees. and insisted on appointing large
numbers Of clerks and other officers to competitive
positions without examination of any sort. The
history Of these appointments ana me suS S S
court proceedings. ending In the defead or super,
doubt that. though the question Of c'assifca-
tr g" personally Violated the Constitution There
are. however. graver violations than This with
The association has been Informed that the su.
rerintendent has appointed a large number OF
The duties Of which are the duties required 70 be
filed as the result of competitive examinations,
question have been designated by titles not fitting
the dues ccared void oil by the Court Of
Appeals have been reappointed In this manner as
cdesfmI have been the various methods OF evasion
adopted that in total Of approxima tely 100 ap,
point ncnts made since January !. 1898. only IS
have been after competitive examination
SPECIMEN CASES OF APPOINTMENT
Evidence has also been secured showing that per-
sons have heen appointed to positions classified In
the labor service who have rendered little or no
service In return for the salaries paid them; that
other persons employed in such positions have been
assigned to unnecessary labor, and that owing In
part to these conditions the cost Of maintaining the
canals has been greatly increased. In spite Of the
constitutional obligation Of the Superintendent to
appoint all of his employees for merit and fitness.
many Of these appointees have been Persons who
have been convicted OF crimes and confined in the
State prisons c" who are Of otherwise VIGOROUSLY
bad character. while others have been and are en-
gagged in private business Of nature uniting them
for satisfactory public service A few specimen
cases Of this character reported to the association
taken from Oneida County alone are as follows:
Thomas Wheeler Superintendent Of the Middle
was formerly the proprietor of faro bank and the
partner of David Dishler: afterward ran a
it is said feared to interfere with this business
because Of the influence he possessed His name
appears. however, on the police records many
times. was arrested at time for assaultng
Tertiary for six months; was subsequently indicted
for petit larceny and fined was indicted FOR a bur
Of which were found in his possession has been
the principal manipulator of the canal patronage IN
ment of many of his former associates TO various
minor positions.
supposed TO be emproyed as foreman; he has no
men under him: and. it is reported. spends his
John Mulgan-Appoinied as teamstcr; IS
Democrats Aderman IN cn Is an ex,Saoon
has one team employed at H5 per month. and one
D. IIughes-Foreman: Democrat. and an ex-
liquor saloon keeper: appointed through the infu-
of alderman IIackett.
J. Mullen-Assistant foreman at Left Bridge, has
berry. and another term ct Sing Sing: is too heavy
q
was imprisoned at Sing Sing under the name Of
T.. G. srieyer-Foreman; is proprietor OF a
liquor saloon and grocery store: is reported TO have
stated that his sole duty is to draw HIS pay
James Hackett-On the payrolls foreman
but says he is an emergency Inspector" Is the
proprietor Of saloon. to which he devotes the
house for brief porto OF each day.
j. T.. Doherty-Foreman at Lock No. 4G: has
served SIX months in the Albany Peniteniiary. and
has been indicted for robbery and other offences AZ
other times acted as teller at the Ninth Ward
charles Waish-Alias' "Cooky." alias Pussy:
assistant foreman lock No a6; Is ex-saloon-
keeper and notorious character.
of the saloon over which Wheeler & DishIer con-
Quoted their faro bank; IL not supp' sed TO perform
j. IIInklestone -r.aborer. has been member II
the Democratic city Committee for three or four
T. A. Hutchinson .aborer ex-letter-carrier; dis
cha 'ged from the Government service for drunk
Kul IIarper-Bank Waterman; is member Of
the Utica Board Of Aldermen
MAX KODiHSOn- ASSlStdnt IOltHdu ~ lIO'h w w"
proprietor OF a liquor saloon. On July 81 he passed
the greater part Of the day in court, attending 10
the naturalization Of number OF Hebrews
Seymour Van Nalkcnburg Clerk; supposed 10 be
ernploycd actually in Wheeler's cpal Office.
q H. Thoma-t Jerk; keeps a clothing store. AMI
Is reported TO do no work.
f. A. <lock- Reservoir tender at North Lake;
occupies "A house built by the State. and keeps sum
mer boarders has n barroom separated by mar
row passage from the State building. Three men
ar. employed AT this point TO raise the water gates
when necessary. although the same work was for
merry done by
l. x Hayes-Foreman: is proprietor OF a grocery
store at Boonvle; presided at the local convention
the Eth inst 49,
Hiram Wate-Inspector at South axe on piece
of contract work being done by man named Mel
son: was about the Work Tor ten Gays
prior to the 18th inst. and was reported TO I've
engaged H. securing votes for the caucuses.
Ill nr.nrltl OF