Evening star., 1896-10-09
VIOLATED THE RULES
One of Secretary Herberts Friends Suspended
at the Navy Yard
The Onense Consisted Of Advancing
the Navy Yards Regulations.

A sensation has been caused at the Wash
ipgton navy yard by the action of Com
mandant Norton in directing the suspension
of Mr.. F. c. Kendrick. one of the. clerks of
the board Of labor employment, for a Sc
rious violation of the regulations governing
the employment Of labor at navy yards
AS Is we'll known, one Of the fundamental
principles of these regulations Is that all
applicants for employment, reported as
thoroughly competent. shall be certified for
appointment to vacancies as they occur, in
the order of their registration, in accord
ance with the system formulated by the
Secretary of the Navy and approved by
the civil service commission.
Regulations Violated.
The charge upon which Mr.. Kendrick has
been suspended Is that he violated those
sections of the naval regulations governing
the employment of labor at navy yards,
prescribing the order of certification and
mode Of selection, in that he improperly ad-
vanced on the list Of applicants the names
OF two brickmasons in consequence of
which they were given employment in ad-
vance of ether men of the same class of
lalor who stood ahead Of them on the list.
The men 80 favored are w. E. D. Krauss
and ]. F. Belts. Complaint was made of
their advancement at the expense Of other
men having prior claim, and an investi-
cation ordered by the commandant placed
the responsibility for the infraction Of the
standing rules upon Mr. Kendrick. clerk of
the board Of labor employment Ii was de-
veloped that he had tampered with the of
fcial records. and had improperly advanced
the names of krauss and Belts to the top
OF the list Of eligibles. His position gave
him access to the files, and enabled him to
accomplish his purpose without discovery
In advance Of its consummation.
The Men Discharged.
The two men have besn discharged and
Kendrick is suspended, pending the ac-
ton Of the Secretary Of the Navy, to
whom the matter has been reported by the
commandant Of the yard. Kendrick is a
Eative OF Alabama and was appointed to
Office by Secretary Herbert about a year
ago as a special act, OF friendship. The
office, which was then open to general ap-
rointment without examfnation, has since
been included in the classified service of
the civil establishment .kendrick has
made written confession ef his conduct.
He says he advanced the names Of the
two men On the list as an act OF friend
ship alone. and with Ho expectation of re-
ward OF compensation, and that 1T the
ter of his offense. Although the Secretary
of the Navy has not vet had time to con-
slider the case 1t is regarded as almost
certain that kendrick will be dismissed
from the service.
The Special Rule.
The special regulation which he is
charged with having violated Is as follows:
1.-The mode of selection shall be rs follows:
Requisition having been made for a num-
Der Of men of given trade, the names of
all registered in that trade shall be first
taken, beginning with the first on the list
at the date of making the ,certitica ton, in
the order of registration, and ending with
the last.