Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-10-01
WILL BEALLOWEDTO RESIGN
Result of the Charges Made Against Super.
=. .e...-..v.. intendent Stewart. - --.-
A Mass of Testimony Submitted OF
a.. Both siIes-Assistsnt Secretary
SpnuldinG's Action.

Superint4 ndent Stewart of the new city
pest office will he allowed to hand in his
Resignation to the Treasury Department
and VIII escape dismissal He was today
told that as q result Of the investigation of
Charges fled, against him he woul1 not be
aele to mold hls' place, and the depa:;n ent
YGuld accept his resignation. Mr.. Stewart
ahsd' the matter under consideration at .
O'clock this afternoon. but it is thought
there is no other course for him but resig-
nation.
Three months ago the supervising archi-
teot Of the treasury. Mr.. Taylor, came to
tbs conclusion. 1t Is said. that Mr. Stew
arts retention as superintendent of the
building would delay it's completion Mr.
Taylor had a preliminary Investigation
made and satisfied himself that Mr. stew
art was not competent to continue in his
position He thereupoE fled charges
against the superinta ndent of incompetency
ard Inefflciency. Gen. Spaulding, assistant
secretary OF the treasury, decided TO have
hearing OF the charges. He instructed
the solicitor Of the treasury. Judge OCon-
nell, 70 Investigate the charges by taking
testimony.
Charges Filed.
Before all the complaints against Mr.
Stewart mad been made out there was added
the charge that Mr.. Stewart was favorng
one set Of contractors at the expense of
another and that he was discriminating at
Will One firm of subcontractors filed an
affidavit that because they had talked freely
at the Office Of the supervising architect Mr.
Stewart had threatened to see that they
lost their contract. They also charged that
he threatened 10 impede their work all he
could The frm-HurIle e McCartney-has
since that time had considerable trouble
with their wOrkmcn. They allege that Mr.
stewart is az the bottom Of all the trouble
Charges were also filed that Ernest Stew
art son Of the contractor represented
Hess Company, the main contractors for
the cOT1pletiCn Of tie building and that
arOther son represented the Philadelphia
Steam Heating Company, which has a
large contract for the interior heating
One Of the Gftidavits filed charged Mr.
Stewart with collision with his sons to
aid the firms represented by them and to
force the government 10 pay more for Ger
tain work than Il could have the work OBJ
taxed for by others.
The investigation. which was held by the
solicitor, was upon seven charges. Five OF
these related to inefficiency and incompe-
tCrcy-
One related to the failure to make recon-
rnendatiOns TO the architects office. and the
last was in regard to collision and favor
itism. II is said today that upon all five OF
the charges OF incompetency the solicitor
found Mr. Stewart guilty. The remaining
charges he finds, were not fully estab-
nshed.
Great Mass of Testimony.
A great mass of testimony was filed dur.
ing the hearing. Mr. Stewards side of the
case was presented last week He entered
general and specific denials TO all the
charges. and made a strong fight. especially
against the charges rejecting upon his in
tegrity. He declared that he was moi
guilty Of collision or of favoring certain
contractors at the expense of others
Among the men who testified during the
hearing were Messrs. Oliver Ellis Hurdle
Davis and Weisinger. contractors and in.
spectOrs.
One Of the main charges of the super.
yising architect was that Mr.. Stewart re.
lied too much upon his foremen and in.
spectors When asked for report as II
the progress OF work. II is said that hc
would report that his inspector or his fore.
man said and so. -
After taking the testimony, Judge O'Con.
nell made recommendations to Gen. Spauld
ing, who went over the ma So OF testinon,
before deciding 10 ask for the resignation
OF Mr. Stewart.
MIR. Stewart was the superintendent O,
the building four or Eve years ago Sec
rotary Carlisle appointed Mr. Kinsey e
succeed him. Mr.. Kinsey resigned under
pressure about a year ago, and Mr.. Stewar
was again put in charge.