New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-15
TOPICS IN CHICAGO.
FRAUDS IN THE CIVIL sERvICE-FEw
WOMEN CARE TO voTE-A NEW
THEATRE TO OPEN TONIGHT.


Chicago. Oct. IA (speciaD. Civil service is a
farce in Chicago, If the charges that are now
being investigated by the Merit Board have any
foundation in fact. Since the beginning OF the
system here its history has been succession
Of scandals and squabbles and of dismissaIs
and angry designations from the Board The
result has been to make the average citizen
thoroughly Disguised with its workings And
now the authorities are investigating what
promises, according to newspaper reports. TO
be the most rl-smelling scandal that has yet
emanated from the attempted operation OF the
system in Chicago Tt is directly charged that
police sergeants who were candidates for pro-
motion to leutenancles were furnished in ad-
vance with copies of the examination papers by
a local loan brokerage concern which is by the
way, said to advance money 20 no less than
fourteen hundred members Of the police force at
the phllanthropic rate OF 10 per cent interest a
month. The charge was made by young
woman formerly in the employ of the broker
age" concern, and the local papers print the
story in accordance with her account OF IT,
which is to the effect that copies of the exam
nation papers were provided the day before the
examination through the agency OF a prominent
Chicago lawyer. and that such applicants for
promotion as were willing to pay $3.50 for the
potent assistance of the loan company were
carefully drilled in the questions they would
have to answer the following day The Merit
Board is investigating along these lines. but
from reliable sources 1t Is understood that this
is not the case TIE would-be police leutenanIs
are said to have been as sadly victimized as
would have been the Merit Board had It's plans
not miscar1ied 1t is alleged that the loan COM
pany did not furnish genuine copies of the
animation papers, and that the biuecoats got
small return for their money. This side of the
affair." however, is not much talked of. Tor the
policemen dare not complain. for fear the incl
dental admission of attempted fraud would
jeopardize their positions on the force.
Unless the local Gas Trust has a card up its
sleeve thus far unsupported by the private and
corporate interests that have been waging war
on it for some time. that hitherto formidable
corporation is apparently doomed to speedy re-
construction Temporary injunctions have al
ready been granted in number Of individual
suits that make it possible for any consumer In
the city to take advantage Of an enforced 40
cent rate And now efforts, which give promise
of early success. are being made to have the
States attorney institute quo warranto pro-
| ceedings which will practically wipe the trust
out of existence.
Dr. Oscar L. Triggs, professor Of literature at
| the University of Chicago, thinks that Shakes
| Homer
| lectual pygmies as compared with John d.
| Rockefeller and George NJ. Pullman, were at
least much less useful members Of society. In
| point OF creative genius he admits that the
| first three gentlemen mentioned were perhaps
| not 4xcelled by the moderns, but in point of
| practical utility he considers them outclassed-
| In lecture before one of his classes last week
| he said in part: II am tired OF hearing America
criticised its lack of artistic sense and crea-
| tive power. Hereafter when people ask me who
among Americans have shown really wonder
| full creative genius and stand out head and
| shoulders above other men as Shakespeare does
1 shall point TO John D. Rockefeller and George
| NJ. Pullman"
! Chicago women will have their biennial OPP
| portunity to vote on November 6. but Judging
| from the registration books, few more will avail
| themselves of the opportunity this year than
| heretofore. Under the State laws they are privi-
legged to cast ballots for the trustees of the State
University, and to do so must, of course. under
go the same process Of registration do their
| husbands and brothers. In this, it is thought.
| lies the secret of the small feminine vote, for
| among other extremely personal questions asked
| the fair applicant for registration is that as to
| her age.
| According to the attending physicians moth
| ing but a remarkable determination TO live
| until he married the woman of his choice kept
| life in the body of Antonio SWdlkOWSklt VINO, On
! Wednesday, broke his neck by falling from a
| scaffold at the Illinois steel works. The I'M
| fortunate man was 10 have been married that
| very night to Miss Lillian Nibalk, of this city,
| and all preparations had been MADE Tor the
| ceremony He regained consciousness several
hours after the accident. and realizing fully the
extent of his injuries. insisted that the wedding
| take place This was late in the night, so the
| doctors and his friends told him that his wishes
| would he carried out in the morning just as soon
| as the woman of his choice could be brought to
! the hospital. Meanwhile, his death was hourly
| expected Sheer will power. however, kept him
| alive until nearly o'clock the following morn
! ing when. before the sad bridal party could be
| got together, he died.
| At least one male student at the University
| Of Chicago is not in favor of CoedUcatton. At
| eaat II is safe to say that he was decidedly OPP
| posed to il for a brief interval last week. His
| name is A. T. Merrfeld, and ne arrived IN
| town on the same train with fair coed. from
| Foster Both brought trunks with them, and
| both gave their checks to the same expressman
at the station While they were dressing Tor
dinner that evening Merrihelds room mate
found he had clean collars, ana Merrlnelu,
| who had finished his toilet, hastily threw him
the kew to his trunk and, telling him 10 help
himself left the room. Opening the trunk the
| room mate found a varied assortment OF laces
and rihhons but no collars But the decorative
nosaibiIities of the gayly colored contents of the
! t-unk banished all thought of his own necessl-
ties and he proceeded to display MS arusIIc
taste in the line of interior decoration with such
| e,,ccess that II is said have taken Merrlnelu
an bour to explain the situation when the fair
owner of the misCarried trunk came TO claim
e. and two more to return her outraged belong
inps TO ANYTHING approaching even masculine
! idea Of order
TonorroU evening the Illinois Theatre Is
IN omen its doors to the public. Miss Julia Mar
iou,a In barbara Frietchie," will be the first
star to make her appearance behind Its foot
lights, and she will be greeted by as brilliant