The sun., 1901-03-01
ABUSES OF HOUSE CLERKS.
sISTEA BY WHICH THEY RAISE
SALARIES OF OTHER EMPLOYEES.
A Locks NTH Draws sl.A<O ss Messenger
One Employee who Has worked Six
Months Only in Four Year, Another Draws
sI.lOO . Year and Doesnt work At All.

| Months Only in Four Year, Another Draws
oI.lOO . Year and Doesnt work At All.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 2s.-Although the special
| committee to invest gate the condition OF
| the employees OF the House was appointed
| only on Saturday last. 1t made Its report
! to-day. and II contains facts and figures
| which thoroughly sustain the charge OF the
| rottenness OF the system. The committee Is
unanimous In its findings. but is unable to
| suggest a remedy. 1t is found that the en-
| ployces of the House number 357 and their
| aggregate pay Is about 10000 per annum'
, The committee classihes the abuses under
| three heads: Transfers of employees from the
| duties Of the positions To which they we're
| appointed To other duties; unjustihable pay
ments OF compensation 70 employees while
absent from their posts Of duty. and divisions
| OF salaries
According TO the report Alexander Nc
Dowell. the clerk OF the House; william j.
Browning. chief clerk +. j. Lnmpson. reading
| clerk; Messrs Hatcher and stratton. former
reading clerks; Henry Robinson, disbursing
clerk Henry &. Campbell. formerly assistant
librarian. and Thomas H. Mckee. journal
clerk. have contributed from s. IL $50 per
month of their salaries To "a fund Tor inoreas-
ing the compensation of other employees.
These contributions were paid into the hands
Of Henry Robinson. disbursing clerk; Will
liam J. Browning. chief clerk, or John l."
Morrison, stationery clerk. and 10y them dis
bursed u the persons whose salaries were
| thus provided or increased
one instance of tho division OF salare,
cited by the report Is that OF Dennis T. Al
ward. who entered the employ OF the House
in April. isg8. as superintendent OF the docu-
ment room. At u salary Of $1,000 per annurn
and rem aimed In that position until the be-
ginning OF tho special session OF the FIFTY
lfth Congress During this period. by ar
rsugemeHt between the respective members
OF the House from whose district, the EN-
poyees came, he paid al tho rate Of $500 per
snnum to the use Of oscar j llill, folder.
serving a. messenger at the main door. At
the special session Of the Fifty-fifth Congress
Mr. Award became one OF the reading clerks
of the House. at salary Of $4,000. and has
continued In that position until the present
time During the two years OF tho FNty-
NTH Congress he paid Mr. Robinson. by some
understanding. the orisin Of which Is unCer-
general purposes above described
According TO the testimony OF Journa!
Clerk Mckee. this custom na, been praCtiL cd
Tor at least twenty ycars Slnllh.
clerk In the enrollns room at sl.oW. paid
SIoo per annum 70 Mr. Robinson for his posi-,
the two attendants IN the bathrooms Tor
two months each and never went near the
bathrooms. For eight months these al
tendants paid SO Ter month to w ii Ridley
OF Media Pa who never did any OF the work
Guy Underwood is classified ss laborer
at s7?0 Ier 6nnum. but he acts assistant
Librarian and receives o. ,UsO PER annun IA
the General Deficiency bill. 80 that his SALARY
IL really 81 500 The House telesrapher woros
In the library and the man who does the
telegraphlLs ls paid OUT OF an appropriation
for hor7e mro Tor the cerH.s ohlCe Ihe
clerk collect. $40 per month nom other en-
ylol e-S aud has the hor-" hire paid out OF thyt.
MeanwhI totu tho trIegrapher who wOrk
In tho library and the man Who teIcgra phs
are cared for III tie GeneIAl Deficiency bill.
Winthrop {. Jones receives tl4io 40 tho
House lock -uitir but works NJ the sOuthNe
door of tho House lobby as aIne-,euger, "h.ir
Daniel 4. IliCkAng. employed rs q folder at
SIS per month FOR the session. ln"nds the
locks Of the House. 80 the COMMITTEES say
witch require payment OF s75 per month
only during the session, pays to man who
peri rm, none " It's duties sl,iO per annuu.
And hi, - not all. There are four other
men serving With Jones as messengers at the
southwest lobby door. The five men all
do exactly the same work, while their re-
whle Jones receives sL4lo,. George Z. Page.
a folder receives $40. Willard Wilson, also
| a folder, receives 500; John Dearborn. on the
mes.enser' r"I rcGsNe. ZOO. f,d. HMI sr@rse
lUtluu receives 81 ,.D per uunuui.
The testimony alsO shows that = number
OF employees have been absent from their
posts during the session. ~ well bs during
lie summer and the case j. cited oi l.. II Keller
~ New Yotk. a cloak room employee. who
has worked only rlN months ~ four Years.
! is;O While performing his duties ~ a member
| Ui the capitol police. iit Received t3.uun ll
! is-s and sine" lN,e las been drawing 81 lIU
| - a tiriil l.hc"man, although D." has not
IN" committee recon ntend- the adoption
| ~ permanent statute Tor the correction ol