The Washington times., 1901-08-08
THE AUDITORS DEFENCE.
A Report to the Commissioners on
the Per Diem Employees.
An Officer of the Municipal Govern
ment Smarts Under the Allegations
of n PubIicntion-His Appeal to the
Records in Vindication of His Acts.

The Auditor of the District. ]. T. Petty,
has submitted to the Commissioners
statement relative to the controversy
over the per diem employees of the DIS
trict. II will be recalled in this connec-
ton that the pay-rolls of certain en-
ployes of the Street Cleaning Department
were held up and not paid. on .he ground
that their time on Sundays and nolidays
did not represent a full days work II
will also be recalled that after the mat
ter was referred to the Comptroller pf
tn. Treasury the Commissioners ordered
the dropping from the rolls the names
OF two employees of the Street Cleaning
DeIartment aad a reorganization OF tht
clerical help in that Office.
Soon after this order went iuto eject
the geaeial facts in the controversy were
published and 1t was made 10 appear that
this Gtttiement of the matter was III NO
Iation Of the practice of t'e District de-
partmen;s in former years. 1t was shown
in the reports then published that several
employees of the District aad en- paid
ana their accounts had beer. passed ~
tho Auditor. who had taken iuli leave
for holidays, and. in fact, had not ar-
peared at the District Building at all for
the days that they had been paid. The
matter caused considerable comment at
the time. and a sort of secret cr.ier was
issued from headquarters that the matter
must be hereafter kept out of the pa
pers.
The Auditor. who was made to appear as
the offending party in the transaction, IL
appears, smarted under the aspersions that
had been put upon him by the publica-
tions referred to, and felt called upon TO
answer the allegations made in the pub
lished reports Of the matter His report.
submitted to Commissioner Ross upon his
return to duty, was his reply to the
charges advanced by the Superintendent
of Street Cleaning relative to the pass
ing Of accounts of those who, it was al
leged. were paid for holidays and Sun
DAYS when they did not work.
The report of the Auditor was not given
out for publication, for the reason, as
tn. Commissioners said. that too much
had already been made of the matter.
They declared that a mountain mad been
constructed of a mole hill. and that 1t
was not for the public good that the mat
! ter should be given further publicity. II
J Is well understood that the report OF the
Auditor is "A voluminous defence OF ms
] own position relative to the passing OF ac-
! counts recently, and in former years. II
| is stated by those who nave seen the re-
| port that he denies absolutely the ale
! cations of the Superintendent OF Street
| Cleaning and that he backs up his action
| In regard to all his acts by an exhaustive
| appeal to the records II Is stated that
| he attempts to show that he has not only
not passed the accounts of per diem en-
! ployes who did not work on the days
| that they received pay. but that he de
cIares 1t is impossible to find an instance
in which he has allowed a part day pay
| where the service was not rendered The
| Auditor. 1t Is understood. denies all tn,
points raised by the Superintendent ul
Street Cleaning.
| In addition, It is understood that th'
| Auditor takes issue with the committee
which was appointed to make an investi
cation into the practice relative to th'
Ger diem employees. who recently handed
10 the Commissioners an exhaustive re
port upon the subject. n the report %
this committee IL was pointed out tina
three per diem employees in other depart
! ments that the street cleaning ONCE ha'
received pay for full time. when they ha'
| worked only a part OF the day. IN
| Auditor denies this statement. II is al
LEGGED, absolutely. 1t is said ne positivel,