New-York tribune., 1901-09-26
"HIGHER UP .SHAKEDOWN.S.
STREET CLEANERS WILL ASK THE DIS
TRICT ATTORNEY TO LOOK INTO
THEIR CHARGES.


Cleaning Department" said Patrick ]. McNulty
the master workman of the Street Cleaning De-
partment Employees Union. yesterday. in con-
versation with Tribune reporter. 'and it is
near perfect system that to break 1t up
Will be hard task. Street sweepers have TO
pay sums amounting in some cases to y a
month to keep their places. The amount col
lected from the sweepers varies. but 1 think
they all have to pay something Even the fore
men. believe, have 20 pay to keep their 1ops'
and it is understood that the money collected
from the men in the department goes higher
up 1t would be hard to prove where the
money does go.
About a year ago I went to Commissioner
Nagle and made protest against the collec-
ton of money from men in the department He
said that if / could furnish affdavits from the
men who had to pay the money he would dis
miss the foremen accused. He promised that no
harm would come to the men who made the
affdavits. Seven of the men made the afi-
davits, and those affdavits were placed on file
in the Commissioners office The two foremen
were dismissed. Later, were begged to allow
them to get back. We consented to allow one
to be reinstated, condition that he should file
his resigna ton. to take effect whenever it was
demanded Nagle had assured US that the fore
men should not be put over the men who made
the affidavits. That agreement was violated
The foreman placed over those men, and
all seven of them were discharged We made a
fight and forced all except one of them back In
the department. OF course we haven't had any
more men make affidavts against forefnen. We
don't want men to lose their Jobs
Now that this matter has come before the
public. think 1 will ask the District Attorney
to demand those seven affidavits in Nagie's Of
flee. and use them as evidence before the grand
jury to indict the two forenen of whom
is in the department Nagle has had those
affdavits several months. but he never has used
them. AS public officer he should have turned
them over to the District Attorney. instead Of
taking back of the accused foremen. If we
could be assured of protection for the men in
the department, could procure affidavits
enough to secure the Indictment of 90 per cent
of the foremen 1t doesn't look. though, as if
protection for complaining men could be as
sured Look at Policeman ONeill, who
wouldn't stand for 'shakedown' and defed
Devery. He has been dismissed from the force
to-day"
McNulty said that the statements of Dr. Wal
lace a superintendent in the department, re-
ported in The Tribune. about the purchase OF
claims, was false. II never bought any of the
mems claims he said, and can account for
all the money l have. The men assigned their
claims to me for collection. We had no money
for a lawsuit. and it was necessary to find a
lawyer to take the collection of the claims on
commission. The lawyer got his commission.
and. of course. che men did not receive the
full amount of their claims. Anybody who says
I bought claim lies
Commissioner Nage probably will be able to
have conference to-day with delegation of
the Central Federated Union about the charges
made by McNulty. Mr.. Nagle sat up in his sick
bed at No. 8 East One-hun6red- md twenty
ninth-st. last evening. to tell Tribune reporter
that he still had in his possession the seven af
fidavits mentioned by McNulty.
The two foremen resigned when they heard
had them dead to rights" the commissioner
said. Il never asked to have either of the fore
men reinstated. McNulty's committee
came to me with request in writing to have
one OF the men taken back. I have that request
in my possession 1t was signed by the COM
mittee. but not by McNulty. AT their request /
reinstated of the foremen. The other man
never reinstated."
"McNuity says that the foreman was placed
over the seven men again. and caused their dis
missal.'
THAT isn't true. The seven men were dis
missed last June when | was sick. They were
among five hundred or six hundred men who
were dropped for lack of work In the summer
months. They have been all reinstated except
one, and he will have to wait his turn. under
the Civil Service rules The foreman had moth
ing to do with their discharge as was proved
by John Tyrrell at a subsequent INVESTIGATION l
made when / returned to my office, In the
presence of the accused man and of McNulty $
committee The committee was satisfied, for
the reason that Jonathan Hansen. the superin-
tendent of the second district, stated that the
men were discharged by reason of lack of work.
supplemented by the fact that five OF the seven
men discharged had been in the habit of refus-
ing to obey orders. and that when IL was lett TO
his Judgment he picked out these men,.
''McNulty says he will ask the District At
torney to send for the affidavits of the seven
men and indict the foremen.
We'll, | guess he can have that done
He says you might have used the afidavits
months ago.
We'll I'm not in the business of getting men
indicted. I'll leave that for McNulty.'