The Sunday globe., 1901-08-04
THE BLASPHEMY
And Other Acts and Words of Cap
tain Wurdiman
OF THE CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY
Superintendent Grseue's Attention Called
to the Same-Specifc Charges which
The Globe Stands Ready to Establish
by unmpeachabIe Test.mony-What is
Mr., Greene Going TO Do About lt2

John V. Wurdiman is captain Of the
watch at the Congressional Library
and he has held that position since
its opening. If there is a petty official
in the service of the Government more
disliked by his subordinates and about
whose conduct there are more COM
plants, The Globe has failed to hear
of him. With the possible exception
of the two doorkeepers, at the west and
east doors, the captain has had some
kind Of trouble with every employe in
his Department. The captain is a
great stickler for the observance Of the
rules by those under him, but, like
the king, he assumes to be above the
law and the rules himself For in
stance, smoking is strictly prohibited
and the captain enfOrces the prohibi-
tion with a cigar in his mouth, which
he puffs in the presence Of the inferior
citizen employees under his orders.
There is a story told Of the captain
which illustrates another phase Of his
character, i'm connection with the case
of an employe named Tom Scarlet
Tom didn't get along with the captain,
strange to say, In fact, nobody gets
along with the captain who has indie
pendence Of manhood, or who remem-
bers that he is an equal citizen and a
fellow taX-eater of the captains. There
is a keyboard under the care Of the
watch Tom was the watch. The keys
from the keyboard mysteriously dis
appeared one night during Toms trick
of duty and they were received the
next day by mail at the Library The
captain stormed, and had Tom on the
carpet. He was duly reported to Su-
periutendent Burnet r. Greene, who
receives $4,000 per annum salary, and
who spends much of his time superin-
tending the erection Of private build
ings, and is at present experimenting
the erection of the Carnegie Library
building Mr.. Greene fired, or order
ed Tom Scarlet discharged Captain
O'Farrell, the wellknown attorney,
was secured by Scarlet, and that gen
tleman visited Mr.. Greene to get a
hearing for some facts which had de-
veloped touching the mysterious disap.
pearance Of the keys and their return
by mail. These facts were to the ef-
feet that the clerk at the postofiice
where the keys were weighed, and the
amount OF postage determined, took
special notice of TIE man and woman
who did the mailing, and stood ready
and anxious to identify them. Mr..
Greene was too busy drawing a $4,000
salary from the Government and earn
ing as big a fee on the side superin-
tending the construction of the Car
negie Library. He refused to listen
to or reopen the case and Captain
Wurdiman and Charwoman Farrell
heaved sighs of relief. The postage
on the keys was IA cents.
The captain doesn't ,rusC the Irish
or Dutch" as may be inferred when
he honors acquisitions for brushes or
other supplies, as he invariably issues
this injunction:
"Be careful Of those brushes; do not
leave them lay around any more than
you would a gallon of whiskey for
these Irish and Dutch will take them
as quick
About every individual under the
captain has lodged complaints against
him, but his pulp is such that up to
date he is monarch of all he surveys
and Surveyor or Engineer Greene
wouldn't exchange him for a gold
brick,
However disagreeable all these
things are to the employe and how
ever insufficient they are regarded by
Mr. Greene, to justify any action tend
ing towards Captain Wurdiman's re-
moyal, The Globe has the melancholy
pleasure of presenting a case to Mr..
Greene which. If found to be a fact
on investigation, will not only force
the Superintendent of the Carnegie
Library to dispense with the captains
service but also have a tendency to
make the superintendent himself hunt
a hole and feel for his scalp,
The Globe has the testimony sub
mitted that Captain Wurdiman is
guilty Of the most blasphemous ut
terance in the presence of an elevator
full of men, which has ever shocked
the ears of Christian. The incident
occurred in this manner:
He had ordered a mechanic in
charge of half a dozen men to make
some repairs in two of the committee
rooms, and as the mechanic and his
helpers were on the elevator he blurt-
ed out. 81 want this job done prompt
ly; kick everybody out of your way.
Kick God himself if necessary"
Shocked beyond expression, the me.
chanic answered, Captain, so far as
human beings are concerned, / will
attend to your instructions, but as
cending I'm the air at the mercy Of
God'--here the elevator started, and
the horrified listeners, who have in
formed The Globe of the incident did
not catch the conclusion of the me-
chaniC's reply.
Comment on this blasphemy by a
public employe we will not trust our
Indignation with. 1t appears the cap
tain received a sunstroke some years
ago, and il Is more charitable in The
Globe to ascribe to the effects Of this
sunstroke the captains language
quoted and his other very erratic and
Objectionable actions i'm a servant OF
the people He is not a safe man fol
the position he holds, as may be in
ferred from the rows he has had Will
. his subordinates, one Of whom and
the captain were about to draw pistol.
on each other
Another case was that of Mr.. Espey
foreman of the bindery, who attempted
to protect one of his men from the
captains dOmineering and offensive In
reference. Mr.. Espey reported the
captain to the chief clerk and disburs
ing clerk who, for some cause, hushed
the matter up and nothing came OF Il
For all these fights or squabbles The
Globe cares little, and possibly the
public cares less as thew seem TO bf