New-York tribune., 1902-02-16
OGDEN TO INVESTIGAT
LEIPZIGER AND PATTERSON CASES
WILL BE SIFTED BY THE CIVIL
SERVICE BOARDS.

The Municipal Civil Service Commission at
its meeting Tuesday will make a searching
investigation Of the temporary appointments
Of William r. Patterson register of statistics
in the Tenement House Commission. and Ma
thaniel S. Leipziger. advertising expert and ex-
aminer in the office of THE City Record" Mr..
Leipziger resigned his position yesterday. He
was detected Tuesday last by ex-senator
Gallagher an examiner. in the act of consulting
documents at examination. This is clear
violation of the rules. DR.. Patterson recently
came from the University of Iowa to accept
temporary appointment register of statistics,
and it has been understood by his friends that
he would be retained in the position. A competi-
tive examination held for the place. but
on account Of the high degree of technical
knowledge required it is assumed that DR.. Pat
terson received the highest marks
The most awkward feature of the Leipziger
case is that what appears TO have been favorit-
ism shown him in receiving his application
after the time limit had expired on Saturday
week ago. while two other men. who asked for
a chance to take the examination to which
Leipziger admitted. not allowed to
do
It is expected that Chief Examiner F. G. Ire
land and ex-senator Gallagher will be called
before the commission to tell about the two men
who were refused permission Monday of last
week to enter the examination. On the next
day. Tuesday, Mr.. Leipzger appeared while the
examination in progress. and upon being
told that he could not enter the competition
secured admission by filing with Secretary Nc
Aneny "conditional' application.
Mr.. McAneny explained in a statement made
TO Tribune reporter that. under the rules he
had a right to allow Lepziger to enter the ex-
animation with the condition that the act must
be sanctioned by the commission This does not
alter the fact. however, that the two who
applied on Monday appear to have been dis
criminated against. 1t was said yesterday that
Mr.. McAneny's defence would be that Leipzger
holding the place temporarily, and that his
failure to file his application time due
entirely to oversight, and should not weigh
against the undoubted intention of Leipziger to
enter the competitive examination.
When the attention Of Colonel Willis L. Og-
den president of the commission, was called TO
the matter. yesterday. he said:
IF the facts are as stated, it certainly indi-
Gates a rotten condition of affairs in the con-
duct of the examination. The matter will be
thoroughly sifted."
Colonel Ogden said that. personally. he was IN
favor OF granting the request of Accounts Com
missioner Russell for the exemption of thirty
two examiners in the Accounts Department. but
he added that he did not know how the other
members of the commission would vote.
One of the one thousand who took the exam
ination on February Z for the position of sani-
tary inspector, in writing to The Tribune, says:
If the recent examination given by the Municipal
Civil Service Commission to applicants for the
position of sanitary inspector In the Tenement
House Department Is any criterion or examina,
departments. II is time that the public should de-
mand radical changes In its method of procedure.
The examination was an outrage because, In the
first place, most found II necessary TO undergo
five consecutive hours of the most strenuous eff
fort without food drink midday. with a
Even those who brought food with them were so
pressed for time that they dare not stop for
nearly exhausted that 1t was impossible to
finish their papers with any credit to themselves
unjust In that II was too long, making 1t
impossible tor any man to answer the questions
creditably matter how carefully prepared he
may have been. This means that the best men
may have received a very low mark even failed
in the examination AS matter OF evidence we
give the exact wording OF questions six and eleven
two of the questions asked on technical knowl-
edge
they must be constructed, where placed, whose
they are kept clean and in good condition
I'll State conctsely as possible the conditions
In existing tenement houses,
"(a) which allowed to continue,
"(h) which must be changed in case OF alteration,
"(c) which must be changed IL not altered.
"(d) which win not be allowed in houses to be
"and give briefly your opinion for the reason of
the law in each case
will say that these two questions involve the
greater part OF the law: that Il will take six
the answering of thirteen other questions on
technical knowledge. four on arithmetic. eight on
experience and the filing out OF preliminary
blank. II is further evident that question No. IL
given above. is not specific and that the man
framed il had little conception of the time and
details involved in it's answer.