New-York tribune., 1903-10-15
FRUITS OF REFORM RULE.
OgJECT LESSONS IN GOOD GOVERNMENT SHOUN By
9 COMPARISON OF DEPARTMENTS UNDER
TANMdNT And UNDER l. on
IF CHARITIES.
T.1NH.1NT;S RECORD.

Although one of Tammanv's decent men"
Was the Commissiorer Of Charities Tosn Y.
Keller. the department under him was one o. tho
worst examples of inconlpeterc-- and crime j.,
the city's history Mr.. Keller knew 90 little u
What was going on Iha5 i.,s private secreta~,.
the Rev Charles a Alden. was able 10 steal
some s3Goet ana escape TO Massa chueet;s.
Where he is living nov. aad serious charges
were made against B.eir Super.ntender; Of the
Outdoor Poor. Tne department was ? hous. or
refuge for Tamman.- politicians. who were in
competent Mr.. Keler's charity indeed COW
cred multitude Of sins; The patients il he
city hospitals were mistrcated and lacked prop
er medical attendance; the inmates OF the al,,,s-
houses did not have enough food and ev-er
after the poor creatures themselves had es-
oaped these evils by dying they we're turned
over 20 the "Morgue Gang" otherwise the TN
de-takers' Trust which proceeded TO extorr
money from the relatives and the city Then
there was the usual graft in the furnishing -
supplies
While he might have had the best Of iuter-
lions. Mr. Keller was by te-nnerame Unfit II
handle a vast department ike the Department
OF Public Charities. Then. toe. he was con-
trolled by Richard Croker and the Croker ma
chine he frequently declared, in public speech
es, that Re was a machine man." and believed
IN surrounding himself with Tammany men.
These men, having got their places through puA
OF course knew nothing abou, the duties per
taining thereto. ard cared less. Under such
conditions attention TO business was impossible.
hardly 20 be expected.
So lax were the officials that the patients in
the city hospitals and the poor on BlackUell's
Island frequently had nothing TO eat all day
save bread without butter and a little tea o.
coffee. CBetter say water" complained one Of
thern). In 1901 their bill of fare was: Freak
fast-Coffee. with sugar or milk. and bread
without butter Dinner-Soup. meat or fish:
vegetables and bread. Supper-Tea and bread
without butter. In reality. the meat and FISH
we're almost unknown. and when they did az
pear they were so poo- that they were hardly
eatabie. The vegetables. tho inmates declared.
were water soaked potatoes. Nevertheless Tam
many spent enough money for supplies Strange
ly. by some kind OF juEglery. the contracts we're
frequently allotted 10 the highest bidders.
THOUSANDS LOST on CONTRACTS.
Early in 1902 the Commissioners of Accounts
made a detailed investigation of the system OF
letting contracts which they Censured as caus-
ing q loss OF thousands or dollars 20 the city.
The buildings themselves we're in disgraceful
condition. Repairs cost money. which Tam
many did not care TO spend in that way. To
keep the wards clean would have taken time
and labor on tho part or the attendants. which
they did not feel disposed TO give. and there
was no one 20 compel them TO attend to busi-
ness Mr.. Keller himself ACKNOWLEDGED that
Not only is the wearing apparel for patients
and inmates inadequate. but there is lack OF
bed clothing" No increase in the budget was
obtained from the Tammany Board Of Estimate.
however. Frequently the inmates OF the aims
house had no change OF clothing for five or six
weeks
Fostered by Tammany, tho '.Morgue Gang"
had become a recognized institution These
vuliures lowered around the hospital until A
death occurred then they would hasten 20 the
nearest Of kin 70 get order for the burial
They kept men inside the department who
would tip them TO prospective deaths Usual
" If they could not get the order for burial.
the,- would manipulate the death certificate in
some way that was recognized by the depart
rncnt as authority. The leader Of the ''Morsue
Gang" was Tamrnany politician with much in
auence.
At the beginning Of the fusion administration
there was one Gay fgh; in the morgue. IN
vestigation SHOW ed that this and another
had been told % a death. One had gone TO the
husband Of the dead woman the other TO the
son. as the nearest relative Each had IN order
for burial. neither would give Up, and SO they
fought near the corpse. One Of their favorite
tricks was 20 bury destitute veteran and collect
all kinds Of funeral charges from his relatives
Then. as the city allows S35 for the burial Of
each destitute veteran they would collect this
money on afidavits that the relative could not
pay the expenses
one instance is typical OF Blairs operations
A poor widow came TO him, telling him that
she had $50 from her husbands insurance
Gould he tell her how &c take care OF II? 'Oh.
YES. III take care OF il for you, he SAID
The woman was overjoyed. When presently
however. Blair was among the missing ana the
pidow learned that her money was gone she'