Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-02
PER DIEM CLERKS PAY
EXPLANATION REQUIRED OF
METHOD IN DISTRICT BUILDING.
Expedient Whereby Employees Are Paid
From Outside Appropriations
Controllers Opinion Expected.


the Commissioners have for several years
past been forced to employ in order to Sc
cure a sufficient working force in certain of
the District offices has been called into
question by the auditor for the State and
other departments at the treasury. This
official. Auditor Timme has suspended in
the accounts of the disbursing officer of the
District for the quarter ending June 30,
1919, the sum of sl79.4o, on account of sal
airy paid to William 7. Teepe, employed
a clerk in the Office of the District property
clerk In connection with the suspension
the auditor asked for informa ton as to
the connection with his employment as a
clerk in the disnfecting service and per-
forming service as a detail in the property
clerk $ Office
Three of the clerks assigned to duty in
the property office paid from outside
appropriations. Their employment is neces-
sary. and has been held to be properly
chargeable to the funds drawn upon by the
Commissioners. For instance, one clerk is
paid from the appropriation for street
cleaning. He handles all the acquisitions.
etc, from the street cleaning department.
Another is paid from the appropria ton for
school books and supplies, and handles the
school reQuisitions In the payment of per
diem employees it has been the practice of
the commissioners to divide the expense as
nearly as possible between the different ap-
preparations with the expenditure of which
the clerk was concerned. In the case of the
employment of Mr.. Teepe the disinfecting
service fund was drawn upon, as this clerk
handled the health department acquisitions.
The Plan Explained.
The District auditor Mr. Garrison. when
he received word of the suspension of the
Teepe item in the District accounts, asked
for statements from the property clerk
and the health officer. Property Clerk Beck
renliad hat Mr.
from laborer in the executive office to posi-
ton as clerk at S2.30 a day, payable out of
the appropriation for diSinfecting service,
health department. by order of the Commits
s son; dated December 81, 1902. Mr..
RECIPE performs general clerical work in
connection with work for the disinfecting
service. Mr. Beckett. however, has recon-
mended that for the future this clerks pay
De apporuoned from the following appro-
pflatonS: Health department. diSinfecting
service. for the months of July August and
september; scarlet fever appropriation, for
the months of October November and De-
cember; electrical department street light
ing service, during January. February and
March, and Freedmans HOSPITAL miscel-
laneous expenses, during April, May and
June.
Health Officer Woodward in commenting
on the case. said:
Mr.. Teepe, formerly laborer in the ex-
ecutive office. was on December 81. 1902
promoted by the Commissioners to the posi-
'ioi VI eielh at H-.'Io day, payable out of
the appropriation for disinfecting service
promotion to take effect January l. 1903
Since the date just mentioned Mr. Teepe
mas, 1t Is understood, performed the duties
assigned to him by the Commissioners. and
having done so vouchers for his payment
have been indorsed by the health officer or
acting health officer
1T is possible that some of these vouch-
ers may have been Endorsed 'Approved' al
though most of them it is believed have
been Endorsed simply Entered The health
o1hcer has issued no certificates as to the
nature or the service performed by Mr..
Teepe. Information showing the nature of
such services and their relation to the dis
injecting service can be obtained it is he
HeNed only by application to the Commits
sloners under whose direction Mr. Teepe
was promoted and assigned to the properly
clerk once, and TO the property clerk,
under whose supervision he has served"
Auditor Garrison's Statement.
Auditor Garrison, in forwarding the pa
pers to the Commissioners says:
In view of the action of the auditor for
the State and other departments, it would
seem inadvisable to apportion Mr. Teepe's
salary among the appropriations named
without decision from the controller of the
treasury authorizing such apportionment
With respect to the payment of any por-
ton of Mr.. Teepe's salary from the appro-
priation for Freedmen's Hospital contin-
gent expenses. the Revised Statutes of the
United States, section 1861, provides that
NO moneys appropriated for contingent in
cidental or miscellaneous purposes shall
be expended or paid for official or clerical
compensation
1t is probable the controller will deal with
the whole subject of the apportionment of
separate appropriations for clerk hire in
the different District offices.