New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-13
THE SHORT LEG PASSES.
CiUl Seruice Commission Doesn
Bar Limbs of Unequal Length.

Nsichaei 2 Conlaas left leg is half an ineh longer
than his right leg and il has caused io' OF Do.her
A. -. r,,,.5 service Commission. After wrestling
- -. ,,.t.,-. Cor nearly six months the commits
80, has decided that a man with legs OF unequal
l.-h is lust as good candidate TOT the OlFl ser
49, Office OF keeper as the man 10 "hon klhoer
sste has given legs OF equal length
~onlan has not left on record with the Civil ser
=. Commission any data explanatory OF the in
,.,,+v Of his pins" At the Civil Service Com
-,ssfon rooms yesterday one man said that Ccnlan
-. horn that way. like Topsy. and another said
=. - bad got a kink in his leg from banging
- while on n Broadway car years ago. II mat
- l,rtle the commission how he came by his
-.e,s5 limb, the fact that he had limbs OF dis
80 length was the bother. The first OF
s4.-,s limitations came from the medical exam
- re was measuring Conlan. and made the
.-,s-v request for him first stand foot
- then on the other Conlan first stood on his
right foot
doctor.
sure Tn not" said Conlan.
-oh" said the examiner, y thought noticed
chat YOU sort Of hUnched down bit when you
shifted TO your right foot Try the other"
CONAN obeyed orders
Don't stretch up like that You went up like a
telescope. Stand suu and De natural" said the
examiner.
I'm on the level on me left leg. upon ne sowI"
said Coulan. busfinE-
no. see here" said the-examiner. you can't
20 i
o. your right foot. and when you changed TO your
let Won went up like 9 rocket at Manhattan
Beach
Then he measured Conlan with great care maxi
ire hin stand first one foot and then on the
o'he-
Just rs 7 thought" said the doctor. eXulargly-
-Jast exactly what I said. When you are or your
rght foot you measure feet 6lb inches. and when
you are on your left you measure just half inch
more. told you you telesooped yourself, and you
had the gall deny it"
Say. docthor.' said Conlan. half apologetically,
a don't thry 10 Go Il PLY tn divil my left leg is
LONGER than II shud be IS more thin know.
1T amt the left leg that's too long" said the
Doctor. It's the right leg that's half an inch too
short"
NO. you didn't ether you said that your left
leg was long"
Well phats the matter with that You said
there WIZ half az inch difference" said Conlan.
quite inclined 70 reply 10 the examiner.
Yes; but I'm telling You that you could better
aror5 TO have the right Jeg longer than 10 have
tn left leg shorter"
'.Shure. you wouldn't want your nose half an
inch longer. would you, now" asked Conlan.
No. bg- a nose is a nose and a leg is a leg, and
II they ask ne IN going 10 tell them that your
right leg Is half inch too short The rules say
that a Keepers got 10 be five feet seven and your
five 1ee- seven only on one side. can't pass you
o. tLaL"
rreasaru' me tvvict whilst I sthand me left leg.
l-z then IN measurements viii tally"
The doctor thought il all over and reported the
facts about C0rlan Just he had discovered them
That was il June When the board heard OF 1t
they decided that Conlan would not do for a
keeper as ne was half an inch TOO short. Conlan
heard Of il and got indignant His friends advised
him 10 appeal TO The committee on appeals, and he
did So Alexander 7. Mason. Republican leader OF
the XXIX-h District is chairman Of the commit
Tee Oh appeals and when Conlan's case got TO him
be said.
-Why. this mans all right. He's one OF Tim
S1lIvau's men and has had his left leg pulled
lle price q g chOwder ticket. Before there
vacancy for him the election district captain
VII be around and pun the other member for the
price q a bah ticket, and then'u he be all right
We cant draw the line too fine on the plain peO-
pie
Mr. Mas0r's views impressed the committee. and
when their repOr- reached the commission II rec
CUmenled that. ConIau seemed 20 be able
huC--- il All other respects. he be placed on the
e1gil.e list The commission took plenty OF time
r. think lr over. One Of The Democratic members
thought than there would be danger Of violating
T1r constitution Il COElau's leg We're pulled again.
llt -s lllE i was COnlaDs constitution he said
IL thought he'd RISK an affirmative vote the
proposition The secretary IL sJTuCtei put
tat..t-s name on the eligible list and since that
L-..tiel TWO weeks ago COnlon has been standing
chiefly on his left leg 10 give the right leg
CL-.re 20 grow down 10 the ground