New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-10-06
MAYOR GUSTS WHOLE BOARD
TO GET HEAD OF MCARREN NAN ENTIRE CIVIL
SERTICE COlIAfISSION IS REMOVED.
Commissioner Schmi also Goes Under Reform Association
Charges-Brady Slated for Place.

civil service commissioners at the Offices OF the
commission. in Elm-st.. yesterday when the
Mayors requests for resig ignations were sent ont
| They both declared that the Mayor was acting
from political motives and that they would not
resign While Mr.. McCooey went about the
preparation OF a reply 10 the Mayor. Mr. SieEeI
declared that he would make no reply except 10
the Mayors face. that the Mayor was making
a grandstand play" that it was a political
move and that time would show the real motive
for It.
II became apparent IN the afternoon that The
Mayor had no intention 10 wait for designations
before exercising his power OF removal. as he
appointed Bird ( Coer the former Controller
Democrat. OF Brooklyn; r. Ross Appleton. Re
publican of Brooklyn. and Alfred J. Ta1Iav
Democrat, of Manhattan to office as civil Ser
vice Commissioners. and sent them 10 the Of
fees In Elm-st. To organize the board he an
nounced that he had decided to cut down the
membership I'm the commission 10 three The
new commission was organized by the election
Of Mr. Coer president the commission
ers remaining ar the Offices only about fifteen
minutes. They We're received there with Cour-
tesy BY Messrs. McCooey and Siegel who intro
duced them to Secretary BerIinger and As
sistant Secretary CoTey.
MCoOEY AND SIEGEL CALL 1T POLITICS
Messrs. McCooey and siegeI remained at the
offices until late in the afternoon telling all
friends who came 10 see them that they had
been ousted In a political move against Sena-
tor McCarren. They seemed TO be incensed par
tlcularly because the Mayor had given them
such scant warning of his intention before
looping off their heads.
The Mayor has shown no courtesy to me-"
said Mr. Siegel and 1 shall show no courtesy to
him ! shall not acknowledge his letter and
shall not resign. Why should l. when he has al
ready removed me? I am a Tammany Hall
Democrat. but know the action of the Mayor is
political. and resent the slur he casts man
Of his own appointment by charging collusion
with the Park Commissioner of The Bronx. The
fact is that the Mayor bound to take of Nc
Cooey's head because McCooey is one Of Sen
ator McCarren's friends. and he felt obliged to
take off the rest of heads to be consistent in
his excuse that he acting on the charges of
the Civil Service Reform Association"
Mr.. McCooey chose to put what lse had to say
on the subject in an open letter to TIE Mayor. In
which he denied that there had been any viola
tion Of the regulations. interpreted by Cor
poratlon Counsel Rives In the last adminlstra-
ton. in the action of the commission regarding
the payrols OF the Park Commissioner of The
Bronx. He declared that there could have been
no colIusion with the Park Commissioner. be-
cause the subject on which the Civil Service Re
form Associations charges were based had been
publicly before the commission at several meet
ings. His letter continues:
For some time past 1t has been foreshadovei in
the public press that my resignation was to he
asked for the ground. stated, that I was IA
member of the regular Democracy Of Kings Coun-
", that I opposed to its disintegrat0n
When my attention was drawn to such statements
/ stated that though a member of the Democratic.
party and appointed a member of this commission
d " he
law which provides that the Civil Service Com
mission shall be composed OF members OF both great
political parties was not active in political mat
ters and simply exercised my constitutional rights
having In mind that es president OF the commission
l was the servant OF all citizens. irrespective OF
their political affiliations.
| never denied that was IN sympathy with the
stand taken by the Democratic organization OF
Kings County against the Cncroachment Of the
Democrats organization OF New-York County OF
which your honor is a leading and distinguished
member. and assume that because did not enter