The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-25
Robinson Brings SenSa-
tional Charges in His
Arralgnment.
HEARING BEGAN TODAY
Sixteen Counts Make Repre-.
SentationS of Collision
and FaVoritiSm.

a =
| ton In Office. preferred by Royal Robin
| son against Warner Stutler, Superin-
! tendent Of Street Cleaning. was begun
at 2:SO O'Clock this afternoon in the pub
4 lie board room al the District Building.
The proceedings during the first part
Of :he hearing on the case were devoid
Of interest, except for Robinson's read
/ ing specific charges against StltIer.
| which proved 10 be more sensational
| than was expected. The charges. which.
were In sixteen counts and covered eight
| pages Of typewritten matter declared
that Stutler had been IN collision with
r. V. Rusk, the present contractor for
! cleaning streets by machine sweepers,
and had showed him favoritism in many
ways, and had, when Lilly and Royal
Robinson were contractors for certain
street cleaning, asked them TO buy
brooms Of a broom company in which
Stut!er is alleged to be a stockholder
Asks Speedy Trial.
| In reply to the charges Mr.. stutler
made a brief speech. saying he would
undoubtedly prove his innocence Of any
/ improper dealings with Rusk or any
other contractor. and that the more
I
more he would be pleased. He was
anxious, ne said. 70 have the affair ended
! and his innocence proven.
/ There were IN attendance. as judges of
the investigation. District Commissioner
/ West, under whose department the
| street cleaning business is conducted
I Commissioner Macfarland. and Acting
Engineer Commissioner Chester Hard
ing Engineer Commissioner Biddle was
in the room, but took no part In the
deliberations. as he viii leave the city
I tonight and st Is thought the hearing
/ VIII take up a least three OF four days.
Represented by Counsel.
stutler had present. as his counsel.
| Cole & Donaldson, while the District
/ is represented by Acting Corporation
Counsel Thomas No witnesses were
/ summoned for today. but eight will be
called before the Board OF Commission
eIs tomorrow afternoon. The witnesses
are nearly all from among the inspec-
tors in the Street Cleaning Department.
and number eleven. They were sum-
moned by Robinson. and not by Stutler
A great part Of the evidence viii be
documentary. The official stenogra pher
for the case Will be James A. Sweeney.
The latter part of the hearing is now
the board as 10 whether or not Robinson
shall be allowed as he requested last
week. 10 search the official records and
accounts for further cOrroboratiVe evil
denCe 10 support his accusations against
Stutlcr.
Free Access to Records.
Commissioner West and Commissioner
Macfarland have expressed themselves
as being perfectly willing to let Robin
l.
Such permission will almost certainly be
given the acCuseT. after which the in
vestigation will be adjourned until to-
morrow afternoon at o:SO o'clock.
The hearing Is open to the public. and
this afternoon a large number Of en-
ployes at the District Building heard
The proceedings. The case has created
great excitement at the Government
headquarters. and the livelicst interest
Is eviGced.
RObinson's Charges.
Robinson. who formerly held a con-
tract for cleaning street for the District
read the following charges and explana-
tiOns before the Commissioners:
y. In June. 1889 Warner Stutler, Su-
perintendeut of the District Street
Cleaning Department, asked Lilly &
Robinson. contractors under him. to buy
hand brooms of the National Brush and
Broom Company. He explained his in
terest by saying he owned a large block
Of stock in the company which was
composed Of himself. r. V. Rusk, and
- Cole
"AH broOms used by the contractors
and by the department were bought of
the company and r. V. Rusk for several
years without any competition in price.
The organization Of the National Brush
and Broom Company seems 10 mark the
I.aerffaflipqr q business rglg lions hafuypPn
Mr. StutlcT and Mr.. Rusk.
Inferior Labor.
so BY the terms Of a contract cover
ing The fiscal years l9Gl. 1902. and 1903.
M. Rusk was TO furnish the District.
for cleaning unimprOved streets. thirty
six labOrcrs. twelve carts with horses
and drivers, and all necessary tools, for
the sIm Of S64 per day; extra men at
Sl.25 szld carts at S1-75 per day when
needed.
THE S64 was insufficient to pay the
regular men the minimum wage of S1.25
named in the contract and keep the
twelve horses, so there was an apparent
loss, in addition TO the tools. wear and
tear, and interest on the investment.
But Mr. Rusk made a nice profit by
eyading the wage clause and furnishing
BOYS, old mon, and brOkCn-dCWn horses.
These facts were made known 10 Mr..
Stutlcr by his inspectors, who com
planned tia the force was incapable of
doing the work. but no Improvement
was required of the contractor.
The following figures. copied from
Mr.. Suffers annual reports, show how
the District was worked for extras.
Allowances 10 r. V. Rus!, contractor.
for extra mon and carts: 1900, unpaved
streets, S418, uupaved alleys. 81. .S95. -;
1901. unpaved streets. 81. .S0l. %: 1902, un-
paved streets. 1918: 1903. unpaved
streets. SJS2.S0; total allowances. $. S.425.09.
Mr.. Stutler said that II Rusk secured
q new contract he would require him to
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