Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-25
THE STUTLER INQUIRY
Hearing Begun Today by Dis
trict Commissioners.
TEXT OF THE CHARGES
ALLEGATIONS MADE By FORMER
CONTRACTOR ROBINSON.
Matters in Which the Superintendent
of Street Cleaning is Alleged to
Have Been Derelict.
TEXT OF THE CHARGES

administration in Office against Warner
Stutler, superintendent of the street clean
ing department, which were preferred by
Royal Robinson. a former contractor for
machine street sweeping. began before the
District Commissioners in the board room
az the District building at 23O O. clock this
afternoon.
Commissioner Macfarland. as president Of
the board presided, and Commissioner
West occupied his usual place at the
hearing. Capt. Chester Harding who. as
acting engineer commissioner, will sit on
| the board of inquiry during Col. Bidde's
absence from the city also occupied chair
at the board table.
James A. Sweeney was today appointed
by the Commissioners to make a steno-
graphic report of the investigation.
Superintendent Stutler was present, &C
companied by his attorneys, Messrs. Cole
and Donaldson. who will represent Mr..
Stutler during the investigation and par
ticipate in the examination of witnesses.
Mr. Robinson. who preferred the charges
against Mr.. Stutler. was on hand to con-
duct his case. Acting Corporation Counsel
E. II. Thomas present in an advisory
capacity to the Commissioners
The principal feature of the proceedings
this afternoon was the reading of the
charges by Mr.. Robinson. Following the
T..
brief statement in reply. asking that the
investigation be thorough and expressing
his confidence in his ability to successfully
refute the allegations made against him by
Mr.. Robinson.
The Commissioners then proceeded to
consider Mr.. Robinson's request for per-
mission to search the records Of the audi
tors office and the street cleaning depart
ment for proof in support of his charges.
1t is anticipated that this permission will
be granted. Mr.. West stated this morning
that he is in favor of afording every
facility to each side Of the case to get at
the bottom Of the matter and it is under
stood the other Commissioners have no
objections to MIR. Robinson's examining the
records. The matter was under considera-
ton when The Stars report closed.
Following the call to order MIR. Macfar-
land stated that the object Of the In
vestigation was to determine the truth or
incorrectness of charges preferred by Mr..
Robinson against the superintendent of the
street cleaning department. He then asked
Mr.. Robinson to read his charges. after
which Mr.. Stutler was given an opportun-
ity to reply.
The charges against Mr.. Stutler are con-
tanned in a document consisting of eight
typewriter sheets. There are sixteen diff
ferent counts. most of which are calculated
TO support the implied charge Of collision
between Mr.. Stutler and r. v. Rusk. the
present contractor for machine street
sweeping, and the others are intended to
show that Mr. Stutler has not properly
managed the affairs of the department
Mr.. Robinson also accuses Mr.. Stutler of
attempting to deceive the Commissioners
by alleging false reports as to the cost of
hand street cleaning. Mr.. Stutler Is also
charged with improperly showing favors to
the present contractor.
Text Of the Charges.
The text of the charges as read this af-
ternoon by Mr.. Robinson is as follows:
IL In June, 1899 Warner Stutler. SUI erin
tendent Of the District street cleaning de-
partment. asked Lilly Robinson. con-
tractors under him. to buy hand brooms Of
the National Brush and Broom Company.
He explained his interest by saying he
owned large block Of stock in the COM
pany which was composed OF himself, R.
V. Rusk and - Cole.
"All 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 or
ganzation of the National Brush and
Broom Company seems to mark the beg n
ming of business relations between Mr..
Stutler and Mr.. Rusk.
- BY the terms Of a contract covering
the fiscal years 19O1-19O2 and 1903 Mr.. Rusk
was to furnish the District for cleaning
unimproved streets thirty-six laborers.
twelve carts with horses and driver and all
necessary tools for the sum OF S64 per day.
Extra men at s125 and carts at s17o per
to pay the forty-eight regular men the
minimum wage Of % named in the con-
tract and keep of the twelve horses, SO
there was an apparent loss in addition
to the tools, wear and tear ana interest Oh
the Investment.
But Mr. Rusk made a nice profit by
evading the wage clause and furnishing
boys. old men and broken-down horses.
These facts were made known tdMr slut
Ter by his inspectors, who complained that
the force was incapable of doing the work.
but no Improvement was required by the
contractor The following figures. copied
from Mr. Suffers annual reports, show
how the District was worked for extras:
Allowances to r. V. Rusk. contractor.
for extra men and carts: 19oo-Unpaved
streets. $413S: unpaved alleys. $l,392 Az.
1gol-Unpaved streets. s1.S01-o5 19o2-Cn-
paved streets, $49773 i93-Unpaved
streets, 1892 80 Total allowances 81. 423 o.
Mr. Stutler said that if Rusk secured
new contract he would require him to fur
nsh good men and pay them the contract
wages. Rusk DID get it at an increased
price, but continued to furnish the same
incompetent force.
Suspension of Work.
..3 The only conditions which operate to
cause a suspension of work in the street
cleaning department a lack of funds
and unfavorable weather. and they should
affect all branches of the service alike, ex-
cept. perhaps, the hand cleaning. The fol-
lowing figures taken from Mr.. Suffers an
nual reports. show that for the four years
ended June 80. 1898. the machine cleaning
OF paved streets Oily & Robinson. con-
tractors) was suspended by order Of the
superintendent many days. while the
cleaning of alleys and unimproved streets
(R. V. Rusk. contractor) was continued.
Days worked: Machine cleaning. $40:
unpaved street cleaning, 998; alley cleaning,
1,0l6 days
II. During the months Of May and June.
1893. while Lilly & Robinson were doing the
machine work at night, Mr.. Stutler required
them to clean 14th street and Pennsylvania
avenue every Monday morning at 1850
O'Clock. 1t being an unusual demand and
very much of hardship, the contractors
twice asked to be relieved from 1t, but Mr..
Stutler refused. saying that Commissioner
West had ordered the extra work. and In
sisted 1t should be done. Mr.. Rusk got the
contract July l, and went out the follow
ing Monday morning with so small force
that he did not get done until after noon.
He was not required to do 1t again.
IS. The flushing specifications require the
streets to be flushed from the center to