Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-18
HAS NOT ACQUIESCED
SECRETARY SHAW EXPRESSES
DISSATISFACTION.
Selection of Coachman by the Civil
Service Commission Not
Yet Accepted.

Inc recent employment Dy the govern
ment of an alleged grave digger as coach
man to Secretary of the Treasury Shaw.
under certification from the civil service
commission. has resulted in the issuance
of ii statement by Commissioner Cooley.
The statement defends the three names cer-
titled from which Secretary Shaw could
choose. 1t shows that the alleged grave
digger was for many years coachman to the
superintendent of the Government Hospital
for the Insane, and Mr.. Cooley states that
there could be no criticism OF his ability to
perform the duties of coachman.
Mr.. Cooley then proceeds to show that the
fourth name on the eligible list was the one
Secretary Shaw apparently wanted to reach
He comes to this conclusion because on
March II the Treasury Department re-
quested the certifica ton Of the name on the
ground that its possessor was a distin-
SulShed driver and understood horses thor
oughly The name in question was Robert
3. Shepard.
The Case of Shepard
Under the regulat ions," continues Mr.
Cooley, the commission was without power
to grant the request of the Secretary but
on its face 1t appeared so reasonable that
form of executive order was prepared to be
submitted to the President, making spe-
clal exception in the case. At this point in
the proceedings Mr.. Shepard made the mis-
take OF calling at the office of the commits
sion and exhibiting a letter from the repub-
mean leader of the tWenty-third assembly
olstrlct OF the county of New York eulo-
giving very highly Mr.. Shepards admirable
Work Tor the republican ticket in the late
eIectlon, and assuring all whom it might
concern that he was entitled to some recOe-
milton The attention of the commission
being called to the case a further investi-
cation of the facts was made before sub
n tha D,ns. H..
disclosed, on Mr. Shepard's own sworn state
ment, that there was nothing to indicate
that he had driven a horse for several
years. 1t seems that in his Younger and
unfegenerate days he was a valet to John
haIen, prominent democratic leader in
New York city and counsel to the corpora-
non under the Administered ton of Mayor Van
Wyck. 1t appears, however that he saw
tne error OF his ways, and entered the en-
ployment of Alfred Henry Lewis in the
same capacity, the latter having rendered
no lnconsiderable service to the republican
party in the last campaign The doctr;ne
1mbibed there and the efforts he was led to
put forth We're of so distinguished a char
dctef as 10 call forth the praise of the re-
pupLican district leader aforesaid.
Mr.. Cooley closes as follows.
Our action in this case was dictated
soleiy by desire to guard the Secretary of
me treasury from possible physical injury
r;a, ,iie bdnds OF the apparently inexpe-
riehced driver, who was being forced unon
MN by political influences, and to assure
his retention in the high office for which he
Is SO admirably qualified --e
Secretary Shaw Dissatisfied
secretary Shaw has not yet acouiesced
IN the selection of his coachmap ana 10
lids not surrendered to the civil service
commission in the matter He had an in
'erVlew today with Fred Moore. who was
employed at st. Elizabeth's Hospital for
tHe insane, who was recently certified To
MIN by the civil service commission &c
one or the three men cOmpetept &C coaob
man: Of the three Moore appeared To
De the most competent. but an inyestipa
tlon revealed that neither of the three
hao ever been coachman and that their
experience had been on confect;ooarr-
furniture and other wagons Moore "a
not been driver of a vehicle for thir
teen years and knew little about horses
ne had driven in past years however
ana claimed to know the business
The trouble about all this" Secretarv
Shaw confded to a friend. lis that if T
should be out some night with my family
ana Greet the driver to go to Mr. 5
he might land us at cemetery A
coachman in Washington ought to know
the homes of everybody of prominence
and need no other direction than the
name do not think it can be claimed
that any of the men certified to me have
an experience of this kind or ANYTHING
like it.
Secretary Shaw would not talk about
the matter for publication saving that
he had not given out anything about it
When pressed, however for an answer to
the statement of Commissioner Cooley
that he evidently wanted Robert B.
Shepard of New York who was the
fourth man on the civil service list, he
said one thing was true. THAT is the
fact that l would not bar this man be-
cause he had been a good republican and
had done good work for his party in the
last election.
That was shot at Commissioner
Cooley, who had given out the statement
referring to Shepard's politics in New
York and his activity there. Secretary
Shaw intimated that if man was able
to stand a good examination was a good
coachman, as Shepard appeared to be.
while the others We're not in that class,
he would not object to him because he