New-York tribune., 1905-11-24
FRAUD In CITY PAY ROLL.
WRONG MEN HOLD JOBS.
Both Dead and Living Imperson-
ated by OfcehoLders.

That many employees II the various city de-
rartment may be impostors holding their jobs
| by fraudulently assuming the of other
is startling theory advanced by the Dis
trict Attorneys office.
Information regarding four such cases in the
Bureau of Assessments and Arrears has already
reached District Attorney Jerosnes Office and
Assistant District Attorney Nott said yesterday
that, in his opinion, it extremely probable
that there many similar cases which have
not yet come to light.
The case of Joseph Ford, charged with i'm
personating Frank a. Sliney, a dead man, in
order to get appointment as junior clerk in
the Bureau of Arrears is already in the courts.
The technical charge against Ford is grand
larceny. According to the District Attorneys
office he is ex-convict who has served one
term in prison for larceny and two for
slaughter
Despite this record he able to get
ployment in the Bureau of Arrears by assum-
ing the Of his dead relative Sliney. AS
sistant District Attorney Mott said yesterday
that this fraud could not have been perpe-
trated without gross negligence on the part of
the Civil Service Commission
Since the arrest of Ford other cases have
been brought to the attention of Mr.. Mott.
One of these is that of George F. ONeill,
who was on the Civil Service eligible list for
the Bureau Of Arrears. After taking the Civil
Service examination and getting the waiting
list O'Neill, being impatient took another ex-
animation for the custom house service and was
appointed as clerk.
Soon after a vacancy occurred in the Bureau
of Arrears and O'Neiu, according to Mr., Mott
turned this over to his father who had to i'm
personate his sen in order to fill the position.
Anonymous letters have reached the District
Attorneys office telling of two other such cases.
Mr. Mott said:
A slattery auditor Of the Department of Arrears.
such anonymous communications to the heads OF
the departments they touch. 1 have not heard
from Mr.. Slattery since the subject, but indl-
rectly have heard that these men have been DIS
Now there is something. radically wrong some some
where that such daring frauds & should I'D be R0ssd
could have landed sneys job If the Civil 5 Service e
Bade BoaFo fu confesson to e Yesterday he sent
word me that he had made up his mind to plead d
had changed his nina and would stand trial,
must fiji out paper in the presence of the Board
Of Examiners. stating his name, age place of
oa 6araug fPa with the original
paper led out at The III time on the her ANN
The paper Ford hlled out varied considerably
fF1m Ifa SR vas Practically deren and
the names the references were different 1 naTnes
vice Examining Board had not been grossly care
less 1t must have discovered the frauds imme-
diately.
DO you think it was merely carelessness?
Mr. Mott was asked
''You can draw your own conclusions. rephed
Mr.. Mott II don't want to make any statement
on those lines I will mention significant
fact, however, said Mr. Mott, continuing;
The Of Percy Nagle pca the TamaPy 9on BabR R4t as
@ one of his vouchers understand that t., Ford is
Nag1es cousin saw Fords aPpeat19a az t Riapeg
and d noticed that the name of Nagle had been
Perhaps this fact is significant. Ford seems to
have an exraordnaTy pull oar o S, eIeeves es
thai he always had managed to have easy time
II psas9n S tbq h had never had to do the hard work
Imposed upon other nare of biT ana '
In the present case too, astonishing efforts have
esn @ en- exeonVct having served two terms for
slaughter. one for killing man and 2ne 2 Tor klng
esfed g tRemsees sm ae II IN his case and written to
the trial Judge and to us asking for IenlencY why
any Ieniency should be extended to such man
# such loose methods are in vogue in the Gfyfi a
Service 1t seems to me extremely prooabie tlat
there sTs x PT Such G methods as those enpl9y BY
Ford; only they have had more luck thah olU III
want to say, however, that the Civil Service
Commission changed since these 1rauos nave
Henry Berlinger, secretary of the Civil serv-
ice Commission, said yesterday:
feel positive that the three or four cases Of
such frauds already detected are the only ones
which exist a IN t6 6e opd csse @ came to light
stituted new rule No city eIhpl9ge 1I Gan bcb HOY
Is Compared with the original application IN blank
Every time he draws his pay he has 10 Ill out
new blank
When asked to explain the alleged gross care
1assness in the Civil Service examining board,
Mr.. Berlinger replied:
Oh WELL you can't expect those men men to od be Se HSed
they undoubtedly did the best they could.