davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1905-02-12

side At the present time It is said that old men
hang to a department after they have passed
tho age of usefulness because the man at the head
has not the heart to dismiss them. He is political
appontee and he is not out of pocket whit by
keeping them on a while longer They tell him that
dismissal will mean starvation, that they have not
been able to save cent, and they beg for mercy.
Most times their plea is successful, and they stay.
Accordingly. it is argued that il there
pension for such a man, the head of the depart
Inent might retire him without feeling that he had
turned the old man out into the cold. To me that
argument is futile 1 think that the superannuated
employe would beg just hard to stay on if
there a pension system as II there were none.
lie would say that his expenses We're SO much that
he could get along half pay, and that such
a curtailment would actually mean privation And
to this sort of pleading and let the stay.
Such would not be the case. however with the
experienced employe who was eligible TO pension,
and yet had not ouUIVed his usefulness III he
prove profitable il would be 10 his interest TO re-
tire on his pension, and thus draw two salaries at
Most of those who favor pensions for Civil Ser
vice employees say that they can be made sef-sup-
5uch as is ebodicd in tb hill now before the New
York State Legislature would certainly become
alton of civil servants at Washington known ON
Iy as the United States civil Service Retirement
Association, employed life insurance experts TO
study out a plan by which men GOULD be retired
from year to year It was found that the amounts
great IS practically to be pr0hi6!tye For instance
II man started IN ule ClNH service at % Ihe age OF
euty years old. half pay. he would have to con-
tribute sums ranging from 2SS to 1898 per cent OF
Nov the plan proposed for the Civil Service
erDoves Of this city and Incorporated In their bill
calls for an average deduction OF only per
cent OF salary d ana pr0dS Hsg yeaTs ea of y eTvce
may be seen. therefore, how utterly inadequate
such are my own personal opinions on the sub
Jet and Of @ fhey are re not not gyen % t. &
form Association any OF It's other members"
New-York tribune., 1905-02-12

sess 1t is also pointed out that those in the en-
ploy Of New-York City have shorter hours and
better pay than IN similar positions out
side, and that they should therefore provide
against the future the same as the rest of man
kind
others say that pension system may be
grievously abused. They show, for instance,
now many policemen retire who are ablehodied
and in vigorous health and who continue to
draw half pay while at the same time earning
good lvngs as watchmen or doorkeepers or in
business. They also say that the decrepit men,
oers OF the force prefer to stay rather than re-
TIRE on pension, because retirement would cut
their salaries in halves, and they could not find
any employment outside because Of their unfit
ness for work. 1t is argued therefore that a pen
sion system would not clean out the dotards in
the civil service, but instead would permit al BILE
and experienced men who are in the prime Of
life to leave the cltys employ and go into pri-
Yate business Although the city would lose these
men. 1t would have to continue their half paw
for the rest of their lives
Pension systems, according to those who on
pose them, soon become heavy burdens to tax
payers, and the retirement fund of the police is
clteo as an example. Because Of the police pen-
sion claims last year the city was compelled to
oroer special sales Of bonds and to make an ex-
ira appropriation spending altogether for this
ANY pension system which calls for contribu-
tions from those entitled to It's benefits II ts
salo' would work injustice to the younger
men IN the service. The younger men would
nave to pay a part of their salaries into tba "a
tlTement fund for many years. while the older
civil service employees could step out after a few
comparatively paltry payments and draw q men,
sion for the rest of their lives
Inc men who have given their opinions on
the subject to The Tribune are H. r. Gresne
United States Civil Service Commissioner.
Georse McAneny ex-secretary Of the MuntcipaI
Civil Service Commission; Charles H ordyvav
chairman of the law committee of tha Nav
York Civil Service Reform Association. and
Elliot II. Goodwin. secretary of the society all
Iour oeing opposed to pensions and Charles II.
Knox, ex-president of the MunicipaI c,,5, S.
vice Commission; Edgar ]. Levey, ex-penutv
controller George R Crowley. president of the
ASSOCIATION of Civil Employees In the State Of
New-York. and Edward Kenny. ex-secretarv ~
this organization all four of whom, srs IN ,s,,,-
Of pensions. 1870
New-York tribune., 1905-02-12
DOTARDS WOULD STAY.
Pensions Would Not Help Clean
Ont SupGrannuQted Persons.

according 10 Elliot H. Goodwin, secretary of the
-Ne"-fcrk Civil Service Reform Association. pen
sion system such is wanted by the civil servants
OF this city is practically scheme get something
for nothing.
AS matter of fact the chief hackers Of pension
plans he said. are the older men of the service.
who would chiefly benefit from them. For example.
II law was passed establishing pensions for New
York City employees there would be a goodly pro-
portion that could take advantage of it in the
future They would need only to pay their dues
Tor a short time and then retire on half pay for
the rest of their lives. There is also nothing TO
prevent the increase of mans salary just before
his retirement which would also increase the
amount OF his pension. On the other hand the
young men would have to pay their contributions
for many years before realizing the full benefit of
the fund
1T has been urged that pensions would rid civil
departments of men who have become superan-
nuated. do not think think that the super
annuates would remain, and that those who would
take advantage of the pensions would be men who
have served the requisite number of years but
who are capable of finding good employment out
New-York tribune., 1905-02-12

cial fitness for the work. because from their
training they have a wide acquaintance in the
criminal world and know q thief forger be-
fore he has a chance to step into bank These
ex-policemen are strong. sturdy men, and yet
they are drawing money from the city pen
sioners. Yet, with the police. there is far more
extenuation for such system than with the
clerical employees who desire pensions The
policeman while performing his duty risks his
limbs or his life. He may he shot down any
day and either be killed or made cripple for life
Unless there pensionl system men would
not be as willing to enter the department.. But
the clerical servant is in an entirely different
class. He runs no risk in the service he rem
ders. Indeed his work is far easier than what
he would do if working in private employ.
Nor has the clerical erapIoye of the city the
claim that the teacher has for a pension. The
teachers of this city are pensloned, and the ar
gument made in defence of their retirement sys-
tenn is that they draw small salaries while they
are in the service of the city, and that after
years of classroom routine they are disqualified
to perform any other work outside The life
of a teacher is more wearing than that of a
court attendant a clerk. The salaries of
many schoolmistresses little more fhan
those of laborers. Nevertheless. 1 believe that
better way Of dealing fairly with the school
New-York tribune., 1905-02-12
CITY MONEY WASTED.
Full Salaries No1o Paid to Many
Senile and SIX Employees.

The city is already pensioning its old en-
ployes to the extent Of many thousands Of dol
lars according to Edgar ]. Levey. president OF
the Title Insurance Company. OF No. 149 Broad
way Mr. Levey formerly was Deputy Controller
of this city.
II believe in a regularly established pension
system for civil servants said Mr.. Levey. for
the reason that it would end the present prac-
tice of paying salaries to men whose services
are practically worthless. As a matter of fact,
the taxpayers Of this city paying out large
sums of money at the present time to pension
ers. These men are nominally workers, although
the work they do amounts to practically moth
ing. They draw their salaries the same as
younger men of the force who work hard and
faithfully. In most instances they draw larger
salaries han the more capable members Of the
department because in the many years of their
service they have been promoted time after
time. with corresponding increases OF salary
1 have heard it said that In one branch OF the
city government a number OF men are kept on
the payrolls who dying OF consumption
some OF them spending most of their time IN
the Adrondacks.
"A pension system would permit the city to
rid itself OF these superannuated employees II
would enable the head of a department TO 20
through the list OF men connected with that
branch OF the city's government and retire those
whom he thinks to be UNIT for further SER
Vice AT the present time a commissioner does
not discharge these men because he hasn't the
heart He knows that il these old men are made
TO leave the employment OF the city they
are practically turned out to starve The ma
jority OF them have not saved up anything He
would UaShsy caxxy such men -alurx for the tina
New-York tribune., 1905-02-12
NO EXPERIMENT.
Many European Cities Pension
Civil SeruQnts.

According to George R. Crowley. a member ot
the Health Department in the Borough OF
Queens and president OF the Association OF civil
Employees in the State of New-York. ths cftV
should profit by the examples set by many great
corporations that have established pension f,nd,
FOR their aged employees. The arguments ma
forth in favor OF providing for old and tnarn
civil servants. therefore. he says. are founded
wholly on sound business principles
1t is becoming more and more the custom IN
this country" said Mr.. Crowley. ''to pension old
and faithful employees Many corporations rsal.
izing that they viii get better service thsrsbv.
have provided retirement funds for their vster-
ans For example. the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company has adopted pension system. which
has been IN effect since January /. 1900 Ths
Baltimore and Ohio Railway Company hax IS.
tablished a similar scheme. and other railroads
are contemplating the Introduction OF pension
systems OF much the same character. Banks
are also beginning 70 pension their old clerks
The First National Bank OF Chicago and some
other Western institutions OF high financial
standing have provided retirement funds fos
their older men, Universities have also recog-
nized the merits OF the pension principle. and
many prominent institutions. OF which Harvard
nsy b cited for an example. have founded syS
New-York tribune., 1905-02-12
THEY CANNOT SAVE.
Claims on CiUd SerUants Which
Empty Their P0cketbooks.

There should be pensions fou the Civil Service
employees of the city because at the present time
they unable to save up against Old age Such Is
the argument put forth by Edward Kenny clerk
OF the Supreme Court. VINO one OF the found
OF the Association Of Civil Employees IN the
State OF New-Yorks aud for three years its secre-
tary.
"A pension system said Mr.. Kenny would I'M
prove the service because under it the old men
who have become superannuated might be retired
in favor OF younger Without a pension the
old men practically turned out TO starve. They
have not been able to anything out OF their
salaries There drains the purse of a civil
employe which the average citizen does not realize
He Is expected to be active member OF his party
and that costs money. Many feel compelled 20
contribute at each election the campaign fund.
Then he is asked now and then to chip in for
loving cup. or to subscribe for a charity ball. or a
dinner to the leader. and for this for that
until some OF them wonder that they have any
thing left at all for themselves So it is almost i'm
possible for an employe Of the city TO save any
thing.
"As a matter OF fact. the civil servant does not
obtain very large salary anyway. The average
is only $l,675 a year"
Mr.. Kenny showed table prepared three years
ago. which gave the average salaries OF men In the
employ of the city at various ages. and the total
average:
New-York tribune., 1905-02-12
PENSIONS FOR CITY CLERKS,
II POLICE and FIREMEN GET THEN Why NOT Ali
1TUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES?
Reasons Ass and For This Pro position Stated by Mem Who Hare
Studied the Question

movement IS on foot to enlarge the citys
,.nson list. New-York now pays between
s050oOoo and Sc 100000 annually to retired
,nployes. It supports veteran teachers. po-
p,enen. areaen, instructors of the Normal and
cs+v colleges and certain employees of the
ueal,h Department.
7. i row proposed to pension all the other
,s-narert employees of the city, who number
rore rban six thousand, and perhaps open the
~.v also Tor fourteen thousand laborers to Sc
are pensions. = biz, similar to one which Mayor
MCCLELLAN vetoed last year, has been intro
tpced al Albany by Assemblyman Yale, which
,,ovides for q retirement fund for all civil
r.nts not eligible to pensions at the present
,ne Frl-nds Of the bill say it will pass the
legislature.
those who favor pensions say that they would
srsstlv benefit the civil service. They would
Tate il possible for heads of departments to
retire men who had become superannuated and
barn their chiefs now permit to stay because
g discharge would mean privation and suffer-
,ng II is almost impossible, they say, for
civil enploye TO save anything, as there are
constart claims on his purse for charity, balls,
esunaign funds loving cups, etc.
with a properly organized pension system a
commissioner could clean out the dotards and
put active young men in their places.
Il Is said that the city Is now paying out a
large sum Of money 10 men who wholly
incompetent and some of whom are even dy-
tnc from consumption in the Adirondaclzs. If
these men were retired on half pay, the amount
saved the city would almost be enough to hire
new men. who. beginning at the bottom of the
service, would be employed at low salaries. The
benefits 10 the service by cutting out this sort
OF deadwcod and engratting vigorous young life
would be inestimable.
Friends Of pensions say that the city should
initiate the example of many great corporations
In this country which are introducing pension
systems for their superannuated employees, and
which DO this simply for sound business reasons
They also point TO a number OF European cities
where retirement funds have been provided for
civil service employees
The opponents Of pensions for civil servants
are unanimous in the assertion that they are
not needed. A United States Civil Service COM
missioner says. fer example, that employees in
The federal service enjoy many advantages
which men in private employment do not pos
New-York tribune., 1905-02-12

the city for the rest if his life This condition Of
things is entirely wrong. The pension list should
be confined persons Of real old age or confirmed
invalids. Strong 50 aguards should be established
ing pensions.
"A pension system would also attract better men
to the municipal service. 1t is well known that de-
partmenta work has few attractions at the present
time It offer to livelihood and bet
ter hours than those to which they have been
customed. but it promises little in the future Pro-
motion comes TO the few, and. the majority have
the same humdrum round from one end of the year
to the next
"a pension system would. therefore, attract to
the service of the city higher standard Of men
who now prefer business careers. 1t will offer
future to them, which at the present time does not
exist
New-York tribune., 1905-02-12
PENSIONS FOR ALL.
Clerical Employees of City Deserve
Them, Says Mr. Kn0r.

II the teachers the hremen. the policemen and
certain employees of the Health Department and the
College OF the City OF New-York may receive pen
sons the othes servants of the city should be able
70 retire likewise. Such is the assertion Of Charles
H. Knox. who was president Of the Civil Service
Commission under Mayor Van wyck president OF
the Board of Education in 1894 and 1895 and OF
the chief workers in the movement which resulted
In the law providing retirement fund for the
teachers of the city.
81 firm believer In the principle OF provid-
Ing FOR the declining years OF puhlo servant" ssld
New-York tribune., 1905-02-12
s1.6T5

hardly do more than support his family II hs
has children he can hardly educate them the way
he wants 10. He obtain little beyond the
necessities of life And far his position Is
concerned he has no future. There IS little h
any likelihood for promotion and increase OF sail
ary Unlike the clerk In some mercantile establish
ment, who by faithful and digent service IS Often
times able to work up to the head Of the frrn and
retire in wealth and comfort, he performs the same
kind OF work year in and year out and ages moro
rapidly than most men from the sheer nOnotony
of his life.
What. then. is the result? 1t is simply this: A
man will stick TO the service as long is possible
He may almost lose the sight OF his eyes and
become feeble in mind and body. but he hangs on
more desperately than ever. A discharge means TO
him starvation charity. The official at ths
head OF the department would like to rid the Ser
vice of such man. but he hasn't the heart 10 puf
him out - -
"A pension system, the other hand would
permit a thorough wedding out OF suDerannuated
employees. A head OF a department then would
not hesitate about asking this or that veteran IN
the service TO retire. because he knows that ira
man viii at least draw enough Of a salary to
New-York tribune., 1905-02-12
: rosTPoNgmEMr INEVITABLE.

Is. 3he Washirgtoa Star.
En- sea sea aIsfan seats you. mebbe you kin hab
JscEse..t 70 de wnlpli1'~ pos" said Mrs oPtomac
erspsa aHsian' eyer beats me-" said Mrs Tolliver
" dey - dty kin send him 10 de Whippin' pos
Kits ..san's 10 Eut cey'n have 10 wait TIL he
&c hospital"
New-York tribune., 1905-02-12
FINANCIAL AND
MISCELLANEOUS.

in Psr to S aS's 4s.y t@s ra 81 .om1s sep. ra
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-01-05
Had Been Lying in Yale Medical
Cold Storage Room for
Two Months.

New Haven, Conn.--Mrs. George Klea,
of New York, took her husbands body
back to that city, after reseIing it from
the cold storage room of the Yale med
ical school. Mrs. Klea made a sorrowful
tour of the undertaking shops of the
town, looking for the body of her hus-
band, whose death two months ago she
had only learned Of. On learning that
the body had been sent to the medical
school, she hurried thence, to find the
body embalmed ready for dissection.
She secured a permit to remove it to New
York.
Klea was a shoemaker here. and, be-
ing i'll last June, was taken to the Spring
side home, where he stayed until his
death early in October. The officials
there for the first time learned of his
wife, whose address was found in his
pocket. Efforts were made to locate
her by letter and telegram, but, receiv-
ing no reply, the officials finally turned
the body over to the medical school, ac-
cording to the law of this state.
In speaking of the matter Prof. Fer
ris, Of the anatomical department of the
medical school, said;
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-01-05

New York.-"From the Glare of the
Footlights to the Gloom of a Cell in the
Tombs," would be a fitting title to a story
of the life Of Nan Patterson, the former
show girl, charged with the murder of
Caesar Young, the well-known horse
man and bookmaker.
Only a short step and a few brief mo-
mentsfromthe stage with the plaudits of
hundreds still ringing in her ears as she
gaily danced in the famous "Floradora"
sextettein the glareofthe calcium. to the
dismal depths Of the prison, to be brand
ed as a murderer by thousands and to
hear the bitter and cutting words of the
stern prosecutor as he laid bare the Sc
crets of her past life.
Such, in brief, has been the experience
Of Nan Patterson, and it has turned her
from a beautiful and care-free girl to
a ~prematurely aged woman.
There are those who declare her limo
cent of the crime charged to her; say
she is only an unfortunate victim Of cir
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-01-05

forward, MS head in the gIrl 3 zap. he
was dead, and a bullet had fulfilled its
mission.
For some days IN absolute silence pre-
vailed. Then a food of alleged eyewit-
nesses turned up. Their stories, how
ever, could not stand investigation. and
one after another they were cast aside
as sensation seekers.
But there was one exception; an old
man, Martin Hazleton, of Oneonta, N.
Y. He saw the man and woman, their
hands clasped and held face high, then
a flash, a puff of smoke and the report
of a revolver broke the stiffness of the
morning.
Hazleton was the most important wit
ness placed on the stand by the defense,
and the efforts Of the prosecutor to shake
his brief but vital testimony ended in
failure.
Then the defendant herself went to
the witness chair and told the whole
story of her relations with Young. 1t
was a trying ~ordeal-before the curious
SlO"u Iu Tie COuIt lOOHI do SIS ICPtdL-
ed the history of her life from the day
she met the man who was to turn her
life in tragedy'spath to the fatal moment
in the cab.
Finally the trial was completed, and
the jury, after celebrating for "a hours,
declared they were unable to agree as
to her guilt or innocence.
Story with a Moral.
This, in brief, is the story Of the life
of Nan Patterson, or that part of it that
had ar ultimate bearing on the death
of Caesar Young, and the trial that has
been a three times nine-days' talk in
New York and probably throughout the
country.
Little did she suspect when she en-
barked upon her theatrical career and
her life of pleasure and gaiety of the trag-
ic ending and the accompanying sorrow
and pain in store for her, or she would
have undoubtedly reconsidered the mat
ter.
Although one young and hayward girl
has dearly paid the price of her folly, the
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-01-05

cumstances who is reaping the reward
of a life generally and generously known
as fast"
Whether she is guilty or innocent of
the murder of Young will probably never
be positively known to any but her and
her Maker. She has been brought be-
fore the earthly bar of Justice, where
crafty and skillful lawyers have tried
to fasten the crime on her while others
have tried to free her, and the IL men
have been unable to agree.
Adopts Life of Stage.
Nan Randolph Patterson was quite
we'll known along Broadway among the
atrical people for several years before
she SO suddenly took the center of the
stage. Among the profession though it
was simply Nan Randolph.
She was born in Washington, d. c..
the daughter of a minister, and was
raised amid the religious surroundings
Of a Christian home.
Always Of a wild and wilful disposi-
tinp. the simple life did not appeal to her.