Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-20
SCHOOL JANITORS TAKE OATH
AFFIDAVIT DENIES SOME RE-
CENT STATEMENTS.
Up in Arms Against Building In
--.--- spector for Charges Of --------
Inef1ciency.

''These statements are made of our
own free will for the purpose Of contra
dieting the untrue statements of the in
spector of buildings for the District Of
Columbia
This sentence concluded an affidavit,
sworn to yesterday by nearly fifty jani-
tors of public schools. in which they deny
certain charges made by Building In
spector Ashford against them and
against Hugh F. McQueeney. superinten-
dent Of public school janitors.
A meeting of the janitors was held
yesterday afternoon in the assembly hall
of the Franklin school building and the
signing of this affidavit was the result
Supt. McQueeney presided and r. 0. Will
marth took the oaths of the men to the
affidavit.
Text of Affidavit.
The affidavit is as follows:
Before me- the subscriber, a notary
public in and for the District aforesaid,
personally appeared the undersigned and
made oatn in due form of law that they
have heard read the following statements
by them subscribed and know the con-
tents thereof. and that the facts therein
stated upon their personal knowledge are
true and those stated upon information
and belief are believed to be true
That Hugh F. McQueeney. superin-
tendent of janitors in the public schools
of the District of Columbia, has given
them individual instruction in regard to
the gas engines in their buildings: that
these instructions were given in great de-
tail, covering not only the working of the
engine when in perfect condition. but
the control and management of the en-
gine in case of accident; that detailed and
individual instructions have also been
given by the said Hugh +. McQueeney
in regard to the ventilation of the build
ings: that the circular of instructions
issued by the repair shop in regard to the
management of gas engines is of no value
in view of the fact that each individual
engine requires special instructions; that
these statements are made of our own
the untrue statements OF SnOwden Ash
ford. inspector of buildings for the Dis
trict of Columbia"
McQueeney Reviews Trouble.
For several years past, stated the su-
perfntendent of janitors to the assembled
caretakers. charges have been sent out
from the District building directed
against him and against the public school
janitors.
when these have been Investigated"
he stated. they have been found to be
untrue" He added that some charges
could not be entirely disproved. because
it was one mans word against another
But In other cases where proof was OBJ
tainable. the charges, he maintained
were found to be not true
1t was charged. March -, he said. that
water had been left running at the Hyde
School: An investigation. he declared
showed that water had never been turned
on in the building up to that time and
the spigots were self-closing
Another charge discussed by the super
intendent was that the janitors had never
received any individual instruction in
running gas engines. Mr. McQueeney
asked all who had received instruction
from him along that line to stand up
and fOrty-two men were counted on their
feet.
After the meeting was over the men
congregated in small groups in the nall
and in vigorous terms expressed their
opinions of the charges.