The Washington herald., 1909-02-20

Maj. Newell Ball, who has been sum
marily dismissed. without hearing. from
his position as assistant superintendent Of
the street-cleanlng department. does not
propose to acquiesce in this treatment OF
rest under the charge Of Incompetence,
but proposes 70 appeal to higher quarters.
He is not fighting for the job. but is
demanding justice and fair treatment.
His case has already received some per-
sonal attention az the Capitol. and may
be taken 10 the White House. There Is
no little sympathy with MAJ. Ball al the
District Building.
The order FOR his dismissal was issued
on Thursday. and viii take effect to-day.
He had previously been requested TO ten
der his resignation. 70 be effective Feb
ruary 2s. but through his attorney, H
Ralph Burton. requested that the charges
against him be formulated. and that he
be allowed TO answer them. A hearing
was denied him. and thereupon the op-
portunity 10 resign-although g ten
days interim reuained-Sas Cancelled.
and he vas dismissed
Charges Against wood.
According to Maj Balls understand
ing. he was charged with iucompetency
BY the new superintendent Of street
cleaning. J. NJ Wood. Now he has raised
the question Of the competency Of Super
.intendent Wood. and viii demand an in
vestigation on that score. He is prepared
to prove. he says, that a former super
intendent officially fled charges against
Mr.. Wood, and urgently insisted upon his
dismissal. Furthermore. he declares that
these charges were taken from the files
Of the department Immediately preceding
Mr. Woods promotion to the superin-
tendency. and have not been returned
Protesting agalnst the treatment ac-
corded Mai. Ball. his attorney, Mr.. Bur-
ton. in a letter sent 20 the Board of Dis
trict Commissioners yesterday. said:
There IS deep injustice IN dismissing
him upon the recommendation OF a man
who. himself. was charged by one Of his
predecessors with Incompetence and IN
fitness for work in the street-cleaning
department.
Asks About the Record.
Is it not true that about four years
ago. when Mr.. Wood was an inspector
OF machinery work IN the street.
cleaning department he was recomz
mended for dismissal by his superior
officer for incompetency and various
other reasons?
rs II not true that this recommen-
dation was put in the form of letter
dated April y. 1896 from Mr. Harri-
son Stidham. then superintendent OF
the street-cIeaning department. TO
Commissioner WesJ2
rs IT not true that under date Of
April IS. 1895. a report was made by
Mr. Stidham 70 Commissioner West,
setting forth in detail the reasons why
he considered Mr.. Wood tncompeteht2
rs IL not true that on October ..
1903. several days previous 70 the ap-
pointment Of Mr.. Wood. street-clean-
ing jacket No. 1$29 was taken from the
files Of the street-cIeaning department
by F. F. Eddsdngton on an order from
Mr. Ralph Pratt. secretary 10 ComInis-
sioner West2
Were these papers caned TO the
attention OF all the Commissioners
previous 10 the appointment OF Mr.
Wood?
Have these papers ever been re-
turned TO their proper place in the
files?
Request for Hearing Renewed.
Il respectfully and earnestly protest
against the action taken by your honor
able hoard in issuing an order dispensing
with the services OF Mr.. Bah on and after
the 10th instant, and renew my request
for hearing. Unless fairness and jus
tice be accorded Mr.. Ball in this matter
shall feel it incumbent upon me 10
take steps in another direction in order
that he may not suffer in pubic estima-
ton
Il was r1mOred iast evening that the
order for Mai. Balls dismissal had been
or would be reScinded, and that. after
all, he would be permitted to resign, but
Commissioner West stated emphatically
that the order would stand.
Commissioner Macfarland said that the
case came under Commissioner West and
was wholly in his hands. 1t viii be re-
called that the former Engineer Com
missioner, Maj. Morrow, refused to ap-
prove the appointment Of Superintendent
Wood.
Whether the board viii give heed 10
charges made by a dismissed official
against the head Of the street-cleaning
department remains to De seen. but there
is a probability that Maj. Balls demand
for fair treatment will be re-enforced
from influential quarters.
VIII Appeal to President.
The regular course VIII be TO lay the
charges before the Board OF District Com
miss:oners, said Mai. Ball. 7 hope
they viii be given proper attention. If
not the matter viii be brought 10 the
attention Of the President and influential
Senator's.
Superintendent Wood has submitted the
following recommendations 10 the Com
miSsiOners,
That so much OF the order Of Febru-
ary 10 as referred 70 Robert E. Doyle. c.
s. Shaw. and J. 3. Spalding be Cancelled:
SI-25 TO Baltimore &nd Retura
Saturdays and Sundays via Pennsylvania
Railroad. Tickets good returning until
Sunday night. All regular trains exceut