Evening journal., 1911-02-22
SOME LIGHT
ON MIR. ELLIS
State tuberculosis Commits
sion Replies to His
Criticism
HOW He WAS EMPLOYED
ON A SMALL SALARY

The following statement was made
today by the Delaware State Iuber-
culosis Commission:
The Delaware State Tuberculosis
Commission while having no animos-
ity whatever toward Lawrence V. FL
lis, its former employee in the Whito
Car, feels IL unavoidable, (attor MS
unprovoked and absurd attack upon
them iu the columns Of THE EVEN
ING JOURNAL Yesterday, TO en-
tighten the public as TO the real mo-
tiyes and character of the writer.
The plain facts are these Ellis
was engaged az salary of 80 per
week. lie was to sleep In the car,
and pay all his expenses out OF his
wages To this he agreed without
demur, seeming very anxious for the
job. After being on the car a while
and finding out. as he himself states,
the amount Of the commissions an
nual apprOpriatiOn-he said that ne
found board more expensive than had
been allowed for. and needed larger
salary Fifty dollars month was
then offered him. as final rate, and
include all expenses. This he ac-
cepted. also without demur.
Many complaints came of him as a
custodian of the car. He was con-
tinually writing for his salary in ad-
vance, and the full amount was paid
him. But shortly after leaving, he
sent in a bill. i'm September, for SS925
for hotel expenses from April 18Th.
This bill the commission refused TO
consider. Lately he again sent In the
bill, this time for S9O.75 and with Il
letter to DR.. Harold l.. Springer,
secretary Of the commission. In which
he said (the italics and punctuation
are his own)
Notwithstanding the fact that my
former bill for same was nonchalant-
( ly repudiated by the Commission" as
intimated by your subsequent letter 10
me relative 10 same, also, in view OF
I the fact that I formerly agreed "a
work for $50 per month.
Neither do I presume that the Com
mission" would have me speak, open
/ ly and publicly. az this most crucia
and apportune time, hence the writing
of this, my request, that you commu
nicate with the proper representative
that they may consider the "onl
fairness of allowing the payment o
my bill for hotel expenses, while d
their employ
, ITuaIluB lulh VIII tNIiie INI llulH
and immediate consideration for tn
Commission" and that you will ad
wise me at your earliest convenienc
as to the attitude in regard TO same
| am. sir
Yours very truly
Lawrence V. Ellis
The commission, Of course. paid M
attention to this letter. having nothing
whatever TO fear from any speaking
that Ellis might do. That his accusa
tions are absurd can be seen by any
one reading The published reports o
the commission. which, by law. mus
be sent quarterly 10 the Governor
and which are published annually b.
the State printer. Every dollar is thei
accounted for, and the commission
is glad to have the attention of Tn
public directed to every expense ac
count they have incurred They d
not feel IL necessary, however, 10 re
ply TO Ellis except by publishing hi
own letter, showing %. That n
agreed to accept $50 a month for al
/, expenses. (2), That he then made a
extra charge of large amount. 6
That he tried to eXtort payment frOI
the commission by threats II ther
could have been any graft under IA
commissoin's system of accounts an
careful expenditures, who would hay
d been the first CRATER? The publi
after reading this letter, can prObabl
supply the answer.
q