Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-06
Response of Commissioner Ru-
doIph to Carey Charges.
SAYS STATEMENT IS FALSE
Had Been Quoted as Condemning
Dismissal Of Supt. Wood.
OTHER ALLEGATIONS MADE
President of Board Declares He and
His Colleagues Are in
Strict Accord.

Cuno III. Rudolph, president OF the
board of District Commissioners, vigor-
| ously denies the assertion made in
speech by Representative Carey Of Wis
| consin. which was printed in the Congress
sional Record yesterday, that he referred
to the discharge Of James M. Wood for
mer superintendent of the street cleaning
department., who was summarily removed
by the Commissioners, as an outrage. In
| statement made last night Commits
| sioner Rudolph declares he never said
any such thing and says the board was
in perfect accord in taking action on
Woods case. He adds that he would like
to be brought face to face with the
anonymous prominent citizen" who is
quoted by Mr.. Carey as his authority for
making the statement about the Commits
sioner.
Mr.. Carey made charges against the
Commissioners in a letter filed with Pres1-
dent Taft a couple Of weeks ago, and he
followed them up with speech In the
House February n. The specific terms
Of the charges were not divulged until
yesterday. Mr.. Carey's speech was that
day printed in the Congressional RECORD,
and with 1t was the letter containing the
government.
Summary Of Carey Charges.
In brief, Mr. Carey charges that the
board Is split. with Commissioners john
ston and Judson arrayed against Com
missioner Rudolph, and that Supt.
Woods removal was the result Of a con-
spiracy against him in the board which
Mr. Rudolph was unable to combat.
Mr.. Carey also charges that Commits
sioner Johnstons carriage, the property
of the District, had been used repeatedly
by his private secretary. in violation OF
the law; that the commissioners mao ea
charges for taxicab service, and that
property in the District had been i'm
properly assessed. His letter, in part.
follows:
law, Commissioner Johnston turned over
to his private secretary. Ralph b: Pratt,
the horse and carriage, which the law
directs shall be used only by MIN IN MS
official capacity, and the SAID prlv ss'e
months the horse and carriage to nave
him brought from his home to the office
each morning and taken back IN the
evening The carriage was also used by
Mrs Pratt on her marketing and shop
ping trips. This outrageous use OF pub
lie conveyance was continued until jan
uary 3, 1911, when Commissioner john
ston issued an order to the superintendent
or street Cleaning HlISCIlu6 ehoS SaiS
horses should not go out OF the stable
again until further orders, and also d.
recting that the forage OF the horses,
repairs to carriages, etc., should De
charged to the contingent miscellaneous
expense allotment of the street cleaning
department, instead Of to the contingent
miscellaneous expense allotment of the
said Commissioner.
Alleges Overcharges by Taxicahs.
"Your attention is also called to the
fact that the Commissioners permit the
taxicab companies to overcharge their
patrons. For instance, IL desire to at
tend a reception at the White House they
demand s., when the trip both ways does
not require an hour at the most. It Is
violation of the law.
Further, last year, at the time Of the
inauguration ball, the Commissioners
gave the taXicab companies a written
permit to charge so to take people to
and bring them from the ball, which
believe was beyond their authority. Such
an act as this on the part Of the Com
missioners certainly has opened the way
for future violations on the part Of these
companies ] think that these prices are
an outrage to the public.
Information has been brought to me
that recently schoolhouse has been built
at Chevy Chase, on the District line, en-
tirely for the convenience OF the rich. and
it's location is for the decided disadvan-
tage Of the poorer classes, these children
being compelled to walk several miles.
Had it been built more centrally and
not so near the District line it would
benefit those who contribute more largely
for its maintenance"
Response by Commissioners.
In a letter from the Commissioners to
President Taft, answering the Carey
charges. the following statement is made