Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-01-20

III IOilONiiS 3bAiiihiNfAAANohANA
controversy over the removal of war
dens was today sent to Walter A,
Evans by Wilson Farrand
Newark. n. j., January 20, 1912.
Walter A. Evans, Esq, Director, Board
Of Chosen fr~eeholders, Essex Co.
II New Jersey.
~ Dear Sri have received and care
fully considered your letter of Janu-
airy is. In this you say you cannot be,
lieVe that | used the language attributed
to ne IN a report of the meeting heia
on "Wednesday to protest against the
attempted removal of the Nardens or
the county penitentiary and the over
brook asylum. The language to which
1 presume you refer is quoted not Ironl
nay words on that occasion, but from
the letter which / sent to You and to
the other members OF the Board OF
Freeholders on December 30 last. In
order hat there may be no mistake, [
repeat the letter below, and beg to say
thai / emphatically reaffirm everything
that is said there.
coming as il does without any attempt
on you part or on the part OF your
association 10 obtain all the facts IN
tina some time before Christmas, after
failing TO find YOU at your house, |
called you up on the telephone, and asked
YOU If you had anything to fsay as 10
the runor that Wardens Steadman and
Martin were to be removed for political
reasons. You told ME that there was
no T~OuDdaIlOn 1OI Slltl a statement hlu
that the question of patronage had not
vet been considered by the freeholders.
/ told you chat our committee did not
wish to act on a rumor and thai had.
therefore, come 10 you to ascertain the
facts, and / further said that il these
men were removed, except for good and
SUFFICIENT cause, il would raise a storm
in Essex county.
After il was reported in the papers
that at a caucus the removal of these
men had been agreed on sent TO the
individual members of the Board of
Freeholders the following letter:
December so. 1911.
TO the Members of the New Board of
frreeholders of Essex County
Conference.-The Essex county COM
nlittee of the State Charities Aid AS
ISOLATION protests emphaticallv against
the action which it was reported was
agreed on at "A caucus and is to be
taken at the organization meeting of
the new board on January first, involv-
ing the removal of Warden Steadman,
Of the Overlook asylum, and Warden
Martin. of the Caldwell penitentiary.
We protest because such removal will
be contrary to the spirit of civil service
reform, in the principles of which the
members of your board individually
declared their belief before election.
We protest against the removal of n 1
public servant, except Tor the purpose
of securing greater efficiency. 1t Will
be little short of a public calamity if
the governing board of Essex county
at this time takes a distinct backward
step TOWARD the feeSLaDllSllneul OIL the
outworn and diseredited spoils system.
IT will be an added disgrace if this ac-
ton is taken at the expense OF the
unfortunate wards of the public and if
even our charitable Institutions are
prostituted for political ends.
Both of the men referred to have APP
peared to be doing excellent work. and
so far as we have been able to ascer-
tain no valid reason has been assigned
for the change. II fnc work of either !
man has been tui,u .sractory in any
public that an explicit statement of the
reasons for the change should be made
and that am opportunity should be
for reply.
For the Essex county committee of
the state Charities Aid Association.
fSfgnpd1 WILSON FARRAND.
Chairman.
GAMES of this letter were sent 10 nh of
Inc member ~ N ssLoard. That addressed
To Won was delivered 10 Mrs. Evans az
yonr house laIe ON the afternoon of De-
rennber a. II also appeared i'm The Sunday
tal on December 81 We are, therefore,
iusfifind IN Nssnnnine that Won and the
ofhSs members Of the hoard had received
orr nrofest before Vou took action IN Jan-l
yon Will uote that in This letter
/ safd that sif the worl, Of either man
las heen nnsatisfartorv in any respert*tsss
an evnlieit statement or the reasons for
WIN difference 10 tho source of our in
formation. Won apnear 10 forget thai the
Charities Aid Association. nv author
nv Of an ACT Of fhe T,eeislature. has the
rishf IA visit and insnepf all county fnsti-
tntions This riehi we fhave eyercised.