New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-19
State Commission Orders
Hearing and Sets Date
for September %.
SEEKS FACTS ABOUT
FILLING JOBS HERE
Or. MoSkowitz To Be Asked to
Explain Appointments in
His Department.

The State Civil Service Commission
has ordered q public investigation of
the local commission. Notice was
served upon President Henry Mos
kowitz and his colleagues yesterday by
Judge Jacob Neu, president Of the
state commission. The state authori-
ties, however, will continue the pres
ent inquiry next week. To-day the
State Civil Service Commission will
hold an executive session in the Mu-
nicipal Building, but this meeting will
have no bearing upon the pending in
vestigation. The inquiry will be re-
sumed Tuesday.
September 20 is the date announced
for public probe into the formal
charges.
In informing the local civil service
authorities of the investigation which
will be held, Judge Neu said last night
that the state body had reviewed the
Official acts of the municipal commits
sion and from the information OBJ
tanned had decided that a formal in
veStigation Is not only advisable but
necessary. The communication OF the
state commission to the municipal
board continues;
"The state commission has reviewed
the situation leading up to the appoint
ment of the forty-six examiners in the
Department of Public Charities. lt
has also, as far as possible, looked into
the matter of the reorganization of the
Office of the municipal commission and
the reasons which led to the abolition
of the positions of labor clerk and as
sistsnt labor clerk.
1--WE have also considered the matter
of continued employment of monitors,
who were appointed after non-competI-
tive examination to act as clerks and
investigators. The subject of delay in
holding competitive examinations and
the continuance of provisional appoint
ments beyond the period of two
months, and the conduct OF examlna-
tions for positions in the non-competi-
tive class, has also had our attention
"These matters, as well as many
complaints relating to promotions,
transfers, exceptions from examlna-
tions under the provisions OF rule
XII, paragraph s, of the civil service
regulations, lead TO but one conclu-
sion, namely, that in or,pliance with
our official duty, the members of the
municipal commission should be given
an opportunity to explain these, and
any other details which may be pre-
scented for consideration"
The commission decided to hold the
investigations here beginning Septem-
Der 28.
Incidentally the state commission
sent a letter Yesterday requesting the
Municipal Civil Service Commission to
withhold the scheduled examination for
the place of assistant secretary to the
Mayor, "as the necessity for this ex-
animation may be the subject of in
ouiry when this commission conducts
a formal investigation Of the admins
tration of the civil service law and
rules in the City Of New York"
Although the examinations for this
place were announced September Ia,
the state commission regards 1T as
rather remarkable that but one april
cation for examination has been re-
ceived to date. A close scrutiny oil
the application blank, upon which ap-
plicants are obliged to first qualify for
participation in the examination, re-
veaIed. in the opinion of the commits
sion a carefully conceived scheme TO
eliminate SOlhPCNAbANA
didates as might not meet with the
approval of the present city admins
tration.
Philip ]. Coffey, who was removed
from the post Of labor clerk in the
Municipal Civil Service Commission by
DR.. Moskowitz and his associates, is
now on the preferred list for an as
sistant secretaryship.
James Creelman, former civil service
commissioner, was the principal witness
called yesterday by the state authori-
ties. The nature of his testimony was
not divulged Other witnesses were
Richard H. yelling, former civil ser
vice commissioner; Thomas c. Murray,
first assistant chief examiner, of the
local commission, and Robert W..
Belcher.
DR.. Moskowitz yesterday refused to
comment upon the action of the state
authorities, beyond saying that he well
coined a public investigation into the
conduct Of his department.