New-York tribune., 1914-11-18
MANY BUMP WAY
into POLICE JOBS
Gum Crown or Blow with
Wooden Spoon Raised
Short Candidates.
CIVIL SERVICE QUIZ
BARES ODD TRICKS
Weight Lifting Tests Barred
Accountant and Stenographer
from Work.

Interesting evidence as to the meth
ods through which candidates for the
Police Department.. who are "on the
danger line" as &c physical require
ments of height and weight, attempt
TO evade the civil service tests were
related Yesterday in the course OF the
probe now being instituted By the statc
board into the conduct of the Munich
pal Civil Service Commission.
Joseph Ruddy. clerk in the physi-
cal bureau Of the municipal commits
sion. who testified last week that he
conducted the weighing and measuring
tests without supervision Of any supe-
rior, amended his testimony on the
stand yesterday by asserting that when
a candidate was on the border line" he
was re-eXamined by DR.. Warbasse. the
chief medical examiner for the local
board.
DR.. Warbasse later testified that such
denomination only occurred when the
rejected candidate requested that he
be remeasured and reweighed or when
Ruddy called his attention TO border
line" cases. He said. however, that he
had never had occasion TO correct the
figures entered by Ruddy and that the
4NAAfi was AWAY y tOIltAis
Both Ruddy and DR.. Warbasse told
Of the eXpedients rcsorted 10 by can
Gidates who were slightly under the ,
feet ~ inches in height or under the
Necessary 140 pounds. These expedi-
ents included the eating Of quantities
of bananas and drinking considerable
water Immediately before entering the
physical examination for weight. Dr.
4
were one-fifth or one-tenth of an inch
under the required height plastered a
wad Of chewing gum upon the scalp
under the hair
Ruddy said that they sometimes got
q friend TO hit them over the head with
a heavy wooden spoon in order to raise
bump. He said that in such cases
he measured them, bump and all. He
said that rejected candidates could
pass upon re-eXamination by growing
heavy head Of hair, by taking a
Turkish bath overnight, by raising a
bump and by other subterfuges.
Frank Moss. Special Deputy Attorney
General. called the attention of the
State Commission 10 a number OF in
stances i'm which men had been re-
jected for failure to meet the height
requirement by from one-tenth to one
half an inch, and had subsequently
upon re-ex examination Deen accepted. He
also indicated numerous cases in which
candidates had passed on the exact re-
Quirement OF height and weight }
feet, III inches and 140 pounds. In
one case, Mr.. Moss indicated that a
candidate had grown a quarter of an
inch betweeI January IA and March 9.
Mr. Moss subjected Ruddy to a rigid
examination.
Bump Subterfugc Probed.
Odd you ever tell anybody that
hitting them on the head with spoon
would help their height? Al don't
think that | ever did.
Ruddy made a most recalcitrant wit
ness, and when pressed as 20 whether
or not he measured candidates with
bumps. insisted upon repeating: 81
don't know if he had bump"
Finally Judge Neu, president of the
State Commission, lost all patience and
shouted: 81 don't propose to fool any
more with you about this question and
/ want you to answer me. II you don't
/ will make ruling TO put you where
you will be willing to answer questions
which I put TO you
After some pressure the witness said
that II the bump was under the meas
uring rod it would be recorded.
Did YOU ever hear Of the 'Ruddy