New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-03


stalled in the civil service department
and the circumstances leading 20 the
dismissal of Philip J. Coirey and Claude
Curtis. formerly in charge Of the La.
hor Bureau for the CertitiCatiCn oil
non competitive laboring positions
such as elevator runner, cement mixer
etc. for which qualifying tests were
held.
nr. MoSkowitz stated these two mcr
had been dismissed for reasons on
economy and efficiency and that the
work done by them is now distributed
among other bureaus. He testified nc
did not consider either man possessed
trained mind, notwithstanding inc
fact that Cofey had been Connected
with the department for eighteen years
and Curtis for sixteen.
Miss Florence Roland, stenoRrapher
in the Department of Public Charities
testified she was not on the civil ser
vice list. She stated she had applied
TO Commissioner kingsbury for po-
sition and had been referred 70 Miss
Lohmann, secretary and confidential
stenographcr to the Commissioner
who, after examining her for htteen
minutes, informed her that she had
qualified for a position. She was des-
ignatcd as hospital helper al
though her work is confined TO the
Offices Of the Department Of Charities.
did you ever go TO any hospitals
asked Mr.. Moss.
Yes replied the witness. 81 went
twice with an investigator"
Oarsmau Gets Position.
Clyde b. Rose. secretary and clerk
-, ice ~ N 2
Wright, testified he had formerly
worked as Office boy for Charities
Commissioner Kingsbury in Seattle.
Wash. and that he had come TO this
state with the crew OF the University
Of Washington for the intercollegiate
regatta at POughkeepsic. After the
boat races, he said, he had come to
this city, and within three weeks had
been appointed by Mr.. Kingsbury as a
hospital helper" and assigned 10
duties in the Office Of Deputy Commits
sioner Wright in a clerical and secre-
tarial capacity.
what are the duties of a hospital
helper asked MIR. Moss.
II don't know" replied the witness.
81 saw some of them acting as night
watchmen and others cleaning the cor
ridors with soap and brushes
J. Mckee Borden. secretary to the
Department of Public Charities, and
Deputy Charities Commissioners Hen
ry c. Wright and Gordon Ireland, who
constitute the Board Of Examiners
for the on-Competitiye Class OF En-
ployes in the Department of CHAR
tics" followed each other upon the
stand.
Mr.. Moss read to each of these wit
ncs-cS list Of names they had M
dorscd for appointment to positions
as Hospital helpers He demanded
to know whether or not the witnesses
ass individuals or AS board had OK
umiued the persons named in the list:
IA each instance the witness admitted
that no such examination had taken
place.
Nh Wright insisted that for twenty
five years the practice of the Charities
Department had been the same. lie
explained that the ranks of hospital
helpers" were recruited in large part
from the ranks OF periodic drunk
ards" lie insisted that for the most
part the work performed By the men
and women employed under the dcslg-
nation Of hospital helper was OF
mental character.
The board of examiners, Of which he
was a member, he said, had never un-
dertakcn TO personally examine such
appointces. The hospital superlnten-
dents, he insisted. had always been the
sole judges of such applicants expert
encc and physical ability TO perform
the functional duties required.
in response to i question Of Mr..
Moss. the witness said the assignment
Of hospital helpers to clerical duties
was custom Of long standing.
Mr.. Moss asked the witness II he be-
lieved stenographcrs and clerks en-
ployed in the offices Of the Charities
Department were properly designated
as "hospital helpers" The witness said
there had been lack Of funds for the
employment Of such clerical forces and
that il had been necessary TO transfer
u portion OF the Hospital helpers
fund" Jf the Metropolitan Hospital 10
the central Office Of the Department OF
Charities TO meet tn" cXlgcncics Of the
payroll