New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-06
Charges Intimidation and
Unfairness ofBureauChief
Forced Resignation.
FLAYS ADAMSON;
LETTER TO MAYOR
Commissioner Criticised for In.
difference Toward Women
In City Posts.

Miss Juliette Arden. OF West 9lst ST
one OF the three women appointed. after
bitter night 10 the position OF inspectors
In the Bureau OF Fire Prevention, resigned
last night In a letter TO Commissioner
Robert Adamson she charges that her
three months career in the bureau was
one OF strife. intimidation and unfairness.
and that she remained until her endur-
ance had reached its limits
Not only does she severely critlcise
Chief Hammitt OF the bureau, but she
lays her troubles at the door OF the Com
missioner as we'll. Along with the letter
to Mr.. Adamson she sent one TO Mayor
Mitchell announcing her resignation Her
letter to the Fire Commissioner reads:
When accepted your appointment to
the Bureau Of Fire Prevention I did so
with confidence in your good faith in MAX
ing that appointment.
Probably no one understood better than
| the danger | ran il you we're not sin
cere. However, IL was the greatest COM
pliment to you when placed myself in
your power-the known intimate friend OF
Joseph Johnson. ex-Fire Commissioner OF
New York and my opponent In the now
famous nre prevention wcmens case.
You cannot plead ignorance Of condi-
tons as your excuse for your indifference
as to how the women you appointed were
faring after they entered the department
Your indifference was so complete that
you have never inquired about their well
fare at ALL although you must have
In -f,t,
they encountered at the hands of their
fellow workers, who looked upon them as
usurpers OF mems places.
i warned you, as | had right TO do
Under the peculiar circumstances OF our
appointment of the condition of affairs
at the end Of my first week Of service,
and again ten days ago Week after
week passed. and We hoped and expected
you would make some inquiry of us.
The fact that YOU did not showed how
little real interest you took in a matter
which has so greatly interested the gem
eral public; nor did your appointed head
OF the Fire Prevention Bureau. Chief
Hammitt, show any greater interest in
the matter. as was proved when | tried
TO see him about four weeks ago. and he
refused TO admit me unless 7 stated my
business beforehand to the clerk in his
Office
Your action In subjecting me last Fri
day TO his attempt at intimidation was
but the natural sequel OF what had gone
before. I cannot but express my regret
that you should not have lived UP TO the
very splendid impression you had made
upon a highly interested public. but you
have not. because your heart was not m
II, and each individual must In the end
bear the responsibility for his own acts,
even In the public mind.
1T is with regret that 7 send to you my
resignation from the Bureau Of Fire Pre-
vention, to take effect Immediately. That
bureau might be great and useful In
etitution, respected by all, but 1t Is not.
because it is left largely to the admins
tration OF people who have very little
Judgment and certainly no discretion, VINO
manage things 10 suit themselves and
their own ends and represent them as
they please afterward."