Evening journal., 1914-08-31
GUST WOMEN TO Make.
WAY FOR DEMOCRATS
That Charge Made by Mrs.
Piner Against Postmaster
English
SAY THEY WERE TOLD
PARTY WANTED PLACES

That they were oustod from posi-
tions as charwomen at the Federal
building for political reasons. in or
der TO make way for Democrats. is
the charge Of Mrs Lena C. Piner. of
No. 435 Buttonwood street, and Mrs.
Ada Johnson. Of No. BOG East Eighth
street. Both are colored. They were
ousted the first of July and they
claim they were told by Postmaster
English that Democrats were demand
ing their places
Mrs. Lena G. Piner. in speaking
about the change at the Federal
building said TO an EVENING JOUR-
NAL reporter: "Three years ago for
mer Postmaster Jester appointed my
sister. Mrs. Ada Johnson, No. BOG
East Eighth street, and myself and we
worked in the building until July /
last. We went busting In all the Of
! fees, Judge Gray's and Judge Brad
iord's chambers, upstairs and down
/ stairs where there was no money
and back In the registry department
among piles of money and valuables.
Everyone told us we gave general sat
]
our best. / came here from Harris
| burg, where ! had been In the employ
! Of the late Congressman Olmstead.
About June ! we were told by En-
| gineer Mcintyre, our boss, that we
had tho option to resign or Postmas~
ter English would discharge us. He
/ told us that Mr.. English must stand
by his party and that Mr.. English
was replacing Republicans with
Democrats. So We sent in our resig-
nations and out we went July T.
"lwo weeks ago Postmaster English
sent for as and we had lively little
tilt. Sister told Mr.. English about the
discharge of John Dcnnison, a Repub-
lican. lie admitted our work was sat.
islactory and refused to 20 too deep
into the matter. Then charges were
preferred after we left the building, as
our record was good at Washington.
Charges against me were that-l visited
the home of a smallpox patient and did
not pay my bills. My sister was charg
ed with having called man a big
sloh al hcr home.
"Last spring ! went over TO the But
tonwoods TO see Mrs. Adams and ! did
not know she had smallpox and never
went near her. But the Board of Health
learned that had been at the Button
woods and we were vaccinated. Post
master English did not take any ac-
tion until months after my visit TO the
ButtonwOods. u was simply u case OF
am excuse to get whack nt ms. Those
other gentlemen in the building asked
Mr.. English not TO discharge us but
he said he couldn't help doing IL be-
cause the Democratic party demanded
that we be replaced by Democrats. w,
were paid S25 a month and each mar
who took our place gets $50 a month
An Inspector from Washington called
here ON Monday hut we were not al
home Our attorney is Philip l.. Gar
rott and he has taken up the case Will
Washington authorities
Postmaster English, when asked fo
an explanation for the dismissal of TIN
two colorcd women. today. said that h
had been having trouble with the womei
for some time. and ne had receiver
numerous complaints concerning thei
factions Ia the building lie stated tina
last June, when the women resigned.
police officer called at The postoflic
building with warrant for the arrcs
of one OF them charged with ightin,
with her husband The women then hi,
in a room ON the third floor of the build
9 ing, Mr. English said, and the polio
had TO search the building for som
time before they found her. He sai
that ON numerous occasions bin col
lcciors called at the building 10 see III
women, and they would stand in IN
corridor and curse them
Mr. English stated that he ha
stood their conduct as long as h
could and finally told Mr.. Mclntyr
that they would have to resign or n
would have TO prefer charges agains
them The women then resigned. an
sent "a statement TO the papers to IN
effect that they had resigned vOluntar
lily, Mr. English said II added tha
the action of tho police i'm oomin
with a warrant after one of the won
en-. as we'll as the smallpox inciden
which had occurred about that time
had been the climax and furnishe
the reason for the dismissal of th
women. No mention was made &
the Democratic party az that time, n
i said. and politics had nothing to d
;, with &C. He added that tho wome
r frequently appeared az work wit
p their heads tied up as the result {
= having fights with their husband
z Mr. English stated that he had en-
4 ployod one man TO do the work th
- two women were doing. and this on
l. man received $50 a month. the eQui'
r alent of the wages of the two won
g en-.
rnHnnTur u0rInu uIruT