New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-10
Rush, Surveyor of Port,
Also Involved in
Accusations.
APPEALS FOR MONEY
WENT TO EMPLOYEES
INQUIRY Inevitable as TO
Letters Meaning Jail
or Heavy Fine.
..uca! scandal which threaten


l.Uca! scandal which threatens
tb, seat Of Representative George ".
loft. in the 18th District, in this city.
and the Office Of Thomas r. Rush, Sur
yevor Of the Port OF New York. has
been stirred up by indignant employers
Of the Surveyors Department.
lust prior TO tho election each Of the
1SIO men and women connected with
the Surveyors Office received at least
txo appeals for contributions 10 the
Democratic campaign. These letters
we're signed with Gr. Lofts name. and
30 framed as to bring remittances read
,'v from the more timid employees, who
fearsd they would be railroaded ont of
their jobs if they failed TO contribute.
The United States Criminal Code
covers this. It fixes penalty Of $1,000
fne or three years in prison or both on
,se conviction Of any Representative
!a Congress. ETC.. or any clerk or en-
ploye "of any department. branch or
bureau Of the executive. judicial. mill
tary or naval service Of the United
states" who solicits or receives cam
paicn funds directly or indirectly.
Rush is d Tsmmany man. The only
employees solicited IN any OF the New
York branches of the Treasury De-
rartment were those under him The
only complete list of the names and
addresses Of the employees in the Sur
,eyor's department is kept in his Of
fee
Have Kept Envelopes.
The envelopes, in which the requests
FOR contributions were received, have
been retained by most OF the persons
solicited, for the purpose Of turning
thcm over TO the United States Dia
rct Attorney should an investigation,
Naich seems wholly inevitable. be com
meaced.
Indignation against Surveyor kush's
admin str4tion IS given particular i'm
petus By the fact that Acting Deputy
Surveyors Richard Parr, who Unearthed
he sugar frauds, and Alexander Me
keon, longtime and efficient govern
nent workers. have been humiliated.
PARIS salary was recently cut $500
By Rush, and he is at present unas-
signed because Of "a tilt with Rush over
request TO be returned to his original
DUTY as a special agent in the Office Of
the Collector Of ne Port. Former Col
lector Wi!uam Loeb intervened when
friends detailed the opposition directed
against Parr, but mis- efforts have come
10 nothing.
McKeon daily awaits notice that his
salary has been reduced, TO increase,
as PARIS cut was. 10 is said. the salary
Of William Tirney. Acting Deputy Col
lecror, who is in high favor with Rush.
Employees TerrOrized.
EMPLOYEES Of the department say that
ine bureau has never been IN such
state Of DISCRIMINATION as exists there
to-day. and that they fear q whole
sale sweep which will drive out every
person who has not lined up with the
Ismmany forces.
Rush. formerly special counsel 70
the state transfer tax appraiser Of the
State Controllers Office, was appointed
Surveyor of the Port on August Z by
President Wilson. He was backed by
Senator O'Gorman, Secretary McAdoo,
Dudley Field Malone and Mayor
Mitchell He took Office on September
10. Fifteen days later the axe was
sharpened for Parr and Mckeon.
Early in October large notices, sent
from the Office Of the Civil Service Com
mission IN Washington. we're posted IN
all Of the federal buildings here. They
warned all federal employees against
soliciting or receiving campaign con
tributions
On October % this printed instruc.
non was sent by mail to the home OF
each Of the employees Of the surveyors
Office:
g. Drlv and Acins Deputy Surveyors IN,
s,e~lr. Assistant Weiglers Assl.lsni
,saser. "a srd 0t3eT ,i,.5s, I'm lap}S sgTeyo3 o.
your attention IS particularly sa..gl .S-s,n sS s,E
Amt 'o 'nc following provisions o. ia" '''''"
Section lls ~ tae criminal code PROVIDES
ro clc-l or eupl.je. OF any te
ranr1ant branch Dr bureau li tho executive.
judicial OF military or naval service W 'I'
...l. o- receive o- b. iu any manner concerned
fl. soliciting or receiving. any N-seasilt-t, SUI
gls. .cts,,,e- f-o. sry oricer c.ora or enl-
l.f5e 0f fla United states, or any uepei .i.l'l,'
branch. of bureau thereof. oi ION rom st a.. fror,
froeiulg any .alarT ~ coihltNs .i' .i.D' t.,t,.-i
moneys derived from the Treasury of ihe lni'eo
Ssc,.o, 1fa Of ,hs criminal code provides,
$50 person shall. iu any room or ug.'D',s
occupied ga the discharge of Official uguS.
saT officer of employee N the hlten ''"'''
mentioned ln the preceding section. ..
soi-' m ans manner Whatever of receive AM Sns
contribution ~ money or oiief lnAi. % '~0
tIr ra'IfInUI WNNffkeF
section l2I OF me criminal code provides
. GSs, CO.. S.i et,s 81 ,,,s onei .,sli Ii''d directly Or
Hiife-tb give hand over 20 any oiigt a.
Ter. c.erk. or person. IN the sei'lce ,,e,,bcr e
80 or Delegate 20 Congress or iiesidcnt ,[vu [
mlssiauer any money or other valua1ie ti..Ds
Jon of an, political obieSt wha.eyer."
section l22 ~ me Criminal Cole pro'lles
'a4t ~hoeyer shan violate any provision %,
.Ie urcoeIlny section shall ho fined NOT more
Dan $1,000 or imprisoned mot more ina" u'''
iia'ns bal your attention called 70 these
sections ~ the Law. sou are warned mat any
THOMAS T. EUsH Surveyor.
About this same time word was sent
10 the heads of all divisions OF the
Surveyors Department, asking that the
names and addresses Of all the workers
IN these divisions be sent TO Mr. Rush' s
ONCE. This was done.
Appeal Against the Code.
Within few days the employees, IN
cluding the seven women inspectors
and stenographers, received letters un-
der tho engraved heading shown in the
photograph. asking for contributions.
Few responses were made, because most
Of the employees thought it campaign
iormality, and that the names had not
been chosen carefully. but had been