The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-01-13
Merit Board Finds In
spectOr Guilty of
INSTRUMENTATION
LATTER'S CHARGES
NOT CONSIDERED
Investigation of De-
partment of Buildings
To Continue

Late Friday evening. after having
been in session two afternoons on
the case, the civil service commits
sion found that the building com
mission was right in discharging
Harry Hollands, an inspector. for
the good OF the service. Hollands
had appealed 10 the civil service
body, asserting that ne was wrong
fully dismissed The charges were
INSTRUMENTATION and misconduct.
Immediately after the verdict was
rendered Hollands and his attorney.
John c. Cross. OF James r. Pounds
office, announced that they would
take their case 10 the circuit court
and seek TO have the building com
mission and the civil service com.
mission reversed.
Hollands had declared that he was
fired" because he would not wink
at violations OF the building code
even on the orders OF Chief lnspec-
tor Dupont. his superior. He has
made charges that men in the build
ing department were fixed" by
builders so that they could construct
buildings in violation OF the code
He declared that he would4not over
look these attractions OF the law
and that he was dismissed because
he would not ne tool OF those who
wished 10 favor builders and con
tractors
Says Bad Work Is Passed
As result Of his activities one
builder has been arrested and viii
be tried on Jan. "a on the charge OF
Offering Hollands bride 10 pass
work that did not come up 20 speci
6cations Hollands declared that
much Of he work going hp al pres
ent is contrary 20 the specifications
called for in The building code and
he frankly admitted that he had FIRE
quent clashes with Chief Inspector
Dupont because no insisted upon
complaining when he found infrac-
admitted his INSTRUMENTATION, but
excused II on the ground that he
followed the building code to the let
ter and would follow il despite or
ders OF his superiors.
The civil service commission
adopted the following resolution az
ter having heard a great amount Of
testimony:
Resolved. That after full hear
ing and investigation by this com
the action of the building
commission is approved and the dis
charge OF Harry f. Hollands stands
as final We find he was not dis
charged for political OF religious rea-
sons or FOR any reasons other than
the good OF the service"
Charges Not Considered
While there have been charges OF
graft and other wrongdoing against
the department, vouched for by Hol
lands the civil service commission
announced AZ the outset OF It's inves-
tigation that il would consider only
the question Of whether Hollands
was guilty Of INSTRUMENTATION and
misconduct. Commissioner James u.
May announced that II was UP 10
Hollands to obey the orders OF his
superior even tho Hollands believed
the orders 10 be wrong. AS a result
the finding OF the civil service com
mission does not cover the ground
in Hollands charges. That Is left
for another tribunal. the commits.
sion simply finding that Hollands did
disobey orders and that in his zeal
he used language considered TOO
strong to be employed by an agent
OF the city.
Just before the close OF the testi-
mony Commissioner Guthard asked
Hollands IL he had ever appealed to
one OF the building commissioners
TO be given the fob OF chief inspec-
tor then held by Dupont. Hollands
said that he had not. but that he
had heard considerable talk about
such change. aItho he did not In
spire il. He admitted. however. that
be thought he knew more about
building than Dupont did. declaring
that Dupont was a carpenter while
Hollands was bricklayer and build
er. Hollands said that he began lay.
ing brick when ne was 10 years old
and had been At II practically ever
-. IL. 40