The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-07-22
SUSPENSION REVEALS
OFFICIAL PORT CRAFT.
Commissioner Quinn Ac-
cused of Failing to Stop
Payment of Gratuities.
TIPS DOUBLE SALARIES
Deputies Said TO Have
Pooled Sums Given to
Them by Owners.
HARDSHIPS on SEAMEN
Men Under Charges Act i'm Ju-
dicial Capacity In Passing
on Complaints.
TIPS DOUBLE SALARIES
HARDSHIPs on sEAMEN

Accusations 81 accepting gratuities
made against deputy shipping com
missioners caused yesterday the sus-
pension OF Patrick }. Quinn. shipping
commissioner az this port. on charges
OF "inefiiciency and neglect OF duty
following an investigation OF his Office
by c. H. Huston. Assistant Secretary
o. Commerce. There are number CT
deputies. who. according 10 Mr.. Hus-
ton. have about doubled their salaries
BY taking tips from ship owners Each
deputy receives about 81 500 a year.
10 the total runs into many thousands.
u Mr.. Huston IL correct
Commissioner Quinn. when seen az
his home in Brooklyn last night. de-
cilned 10 discuss the matter at all or
even 20 admit that ne was under
charges. Neither would he say how
many deputies are supposed TO be In
VOWED.
compla ints 70 secretary Hoover 81 the
Department Of Commerce caused tho
investigation Il was said.
The United states Shipping Commits
stands between the ship owner and the
seaman. The.s must be a commissioner
or deputy present every time a crew
signs on an American shin and when
the crew is paid off The Commissioner
adjusts also all kinds Of complaints made
BY seamen. such as those OF improper
food or quarters. mistrcatment by ships
officers an1 the like. duties which are
performed by Consuls In foreign ports.
Formerly the Commissioners were APP
pointed by the President. but a lew years
ago an executive order was issued put
ting the office under Civil Service regu-
iations. Commissioner Quinn. formerly
a Democratic district leader IN Brooklyn.
vas thus covered In his office and
charges are required 20 remove him.
AS a result OF the investigation"
Statement issued by Assistant Secretary
Houston said. facts were developed
that practically all the Deputy shipping
Commissioners were accepting gratui-
ties from ship owners In sums OF from
s. to SO. and that these gratuities were
being pooled and pro-rated weekly
among the Deputy Commissioners. The
amounts received by the Deputy Com
missioners from this source were equal
TO or greater than their regular COM
pensation from the Government
A Deputy Commissioner under obli-
cations TO n ship owner. u was pointed
out. could readily minimize seamen's
complaints and overlook cases OF Inn
proper treatment OF men that really
deserved taking up.
A despatch from Washington last
night said reports of the investigation
had been turned over TO the Department
OF Justice and forwarded 10 United
States Attorney William Hayward for
such action as the facts warrant At the
Department of Commerce II was said
that numerous suspensions were sched-
uled" I'm the Shipping Commissioners
office.
The Commissioner has between thirty
and forty clerks and deputies. none OF
whom receive large salaries. The Com
missioner himself receives $4,000 n year.
A man in touch with the situation said
last night that opportunities for petty
graft in the office were numerous. a
hundred seamen. he said. might claim
five or six hours overtime apiece and
the owner dispute It. 1t would be up TO
the Deputy Commissioner on the job To
umpire the dispute. which would involve
several hundred dollars all told.