The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-08-24
NOW In PARK BUREAU
Family Physician, Too, Was
Unpopular Appointee,
but He Stuck.
CIVIL SERVICE SUBDUED
Salaries and Grades Division
Had to Go When Mayor
Found Tt Convenient.

Mayor John +. Hylan is persistent
IN his efforts and determination to
provide city jobs for persons he
fancies. Some persons have even init
mated that the Mayor finds this an
easy way to wipe out old obligations.
| But against this must be taken the
Mayors own word for it, for he said
long ago when confronted with some
such criticism:
II pay my own way"
His personal friend and family ply
stefan, like many other OF the Hylan
circle Of My Friends and Neighbors."
can bear testimony to Mayor Hylan's
generous dispensation of jobs which
carry city salaries. And SO can Mayor
Hylan's family druggist. for It be-
came known yesterday through in
quiries by THE NEW York HERALD that
despite violent opposition from Tam
many critics in the earlier part OF his
administration the Mayor has found a
way to take care of the druggist and
has landed him In a job where said
i vi AlaNS Foi-DV yCaIty vi tIlS
city's easy money.
Harry J. Kempf is the druggist. He
| lives at lis Quincy street. but has his
drug store at SIC Broadway Brooklyn,
where Mayor Hylan is deemed an es-
termed customer. Ever since Bushwck
stepped into the Mayoralty light Druggist
| KempG has lad an ardent desire to draw
n city pay check twice a month For
4 reasons 10 be told he had TO forget that
| desire quite a while. But perhaps the
story Of Mayor Hylan's physician getting
a job and then promotion should be told
4 first
Physician Thrust on Amster.
| When Dr. Lewis Amster took charge
\ of the Department OF Health at Mayor
\ TIylan's request on January IA. 1918. he
was confronted with demand that he
\ appoint DR.. Frank ]. Monaghan OF 1863
Bushwick avenue. Brooklyn. Mayor IIy-
lan's family physician. as secretary OF
the department at SIS. year
DR.. Amster demurred, as he had only
accepted the position on the promise that
Mayor Hylan would give him free
4 hand in the organization and administra-
ton of the Health Department. But the
\ Mayor was obdurate and the APPOINT
II l1lens OF Ut. tMOUdSndn was llldue Jam
I uary II, 1918. Three and half months
later on April 90. 1918. Or. Amster sent
his resignation 10 the Mayor. declaring
| that he could not conscientiously remain
1 az the responsible head of the Health
| Department under the intolerable con-
/ 6itions imposed upon him. He wrote OF
| Or. Monaghan:
"On no less than two occasions I re-
ported TO you my opinion that he was
unsuited to perform the duties of his
office and that desired your permission
to dispense with his services. This you
refused 70 give and II soon developed
that this gentleman was intended by you
| to be your personal representative In the
/ department, to whom you have repeat
eddy given directions for tho conduct OF
! the department without my knowledge
and without reference 10 my opinions of
administrative policy and procedure"
So Dir. Amster resigned and Dr Royal
:. Copeland. the present Commissioner,
took charge. In the meantime DIR. AM
ster had installed Charles L. Kohler as
his personal secretary Dr.. Monaghan
remaining secretary OF the department.
DR.. Monaghan Promoted.
Or. Copeland desired TO have his own
secretary. and in August. 1918. he named
4 Joseph -. BeStar. charles y. hOnItr
was promoted 70 secretary OF the de-
partment and Or. Monaghan rose TO the
rank of Deputy Commissioner and
Sanitary Superintendent" at $4,000 q
year. now $500. The title of Deputy
Commissioner was an entirely new one,
a creation OF Mayor Hyian's for the
beneat Of his family physician. The
previous title had been merely sanitary
Superintendent" and the position had
been filled with honor and distinction
by s,kh men as DR. Walter a. Bensel,
for years Sanitary Superintendent, and
Or. Frank Knause. who had been twcn-
Is years in the department.
pr. Copeland was asked II the new
titles and jobs would stick He replied ::
Maybe they arc permanent; maybe
not, We shall Sec"
DR. Frank J. Monaghan Is still Dep
uty Commissioner and Sanitary Supcrin-
tendent" under DIR. Copeland
Returning 10 Druggist Ken1pf. At
the same time that Or. Monaghan was
being put forward for secretary Of the
Health Department Mayor Hyan UNDER
took 10 get his druggist friend job and
picked out OF ell places for a druggist.
tho position OF examining engineer in
the Department OF Street Cleaning Pos
sibiy Druggist kempf had picked out
this place for himself. The job paid
$4,000 a year. On January Mayor