Evening star., 1937-03-06
NEP0T|SM PROBE
SHOWS S19PERSONS
FROM 6 FAMILIES
Employees of District Water
Department Listed in
Investigation.
OFFICIALS DISCLAIM
ANY IRREGULARITIES
Deny Clique" Controls Job Ap.
pointments-State Related
Workers Long in Service.

the House subcommittee OH DlSIIlCI
Appropriations, brought an immediate
disclosure that six families are repre-
sented by 10 persons employed in the
District Water Department.
Water Department officials frankly
made public the identities Of related
persons on their pay roll after learn
Ing the investigation had been ordered.
Just as promptly, they denied there
was any clique" which was con-
trolling job appointments in that de-
partment, and from Maj. j. B. Gordon,
District sanitary engineer, came the
statement that, so far as he knew,
their statement was correct. Gordon
is the head of the Sewer Department,
but under reorganization of the Engi-
neer Department some years ago was
given supervision over the Water De-
partment.
officials of the Water Department
said nearly all of the related persons
In the department had been in the
service for many years. They made
the point that in all cases which they
could list, the individuals had started
at the lowest grade and some had
worked their way up the ladder
through merit.
Few Named in Recent Years.
In less than half a dozen cases, ac-
cording to the list made public by D.
w Holton, superintendent OF the
Water Department, have any relatives
been appointed in recent years. Both
Holton and his principal assistant,
Humphrey Beckett, Water Department
engineer, explained that since about
1880 all persons appointed, other than
per diem workers, had to be drawn
from the eligible list of the Civil Serv-
ice Commission.
Holton has been superintendent of
the department only since 1880.
Judging from talk at the District
Building, the nepotism inquiry appar-
emily is directed primarily at the
Water Department.
Robertson is the name most fire.
quently appearing on the list given
out by Holton. There is Norman B.
Robertson, who entered the service
in 1911 and who is chief clerk of the
department. His brother. William ",
entered the service in 1908 and now
is in charge of transportation serv-
ices and assigned at the Bryan street
station.
William Robertson has two sons,
John F., who entered the service four
years ago as a per diem worker. and
William F., a clerk who entered the
service about six years ago.
Humphrey Beckett started in the
District service AZ years ago as a
driver at s1.50 a day. His brother,
Charles c., entered the service in
1902 and now is an assistant engi-
neer. and a second brother Walter H.,
retired about a year ago after about
30 years of District service. Part of
the time Walter served as a police
man. In the Water Department he
was an inspector.
Brother -in-Law Employed.
Another employe is Thomas L. Will
son, an assistant engineer, whose
brother-in-law, Augustus S. Lay, is
an assistant engineer. Lays brother
in-law, Edward B. Marks, was a
craftsman in the department until a
few days ago, when he took nom
District job
Daniel B. Lyons, foreman, who
entered the District service AZ years
ago, has a son, Daniel, jr.. who has
been in the service IA years, who also
Is a foreman. Department officials
said John D. Lyons, skilled laborer
in the department, also was related
to Lyons, sr.
Ralph L. Hebbard, an engineer in
the meter division. is said to have
one son in the Water Department.
Russell E., laborer. A second son,
Lester w., formerly a clerk in the
Water Department, was transferred
recently to the Sewer Department.
The last family case listed today
was that of Arthur Ball, an assis-
tant to William v. Robertson, who
has been in the service 20 years His
brother, Harry Ball, an assistant at
the Bryant street station, has been
in the service 18 years. Harry Balls
son, Gordon w., has per diem job.
May Publish Report.
The results of the investigation, it
Is reported, are to be placed before
the House subcommittee and may be
spread on its printed report, including
names and salaries.
Just what provoked the inquiry Dis
trict officials declared they do not
know. Commissioners Hazen and
Allen said they had not known the
survey had been ordered and like
wise said they did not have any idea
how many District workers had rela-
tives on the District pay roll
District Auditor Donovan declined to
make any statement, except that what
ever information Collins may have
asked for would be supplied to him.
He said he could not release informa-
ton sought by a congressional COM
mittee.
This probe constitutes the second
survey of the District pay roll, which
Is being conducted at the request of
Collins or the committee he heads.
About week ago Maj. Donovan was
directed to list all municipal en-
ployes who hold jobs outside the Dis
trict government.
Extra Job Data Sought.
Several days ago Collins disclosed
the motive of that inquiry was to
reduce the number of taxicabs In the
District. He said he had been given
information that 1000 of the more
than 1000 cabs licensed by the Dis
trict were being operated by Federal