City Engineer Clerk Is Again Discharged

E. Allan Weinstein, chief clerk in the office of Thomas J. Daley, city engineer, received notice today from Frank B. Hanna, superintendent of streets, that he has been discharged. Dismissal papers, Weinstein said, were served by Hanna personally at Weinstein's home, 441 Kaighn avenue. Weinstein said he has filed an appeal with the Civil Service Commission asking that he be granted a hearing. The discharged clerk reported that he had been suspended December 29, by Daley, followed by another notice of suspension December 30 signed by Commissioner Sayrs. He said the charges made against him included inefficiency, insubordination, absence without leave, failure to obey orders and neglect of duty. Weinstein declared that he denied all the charges in the appeal he has filed with the Civil Service Commission. He said he was previously suspended last September on charges of "loitering in the City Hall offices" and "reading a newspaper." The discharge notice served on him today, he said, contained the name of Commissioner Sayrs, signed by Miss Martha Kemble, the director's confidential secretary. Weinstein said Hanna explained he had not received notice previously because Commissioner Sayrs has been ill. The commissioner is a diphtheria patient at the Municipal Hospital. Weinstein, commenting on his dismissal today, charged discrimination by Commissioner Sayrs before the director became ill. "As chief clerk," Weinstein said, explaining his charge, "I had charge of the payroll. He had several persons in the department who were paid by the day. If they had been appointed by Sayrs, and they were absent from work a day or so, they were given their pay for the time they were away. But if they had not been named by Sayrs and were hold-overs from the previous administration, they would not be paid for the time they happened to be absent. This was particulary the case during the Christmas season, when the Sayrs' appointees were paid for Christmas, and those not appointed by him, but who had been Non-Partisans, were not. It was a plain case of discrimination."