Show presidents LETTER washington nov 27 in a formal statement issued at the white house today hy president roosevelt mr gelbs removal is announced the president gave mr celb a hearing last friday at the request of senators genroso and knox of pennsylvania mr celb submitted a long statement in answer to the charges made against him and was supported in his defense by representative of pennsylvania president Roosevel ts statement which Is in the form of a letter to mr leib 13 as follows white house washington nov 27 1905 sir I 1 have carefully considered tho papers in your case and the statements made by you in your own behalf and by mr cooley on behalf of the civil service commission it appears to me very clear that there has been a constant and consistent effort on your part to evade the provisions of the civil service law to hamper its workings as far as possible and to obstruct in every way the action of the commission I 1 expect on the one hand that the commission shall endeavor not to hamper lut to aid the other public servants of the government in doing their work and on the other hand 1 expect in return that the other public servants shall operate cooperate co with the commission and aid them in their efforts to carry out the civil service law in your case it seems to mo clearly established that you have sought continually to take advantage of every kind of technicality in order to avoli carding out the law in good falth av of these you have hopt on the roll in almost continuous positions certain of your own relatives and at least one person whose appoints was merely for reasons efforts to carry out the law as it ap piles to appointments within the classified service it clearly appears that in one held upon information tarnished by your office there was such clear evidence of fraud that it had to bo canceled the evidence as to alie fraudulent character ot the examination implicated your sister two persons from your own town and one person who was at that time serving in your offles under temporary appointment and who was subsequently dismissed from the service for swearing falsely the president here quotes a letter sent by secretary shaw to mr leib calling attention to irregularities and then concludes Ms own atter as follows it the case had at that time when shaws letter sent been called to my attention my belief is that I 1 then would have requested your resignation most certainly after answering such a letter to which you made no effort in any way to maat any answer clearing yourself or traversing the facts alleged by the secretary it was your duty so to conduct your office that no possible criticism could come upon you instead of so conducting you have continued exactly the methods that previously obtained your sister for instance having been again temporarily appointed last august as money counter and notwithstanding the tact that this is a permanent position and that there were two on the register when you were notified that the appointment must bo made from these you in some manner secured declinations and thereupon on september ath again temporarily appointed your sister and she is in office at this time eo tar as the records ot the civil service commission show i 11 sf stence in wrong doing on your part it seems to me that there is no alternative ter native but to remove you from of flee you are accordingly hereby re moved from the position ot assistant treasurer of the united states very truly yours signed THEODORE hon wm S celb philadelphia pa |