Merit system social mobility. After the fall of the Han Dynasty, the nine-rank system was established during the Three Kingdoms period. The concept of a merit system spread from China to British India during the 17th century, and then into continental Europe. The United States civil service began to run on the spoils system in 1829 when Andrew Jackson became president. The assassination of United States President James A. Garfield by a disappointed office seeker in 1881 proved its dangers. President Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau who believed that the president owed him a civil service position and in not
Charles J. Knapp P. Knapp (nephew of Charles J. Knapp) to The Outing Publishing Company, of which Charles J. Knapp was the President, and loans made by the Binghamton Trust Company to the Knapp Banks. Investigations revealed that the Knapp Bank was being bailed out by the Binghamton Trust Company of which Charles J. Knapp was the President. As a result, the Binghamton Trust Company also failed. Both Knapps were charged with criminally transferring money to an institution that they knew to be insolvent. Charles P. Knapp was sentenced to up to two years for his role in the failure. Charles J. Knapp