The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-10-19


facts relative to Alderman Haws misconstrued by
the Chief Engineer, as will be reading his
statement. From this statement il appears that on
casually meeting the Chief Engineer, he stated TO
him that the term Of policeman, who was thea bell
ringer on Essex market tower, would soon expire,
and ashe, the policeman, wanted another man put in
his place, he, Alderman Haws, requested the Chief
to let the matter rest until the policeman's term
expired, as several fremen in his ward desired him
10 appoint certain fireman on the police, and that
they would see him, the Chief, to get the fireman
detailed as bell ringer; that 10 this the Chief
Engineer agreed: and further, that he, Alderman
Hsws never spoke 10 the Mayor on the subject,
and when asked, uniformly refused so to do.
Alderman Haws also explains his vote, which,
il is charged by the Chief, defeated the passage of
the ordinance relative to bell-rngers in the Board
of Aldermen.
His reasons are those which should govern
every homes! legislator in the discharge of his i'm
feeling or desire, Gas may be inferred from the
language of the Chief) TO defeat the measure, but,
on the contrary, with dispositios TO grant to him
all he claimed, without imposing ad dional burdens
on the tax. payers Of the city.
The next subject in order in the report, is in re-
laton to the repairs TO the houses Of the Fire De
partment. Previous TO the adoption of the new
charter, and OF the ordinances under 1t, the Chief
Engineer was authorized TO make repairs Of these
houses, provided the amount in any one instance
did not exceed fifty dollars.
On the passage of the ordinance organizing the
municipal departments Of the city government, un-
der the new charter passed May 30. 1919, this de-
scriplion of repairs taken from him, and all
repairs to the public buildings of the Corporation
were placed in the charge of the " Superintendent
of Public Buildings" under the direction of the
" Commissioner of Repairs and Supplies"
During the course Of this year. petition signed
by number of fremen, was presented to the Board
OF Aldermen, asking that the night to make Sigh
repairs these buildings, might be restored to the
Chief Engineers. The petition was Immediately re-
fened to the Committee on the Fire Departmen who
after reported in favor thereof, limiting the
amount of such repairs, in any one case, to fifty dol
lars. On the report being considered in the Board
objections were made TO II by several members-nOt
because they were unwilling to grant every facility
to the iremen for the repair of their buildings, or
that they ente rtained any wilful desire to injure
the Department, or = destroy its efficiency, but
because they considered the spirit, if no. the Ian.
guage, of the charter, intended TO place all the re-
pairs of the public buildings in the particular charge
of one general officer or bureau, alone 10 be re-
sponsible for them. Other members differed, and
on the question being taken, the report was lost by
a close vote.
That the charter clearly intended to divide the
executive duties of the Corporation into depart
ments and bureaux, each having its appropriate
duties, is eviden, from its reading The 18th Sec
ton, in relation 10 one of these departments and
several OF these bureauX, reads thus
"There shall be an Executive Department, to be
denomnated the Department Of Repairs and Sup
plies, which ehall have cognizance Of all repairs
end supplies OF, and for roads aud avenues, public
pavements repairs to public buildings, to fire en-
zines and apparatus of the Fire Department, and
the chief officer thereof shall be called the Com
missioner of Repairs and Supplies There shall
be four bureauX or branches in this department,
end the chief officers shall respectively be denomi
mated the Superintendent Of Roads, 'Superin-
teBdent of Repairs TO Public Buildings Superin-
tendent Of Pavements,' and 'Chief Engineer of
the Fire Department.
There is, also, particular account of the Cor
pcration to which the money fer these repairs are
all charged, as also one for the Fire Department.
Thus, while the ordinances OF the Corporation,
coniine the repairs TO the public buildings of the
city 10 a particular bureau, they give TO another
that Of the Chief Engineer of the Fire Department
all repairs TO the apparatus OF the said depart
ment.
If. therefore, members of the Common Council,
in their honest discharge Of Duty desire TO preserve
the division of duties of its executive officers end
TO confne the ordinances TO the spirit It not the
latent Of the charter they cannot be liable to the
eensnre of their felow-ciizeos, or Of any par.icu
lar class or body thereof. The Superintendent OF
buildings has, go far Is your committee have been
able TO ascertain en5savored 70 diSch trge the du-
ties conferred upon him by The ord,n-aces oil the
city, with proper regard TO the interests OF tho
Fire Department, as well as to other matters con-
Dectcd with his Office.
In his eilusion 10 the "rowdyism of certain
clubs OF desperate fighting men,, the Chief makes
charges against the authorities, which are so
wholesale and sweeping, that any on. possessing
ordinary intelligence OF the affairs Of our city,
must know them To be exclusively the creations OF
his own brain. Does any one, unc )ntrolled by
prejudice, believe them l-believe IN the mur-
deious butcheries Of these clubs" aud that they
are encouraged and enbcldened by the authori-
ties themselves" TO "mangle and murder the
peaceful oitizenl" His charges in this respect are
20 false that your committee do not deem It worth
while TO waste words in replying to them.
There are, however, charges in connection with
this subject, which reflect on the official conduct
OF certain Aldermen and Judges, well as on the
Police, and the Committee Of the Fire Depart
ment, which they deem proper should be explain
cd.
The Chief says, in speaking of an attack on
hose company No. ID, in Gouverueur street, on
the 10th OF August last; g One Of the vile ruff ans
was arrested and conveyed to the Seventh Ward
station house, when Alderman Morgsns, of the
Seventh ward hearing of his arrest, went down
Immediately Ia the station house, and set the bfu-
tai wretch at liberty"
Now, what are the facts OF this case, and who
was the vile rufian" and brutal wretch 7"
From the statement Of Alderman Morgans, and
the aiiidavifs annexed, il will be seen that this
. brutal wretch" was boy fourteen years of age
his mother, m company with another lady, wife of
one Of the policemen, called on the Alderman, he
being at home, ard stated that he had been and
Yves sich at the time OF the occurrence that he
was not ia the habi, Of runniag 10 fires, he being
an obedient and well behaved boy that he was
much indisPosed with the dysentery, and that he
(Ald. Morgast), on these representations, and
upon the promise thathe should appear in the mora
log, discharged him. On account Of his sickness
that night, his mother was unable To reach the
police oice with him, at the time appointed in the
morning; and he was subsequently arrested, and
gave hail 20 keep the peace.
Under these circumstances, is there man, hav-
ing the leest feeling Of humanity, who would not,
had he the power, have acted as Alderman Nor
gans did
The Chief continues the paragraph as follows -
Two more OF these precious club cut throats,
named johnson ssd Berry. were arrested by the
Assistant Captain of the Thirteenth ward police,
and detained ell night at the station house, through
the hrmnt So Of Alderman Cock and the Captain OF
the Thirteenth ward police, both OF whom peTemp-
isny refused TO surrender them against the threats
and strongest opportunities OF their associates in
crime. In the morning, however, Judge Mount
fort, OF the Essex market court, held them to bail
IN The enormous sum CT two hundred dollars TO
Keep the peace, when the scoundres went forth
eAutngli TO Cut the threats Of our noble tiremen"
While was awaiting the examination of John
son end Barry, and only few minutes prior TO
their examination and liberation, Ia comes Alder.
man Geo. III. Franklin, Of the Seventeenth ward,
the Chairman Of the Committee on the Fire De.
partment, who walks hurriedy in behind the bar,
and HIM eelf 10 lfnl he