Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-10-14

our support we spotted his house, and
when IRE came We saved the adjoining
property and permitted his 10 burn. Now, /
think the National Board and the insurance
companies should pay the expenses OF this
convention; the chiefs of departments can
hardly afford to spare the amount necessary,
and say TO them IL the National Board or
the insurance companies refuse to pay the
expenses of this meeting they should spot
the property insured in such insurance COM
panies and let il go in case of fire." therefore,
Resolved, That this board deems it to be
solemn duty To express their unqualified dis
sent from the remarks alleged to have been
made by Mr.. Williams.
Mr.. Morgan said he had offered the resolu
tion for the purpose OF vindicating the board,
and in order to give the president an oppor-
tunity for an explanation.
POSITIVE DENIAL.
MT. Williams said thatthe language which
had been read had not been used by him at
all. There had been a little off hand spar
ring between himself and one of the board of
underwriters. No doubt the item gre " out
OF a remark ne made to reporter. formerly
on Washington paper, that IL he (W)
knew that anything he said in the conven-
ton was to be reported he would pay to keep
1T out The reporter replied I'VE don't
receive pay like you do down in Washing-
ton" Every gentleman in this town knew
that he had not been in this city but ten
years, and the reported words could not have
had reference to running with the machine
In This city, and to his saying that any house
had been spotted there had been no such
allusfon made at all. 1t was personal be-
underwriters. Last year the underwriters
mad agreed TO pay the expenses of the con-
yentton at St Louis. and he had re marked,
when they had gotten ready TO assess - on
all the engineers, that IL was too much to
ask of them-many of whom were poorly
paid-afier bringing them together, and ha
urged that the board of under writerS pay the
expenses of the convention, saying that "If
any of your fellows don't pay shut them out
of your board" This was nothing, continued
Mr.. Williams, compared with the manner
had hpen niSrpnrpS4nta1 NJ nj
this city. He had never allowed hi self to
contradict anything that Rad been said about
him In this town, as he was not DESTROYS of
being drawn into newspaper controversy.
He thought that his life In this community
had been such as would give the lie to the
whole thing. Mr.. Williams concluded by
again emphatically denying haviug used the
language quoted.
OPINIONS OF The BOARD
Mr. Morgan said that he thought 1T was
due To the department, to the Community,
and to President Williams himself that ne
(WilliamS) should publish his denial in the
daily press. While the board was satisfied
with the denial, yet the general public should
also be satisfied.
Mr.. Williams said he should publish no dc
NAL, but if the reporters present chose to
publish his remarks he had no objection.
Mr. Hume said that many persons had ap-
preached him on this subject, and while he
had avOwed his disbelief that the above Ian
guage had been uttered by the president, yet
such avOwal was not satisfactory to others
He thought that the president, In order to set
this matter finally at rest, should make an
explicit denial of having spoken the Ian
guage attributed to him through the newspa-
lers.
Mr.. Collins said when he first read the par
a2raph in the New York papers he did not
believe IL correct, unless the president was
either drunk or crazy; but as he was not n
dr1n king man, and his head was level when
he left the city, he came to the conclusion
there was mistake somewhere. Still 1T was
due 10 this board, to the firemcn, and to the
District authorities that this board disOWn
any sympathy with the sen timents reported.
The paragraph had been published IN not
only one but several of the New York pa
pers, with severe editorial comments. Even
the New York NAL, a paper friendly to the
District, had advised the board of underwr-
tiers to require the insurance companies to
AXE no risks in property in the District. If
the allegations were left without notice, the
property holders ofthe District would suffer,
nished.
Mr.. TAFT said he was one of the old volun-
teer hremen, and he knew that they were
mortified and indignant when thew read the
article. On their behalf he would ask Mr.
Williams to make public denial.
Mr.. Morgan moved that the president be
requested to make denial through the
press.
FINAL ACTION.
Mr.. collins said he thought he could pre-
pare something which would meet the views
OF all, including the President. aud Offered
the following resolution with Mr.. Morgans
preamble) as substitute for the first
resolution offered by Mr.: Morgan,
which was unanimously adopted, all the
members, including Mr.. Williams, voting in
the affirmative:
ResOtUed. That the Board of Fire Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia unaRi-
mOusly disavow any sympathy with the
sentiments in the above remarks attributed
to President Williams by q portion of the
New York press, and the truthfulness of
which he publicly and emphatically denies
The board then adjourned.
A CUT HEAD.-James Brown and Ben
Allen got int fight on l. street, near Sd,
and Brown received a severe cut on the head
which was dressed by Drs. Major and New
ton at LOvejOy's drug store, and Officer Amos
conveyed him to his home.
FIRE THIS MoRNING.-This morning n
frame dwelling house, near Mount Pleasant.
owned by Mrs. Zane, caught fire from the