Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-04-27
THE FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH nuss.
An InyestIgation by the Fire Com
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. mighty Inter.
estfng'' Developments.

special meeting Tuesday evening for the
purpose Of giving hearing 10 Mr.. Louis p.
Seibold, late operator in the fire alarm tele-
graph office, who charged certain persons
with conspiring TO have him dismissed.
There were present Messrs. Morgan, (presi-
dent, Thomas, acting secretary TAFT, Col
Inns, Hume and Bacon; also, Superintendent
Miles, of the fire alarm telegraph; Chief
Engineer Cronin, Assistant Engineer Drew,
Mr.. Seiboid, with his attorney, Mr.. f. p.
Gloss, and his witnesses.
The proceedings were opened with the read
ing OF the papers in the case, the first being
Schools letter to the Fire Commissioners,
dated February 16, 1916, asking reconsider
alton OF the action by which he had been
dismissed on the charge of tampering with
the machinery of the office, saying the
charge was the result of
A CONSPIRACY
by II. r Miles and Chief Cronin. The en-
dCrsements upon the communication showed
that IL had been referred 10 the District Com
missioners, as this board had no Knowledge
OF the matter nor authority In the premises,
sloners, With instructions 10 make such in
vestigation into the matter as they (the Fire
Roaro) might deem advisable. Thereupon
the president of the board was requested TO
obtain from the District Commissioners, for
information of the Fire Board,
THE PAPERS ON WHICH THE DISMISSAL
WAS BASED.
These papers were next read as follows:
First, a communication from Superi ute1-
dent Miles To the District Commissioners,
dated Decem per 20, 1875, stating that certain
irregularities had occurred in the working
of the hTe-alarm telegraph, and that certain
facts AMI circumstances led him TO believe
that the Irregularities were caused by Sci
bOld's tampering with the machinery. II
further stated that SeIbOld had numerous
creditors calling on him at the office, and he
had bee1 cred1bly Informed was addicted to
gambling. This communication bore indOrse-
meuts from Chief Engineer Cronin and AS
sisisnt Engineer Drew that iTregularit'es
had occurred in the working of the fire alarm
telegraph, the cause OF which irregular.ty
they did not know; also, an Endorsement OF
President Morgan recommending Seibold's
removal.
Discussion took place in regard 10 the
manner of conducting the examination, and
10 was finally determined 10 hear Mr.. Sci
bOlds statement under oath, and any wit
nesses he might desire to have examined.
sEIBOLD'S STATEMENT.
Louis p. SeibOld being sworn, stated that
discharge from Miles, who, In giving il,
SPOKE OF Ii as disagreeable duty he regret
ted he was compelled to perform. Witness
then read the letter OF dismissal, and said
hat Miles assured him at the time that ne
knew OF no cause for his removal, and could
not for the life of him tell why he W rs re-
peated this denial. Witness Questioned Chief
Engineer CrOnin as TO his removal and the
cause, and the chief informed him that he
knew nothing Of IL until he saw IT In the
papers; witness himself did not know the
nature of the charge until Monday last. In
reply 10 questions from Mr.. Gloss witness
office by the contractors was a failure, on
account of imperfect zines; after the procur>
ing OF new zines they got better results. Mr..
Miles never accused witness OF tampering
with the instruments. Witness never did
temper with them; don't know that weak
batteries would account for all the irregu-
larities; shifting the switch would cause the
alarm TO be irregular; there were two or
three irregularities while he was on duty;
bad no reason TO misplace the switches, and
did not do il. or the twenty-five alarms
which were transmitted during witness
hours OF duty by the new apparatus two or
three were wrong; OF Richards nineteen
alarms one or two were wrong. Witness
saw nobody fool around the automatic re-
peater except Mr.. Richards (brother-in-Iaw
OF Mr.. Miles, Saw him busting underneath
ii; the least jar TO the magnets would do
more damage than any BODY else could do.
'MIG HTY INTERESTING READING"
Had one or two spats with Mr.. Miles; the
last fuss was eighteen months ago; knew no
reason why Mr.. Miles wanted him discharg-
ed, except some letters 10 Miles from Game
well 4 Co.
Mr.. Morgan.-How did you get possession
of the letters?
Witness.-I picked them up In the Old Of
flee, and thought them mighty interesting
reading.
Mr.. Hume.- Were they written about you?
Mr. Hume.-Private, suppose?
WitneSs-Well, they We're addressed To
Mr.. Miles; witness got them out of the desk
II the old Office had not the letters wi th him;
Lai no business with the letters; got them
out 'be desk; there were two sides; one key
ht cd both sides; thinks Miles wanted TO
tiers; think they would show Miles was III
erest ted in the contract for the new fire.
arm telegraph; have other charges to make
against Mr. Miles, but prefer 10 make them
al another time and place.
Question by Mr.. Miles.-At the time gave
you your notice OF dismissal did ut Isay fall
ure 10 pay your debts was The cause?
AIsW er.-Not thea, but you did the next
time. ] would have paid my debts If had
got as much as you did from GamewelIN
Co
q When you disclosed to the public that
you had these letters-was 1T before or after
your dismissaR
A. After my dismissal.
NR. Mills GRAVE CHARGES AGAINST SCI
BOLD.
Mr.. Miles was sworn and read long state
ment. He repeated what he had told the
District Commissioners, that although he
had many convincing reasons to believe that
SeibOld had been tam pering with the instru-
ments, yet he had no direct proof of IL. He
described several displacements OF parts of
the automatic repeater, causing irregular
trans OF the alarms, and said IL was
evident to his mind that the displacement OF
parts OF the apparatus was "by direct
human agency for the purpose OF mischief"
He finally on investigation became quite
We'll satisfied that Mr.. Seibold had been
tampering with the instruments, and suffer-
ing the batteries TO run down for the purpose
of injuring the contractors in the event OF
falling, as he was likely TO do, in extorting
IfOu ME-. Miles goes TO
state that through his influence Gamewell
x Co. employed Seibold (in his own time) TO
assist them about the construction OF the
telegraph, and paid him for his services lib
orally, but that SeibOld never seemed to be
satisfied, and adds That he Miles was in
formed upon the most reliable authority that
an intimate friend of Mr.. SeiboId's, with the
full knowledge OF the latter, had made bold
but unsuccessful
ATTEMPT ''TO BLACKMAIL MEssRs GAME
WELL a CO.
Or1f of fyva h1T hxro
threat. The elder Gamewell, November 2,
sent 70 witness a copy OF a letter which he
had received from Selbold, stating that
Mr.. Slower had promised he should be ''hand-
sOmely rewarded" on which promise he had
allowed himself TO run in debt about $3.50 for
clothes for himself and children, etc.
Mr.. Miles in his statement says: This
letter contains request Gin substance) TO
Mr.. Gamewell for about two hundred dol
lars, but sets up no moral, legal, or equitable
demand for the same on the contrary, how
ever, be ntimstes that unless the money is
paid he Will tell tales out of school or do
something at any rate that will stir up a
muSs.'
Miles goes on 10 say that his theory was.
and is, that Seibold tempered with the ma
chinery 10 injure the contractors IL they re-
fused his demands for yOOnav Rafora