The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-03-15
THE Articles or InPGACHMENT
Preferred Against Chief EeeIes Las
Night. and the Action Taken.

preferred by Clerk Galllgan against Chief OF
the Fire Department Eccles, that have been
80 talked about the past few days The
charges were as follows
10 the Council Of The city Of IPlesliag:
Charge 1.-The undersigned respectfully
charges that William Eccles, the Chief Mar.
shal Of the Fire Department OF the city Of
Wheeling has been guilty OF conduct grossly
Improper and unbecOming In the Chief Mar.
shal Of the Fire Department OF the city OF
Wheeling.
Specification lin this that during the
months Of November and December 1881,
and January and February, 1852, he did
without right or authogity, use the feed OF
the city, purchased by the city for the horses
Of It's department, for the feeding Of horse
which was and Is the private property OF said
EccleS, or claimed TO be such BY him, with.
out paying or compeusating said city for the
same.
Specification 2-That during the months
Of November and December, 1881, and Janu.
airy aud February, 1882, he did direct and
order said horse TO be sllod at the city'S ex.
pense and the bills rendered against the city
without any right orauthority, and did certi-
" TO the correctness OF the same before the
Committee on Fire Department Of the COun.
be paid for out OF the city treasury, without
right or authority.
Specification 3-Th1t during The year 1881,
for ten months Of the year, he did collect and
receive rom one Miss Mary White, the rent
Of the second story OF the Hook and Ladder
house, said house being the property Of the
city, at the rate OF $500 per month, the said
rent aggregating $40, and iailed to make re.
turn thereof TO the Receiver or any other
person, and converted the same to his own
use, although 1t belonged to the city and
should have been turned over, as he well
knew.
Specification 4-That on about December
/, 1881, he did sell and deliver, without
authority, oats that had been purchased BY
the city for the Use Of the department horses,
to the amount OF $40, to one Robert Cline
receiving therefor $40, which he converted to
his own use.
Specification 5-That on - day Of.
1881, he did instruct aud order one Mart
Clark, foreman Of the Vigilant company, TO
cut down or break, down the hose reel used
by tue department and connected with said
company, meaning thereby to destroy the
property OF the city.
Specification G-Thlt on the 9th day of
August, 1881, be did order, from Z. G, Illus.
sey & Co., OF Pittsburgh, wohundred pounds
olpiG zinc for the use OF the city, and the
same firm shipped the zinc, which arrived
here on August II and said EcClCs allowed
the same 10 remain on the platform of the
depot OF the p, W. & ny. road, unguarded
and unprotected from thieves, from that
time until March I, 1889, OF which tranac-
ton he kept the city and committee
in Ignorance until notified by letter
through Nesbitt u Bro, asking them
to investigate and inform them BY what
means they could collect the bill; and when
said Eccles was Informed Of the letter Of
Hussey & Co., and questioned concerning bis
dereliction OF duty, he made false statements
TO conceal the true state of atIairs.
Specification THAT he has on divers occa.
sious concealed from the committee billsand
vouchers for goods purchased, and which
were placed in his charge TO he presented BY
him 10 said committee for audit and pay
ment viz: Walters 4 Kraft, SIS IS; Beltz 4
Flaaing, Sl2G 81; G. G. Hussey d Co., $ll "a,
Specification S-That on or about January
g. lsS2, he did exceed the authority vested
in him in purchasing from Cole Bros OF
Pawtucket, Il. l., for the use of the Fire
Department, two steamer wheels, at cost OF
1925
specification 0-That on the Sth day OF
February, lSS2, he did unnecessarily DELAY
the furnishing OF steam engine to the Su.
perintendent OF the Water Works 10 pump
water from trench ut the corner Of Market
and Tenth streets, where pipe was broken,
not sending the engine until 100 O'Clock,
though requested to do SO at 8 a. NJ, thereby
causing much damage and trouble 10 the
factories, mills and inhabitants of the CITY.
Specification lO-That he kept on the nav
roll, during the months OF NAV, June. july
and August 1881, and did certify to the cor
rectness OF the roll, one VIM. Garner, an en-
traman, attached TO the Atlantic engine he,
The said Ecclcs, knowing that said Garner was
absent from the city during said months and
could not do service us an eXtranan, thereby
enabling said Garner TO draw pay without
rendering any service
Specification ll-That he has. during De.
eember, 1881, and January and February.
1889, and since, permitted the hose of tie
department and property OF the city, 10 be
exposed, urguarded and unprotected on the
streets Of the city.
Specification l2-That on the Goth day of
February, 1882, he made false representations
TO the Chairman Of the Committee on Fire
Department concerning the price OF horses he
desired to purchase for the use of the Fire
department from one James Lovejoy, repre-.
ssenting that said l.ovejoy asked $500 for his
horses, when the fact was that the price
asked was $225.
Charge2-The undersigned further charges
that the SAID Chief Marshal Eccles has been
guilty OF great extravaganza and waste Of
city property. For specifications your
memoraIist would refer to the specifications
under charge /, which he prays may be read
Is specifications under THIS charge, as fully
us II here repeated.
Charge 3-The undersigned further charges
that Ecces has been guilty OF gross neglect
Of his official duties, and asks the specifca.
tons be read as above.
Charge 4-The undersigned further charges
that William Eccles, Chief OF the Fire De-
partment, has been guilty Of malfeaSance in
office. The same specifications follOw.l
charge 5-The undersigned further charges
That william Eccles, Chief Marshal Of the
Fire Department, has been guilty Of viola
ton OF his official duty and asks that tbe
same specifications follow.
STATE or WEST VIRGINIA,
Ohio County, to.wit:
b. A. Galllgan, being first duly sworn, SAYS
that the facts and allegations contained In
the foregoing charges and specifications, 30
far as stated on his own knowledge, are true.
and so far as they are stated upon informa.
ton, lie believes them TO be true.
[SiGncdl B. A, GAIlIa1Y
Sworn 10 and subscribed before me, this
l4th day Of March, 1882.
W. II. CALDWELL,
Justice Of the Peace.
At the conclusion OF the reading Mr.. But.
teriield offered the following resolution.
which was adopted:
Re'oited, That the charges preferred against
Win. EcCleS by b. A. Galligan be referred To
special committee OF six, 10 be composed of
three members from each branch Of Council.
for investigation ana report, and that said
committee have power to send for witnesses.
pnd do all things necessary to complete and
thorough investigation; and that the CITY
Solicitor be instructed to assist said com.
mittee.
The Mayor appointed Messrs. Butterfeld,
Wilson and Hall from this branch.
In the Second Branch the paper was read
and the chair, after some deliberation. m.
pointed Messrs, Clark, Hildreth and Water.
house on the part Of tue Second Branch,
There was un immense lobby and whiIa
the charges were being read there was a
breathlcSs silence. Atthe conclusion there
was sigh OF relief and the majority OF tho
crowd broke for the door, The sessions OF The