The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-10
THEY BOTH RETIRE.
Kelly Is Discharged and Bassler
Resigns.
DuR,E DEMANDS DISCIPLINE.


The trouble in the Ere department came
% an unexpected termination yesterday IS
! result Of the investigation made by
Councilmen Durie and Jones, Of the fire
and water committee. Lieutenant Kelly,
who was suspended by Assistant Chief
BaseIer for INSTRUMENTATION on the Fourth,
was discharged from the department and
Mr.. Bassler voluntarily resigned. 1t y ex-
pected that this will settle al the dimcui-
ties in the department and viii get 1t once
more into . good humor.
The investigation, which was held IN the
headquarters tent, lasted nearly oil after
noon. Testimony was taken from dozen
iremen who were witnesses OF the trouble
between Assistant Chief BassIer and Lieu
tenant Kelly on the night Of the North
western Printing Company's FIRE, and the
facts broaght out were that Lieutenant
Kelly not only disobsyed the commands OF
his superior officer, but aggravated the
breach by subsequent talk. He failed to
produce evidence showing that Bassler was
incompetent but he brought out the fact
that there was some dissatisfaction among
the men. and the assistant chief resigned
rather than have any dissatisfaction
among the men,
Lieutenant Kelly in his testimony said:
81 was ct work 1t the hose trying to connect
with the plug when Bassler rushed up and
ordered me to stop and connect with the
other hose. / tried to suggest that the
baby hose would not reach the engine.
when he began swearing at me. Iswore
back at him. / did not consider that he
was doing the right thing at all. was
able to attend to that business without any
interference from him. At least and my
men are competent men, and I think we
should be left to do as we think best in
such cases. Bassler was laying Eve lines
when he should have been laying but one.
Mr. Kelly wanted to tell OF previous
cases In which Bassler had been incompe-
tent and where he had been abusive. but
the committee would not accept bis opin-
ions unsupported by testimony and con-
fined him to the case in question.
Councilman Durie objected to Kelly i'm
peaching his superior officer. Kelly. he
said. had but two things to do obey his
superior officer or resign. If every man in
the department who had little grievance
to air had right to criticise the chiefs.
where would the discipline be7
'If you have any evidence" continued
Mr.. Durie. speaking to Lieutenant Kelly,
''to show that Mr.. Bassler is incompetent.
bring it out, but don't give Us your
opinion
William Hsyter, engineer of the engine
which went to the fire. gave the location of
the engine. He heard Assistant Chief Bass
Ter give orders to attach the baby saction.
Driver Miller said that he could not stop
ct the plug Ct Third and Yesler on account
of momentum. When he had stopped,
Bassler directed him to come back to the
plug and attach the baby suction. He
drove back and heard Kelly say, ITO hell
with the baby suction. - to Bassler, . few
moments sitter. 81 never heard BassIer
swear. and don't know that he is in the
habit OF swearing"
Assistant Engineer Murray gave the
man0uvsrs Of the engine also. He heard
the assistant chief give orders to connect
with the baby suction. Bassler was not ex-
cited, but was Just the same q he always
was at . ire-very positive in his COM
mands and very active in getting around.
He helped to get ont the baby suction, but
he couldn't say whether it would have
reached to the engine.
Pipeman Zann heard Bassler's command
to attach the baby suction and he pro-
ceeded to do 30. but was stopped By Kelly,
who wanted to put on the big suction.
Lieutenant Amy said that the usual
practice was to use the baby suction-that
1t was much easier to handle and would
supply two streams.
Lieutenant Kelly denied the right of As
sistant Chief Bassler to di scharee him.
Chief kellogg was away from the house
when Kelly was discharged. The commit
tee finally agreed with Kelly on this point
and declared that be was still member of
the department. The chief could discharge
him or not. rs he saw fit.
Chief Kellogg admitted that there had
been trouble brewing for some time in the
department and he was glad to have the
thing settled at last
Councilman Durie, before summing nm
the finding of the committee, stated that
he was sorry the trouble had come nm.
He admonished the men to obey orders in
the future, no matter what they thought
OF the expectancy of any move II man
could argue with a superior officer il
would destroy the efficiency of the depart-
ment
Councilman Durie and Jone. and Chief
Kellogg then retired 10 the chief = room
for conference. While they we're closetei
IN the room Captains Hunt, Clark and
Wallace got together and went before the
committee. Assistant Chief Bsssler. in the
eross-examination. had let fall a remark
which the captains construed as a slur on
their abilities. and it was to answer this re-
mark that they appeared before the com.
mittse.
We want to know" said Captain Hunt
addressing the chief and committee elf
you consider us competent fyou do All
right: II not, we want to resign imme-
diately."
Chief Kellogg assured them that their
services were considered very valuable 70
him and to the department.
Assistant Chief Bassler hsstsnasl "a a.
explain that any slur he may have uttsrss
Was entirely unintentional, as he had ever
confidence IN the ability of the captains
The three captains withdrew. and a ,.~
minutes later the two councilmen ana -.
two chiefs came out and again caIl.5 ,,s
nremen to order. They were. howevsr
hardly prepared for the news which NJ.
Dnrie gave them.
The committee, with Chief Ksno.. ~
SAID MT. puris." hereby informs You TIA,
Lieutenant Kelly should hs a.
charged from the department w.
can also inform you thar Ass;s,sn.
Chief Bassler. In view of the disaffscs;~,,
wn'en exists, has voluntarily resigned.
You must understand that there l.. ne -
sure attached 10 Mr.. Bassler ana th.t =.
quits with the highest regard OF the can,-
mit,ee for his competency and xe.l W.
would have II understood herr tbs, Co.
any error in Judgment. il is not the nav, ~
the men To handy NJ sxa.- 49,. :. -