The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-04-16
THE STANTON MESS.
A Councilman Says It Will 60 TO
the Grand Jury.
Some AfHdavits of Discharged Employees
What the Committee Really Wants to
Invesngate-The Weekly Reports.

The attitude of Fire Chief Stanton with
reference to the charges made against
him, can hardly be called one Unconscious
innocence, and his position now does not
strengthen him, even with his friends.
When the charges were first made, the
chief seemed to be hungry for ''full
and fair'' Investigation, but his appetite
seems to have been suddenly satisfied.
That the committee did not proceed with
the Investigation, so Councilman Boards
ley says, Wa because the chief wanted a
little delay. In looking up the McIlroy
charges, however, the committe stumbled
upon more serious matters, and when
they tried to have a ssfull and fair in
vestigation of them. Chief Stanton OBJ
9ected, on the technical ground that they
were not included in the original charges.
30 the committee went back to the coun-
Gil for additional authority, and two
members being absent, it was
granted, only after a stubborn fight.
On Friday night, however. this
extension OF authority was revoked by a
vote OF eight to six, and the committee
then undertook to place certain informa-
ton which had come to them before the
council. 1t was rejected, and hence the
committee felt at liberty yesterday to di-
vulge part of the information which is IN
the shape OF affidavits from employees
who hare been discharged.
AFFIDAvITs OF DISCHARGED EMPLOYEES.
One is from Nj. P. Hooker, who states
that be went to work in the fire depart
nent on May "a, 1892, and was continu-
ously employed there until April s, 1893.
During all that time he says the chief was
very profane and abusive TO the men !;
fn+, ton
came into the headquarters at an
early hour in the morning, struck
an alarm and had the men
and horses racing up and down
the street for at least an hour. It is also
alleged that the chief uses the men as his
servants, making them clean his house,
keeping quarters, carry coal to them, etc.;
that during ali the time afhant was with
the department, Stanton had q cow
there, which was fed from the depart
nent bins and looked after by the fire.
men, and that a pony belonging to the
chiefs son was kept the same way. He
tells of a supper given by the assistant
chief on March LIST, at which several men
became intoxicated and engaged in fight
ing. When the project for building the
copper works was agitated Stanton called
the men in and told them he wanted them
TO contribute $40 each to the fund and
discharged thos5 who refused to do so.
J. c. Madsen corroborates the facts set
forth in Hooker's affidavit and states some
additional facts, as to the alleged brutal
way in which the chief trests his men.
Il. j. Randolph, another discharged
man, states that in the fall of last year the
department turned out to fire on the
corner of West Temple and South Temple
streets, and atfiant was standing near the
captain when the chief came mp and
wanted to know why he didn't "let the
damned thing burn and give those Nor
mon s. of BIS q roasting.'' Ran
dolph also states on the occasion of a
fire in second hand store on Commercial
street, the chief ordered him to turn off
the chemical and let the place burn
awhile.
MAY GO TO THE GRAND JURY.
It was not such matters as these, the
committee say, that they desired to inves-
tigate, however, but the more serious
charges to the effect that the chief has re-
tanned commissions on the purchase of
horses, hose, wagons, materials, etc., for
the department. Although they have
been shut out, they think it is only tenn
porary. Mayor Baskin will still have
something 70 say about the matter, but
even should the whitewRsh brigade sue
coed in staving of the s'full and fair''
investigation which Stanton so craved, it
will go to the grand jury. At least one
member of the committee has announced
his intention of carrying this investiga-
tion through to finish by that means,
and either having the charges proved or
the chief vindicated.
While the anxious members of the COM
nlittee declare that they have offenses OF
a graver character than any that have yet
been charged, they absolutely refuse to
permit it to go to the public, but init
mate that it viii all be brought out
through an investigation, either by the
grand jury or the council.