New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-04
MR.. ROBBINS ANSWERED.
REPLY FROM JOSEPH LARocoUE.
THE FACTS THAT LED UP TO THE RESIGNATION
FROM THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS

FROM THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS
OF HENRY WINTHROP GRAY.
The following letter was yesterday written py
Chairman Larocque. Of the Committee OF ,eNe"'!'
to Fire Commissioner s. Rowland Robbins III r'pS
to the Iatter's communication published YESTERDAY
morning regarding the Circumstances under "h'c"
Fire Commissioner Gray resigned his Office
New-York. November 3 1871 H..
The Hon s. HoW y E He%ysr
Dear Sir Your favor Of the = n5' h ws'f been
find published in this morning ansnr other things in
your letter you specify the compa,in's onsrinept
Mr.; Gray while Commissioner OF 'n's ''p''''"'"'
If by that you that specified al the TON gomi
plants made by MIR Gray you are in error nos nos
that specified given as sample III,
Among other abuses Pcne cb g od t his r"iiremSnt
from the department. was the propoS.;,.o.n " ,'rs
men. When there were already many of them
in the department: the refusal OF thG cn trm Nr
department to answer communication lro' IN me
department. the making OF unnec. ssary Yin The
necessary Information to point ont the ap s In
spStor Of 'I buildings to Inspect the houses
the employment OF three additional, 'hh,h1uarcrs
payroll. another Charged the telegraph bureau eau
and paid Of the money approp5aiTa iI 70 the
fer The s ropars of mpparatus Neither OF these 80
called inspectors OF buildings performed any n",Ih
connected with either the extra terJ,Spn n az the
department. meetings having been ca.I ana I P"S 49,
ness done Of which Mr.. Gray had no note: ann inl,
he charged, the minutes OF sucl nee'hSS , - ~,
that business had been transacted al ih.'..''7 'h
which he had been preseH VIII wne he was
You also In your letter say II mus i, -, ,J'rr IN
stances with tho estimated cost given IA the TIL
siton not the price paid for the afu''eS "''" '''
XecSrins to commissIoner Grays formal report
Mayor Gilroy under date Of f"nn&
the evidence that presented ana the 'act' sth
tosore stated referring to overcharse: TO wh hh
vour attention has been heretofore Caiep Win
were called to the attention OF the ,,s rnn
this requisition am Informed that mmedia,ely
meeting Of the 9Th Of December Dill i2' Oh a. ron ,
old prices was presented purchased uhl'I tns 'ef
You further say: Formal charges were pfefeTreI
against the supply clerk based upon thr ~ ~ nl
other supplies mscrs Nv counsel OF his
charges every latitude was given to The Complain
ant as the record Of the tria VIII sho", ana an
mi ana Impartial consideration the board, IN IN.
language OF the report rear hra .t~ Co , tiai no
the complaint had not been si-thlh'u' an ia. b"I
wrong doing on the par. OF the supply c'''N "'''
Mr. Grays report Of this so-callei investigation
differs somewhat materially from ihr t"iD'. "a .,
bv his associates IN the board IN ms - po'.h ~,
Mayor Groy the hearing ~ ~m,m ' 80 ,1,n,.i iy
II aied by Mr.. Gray. - resolution Wa ".'P.'' 80,
and answer ! supposed that this US 10 he an
ordinary proceeding before me D'"rl wl''o', ~ ~,
~. nv hrarng h5wever the purchasing agent APP
!, Gonmissoner OF the department sni nov The
,.'' No." Thev a, once objected to everything
that attempted 'oproye ana trratl ne MR-s,- N
surn "A Wav that some of them there r'ih-"i - va.
IN be .Tanin4-l Every objection taken by them Va
sustained was accuscl oi ns,Ls sr NJ, va Dnbi!ciy
ami distinctly threatened by VI. rn,roy "i'" a.
have been subsequently Informed meet .ns ~ Inc
commissioners was he'd o! which hti no i'tl' -,
the following day - which htl NO notice. Wa
removed as chairman Of the committee ." ""'
The time Of my rry to yogr first Ga" ,i "i,@l
sion In that letter he relt"rue7 The 'nats".
heretofore made by him AM states hls i"A'.i,[
to prove each statement - ma, "a - ,,ss ~
OF articles purchased for th" d"i.'' IN, ~ ,ni,
cuAing paragraph Of Mr. GRAY letter OF r''lh"''
In closing this communication W.T. - ~ -,
that The position N "neh am p ,o u ro AMI
| expressed the Intention 10 yo. IL VI a. ia
reuu-af ! made TO you tn" staten NJ thht nI'
ch NY 1n]s aenins, my hut &
simply 90 reply TO Their communication 10 y 1i,h
- sgains ANYBODY mat is not my faul but
II ,hs'sn methods that have detailed are approved
or rs the proper method, FOR ia" transaction 81 IN.
business Of the iirc department OF me '.,s -, a.,
New-Yor.. admit that am noi proper rtI nia
TO he a Commissioner 1t II therefor ir'p,s-.n,,e
for TO remain ionerT :. mrinp'f 81 W.. - i' q,
men and hereby reign a." ga. I'iai'orJt ~
take eject at such Tim" az you may '' P'"H'"
! 10 accept my RESIGNATION ~
This would seem 10 tl~lu~' "l ''i'
made by YOU in your first cpmmun.' ail n D" h',
that Mr. Gray hid not resign Tor IN" i'H7".S '''
legged bv the Committee 81 seventy.
You vii pardon my not acc punf as apsul",'
verify your statements OF what occurred prlor 10
voWr Incoming a member Of ia" board with refer
ono. 10 the matters IN question ~ a hint'er "i
necessity YOU only speak from information d"flN'l
/ from vour present associates. IN" TACT remains
/ mat Mr. Gray. a gentleman well known IN thl-
community who. hy some strange accident seems
IA have been selected for plar" IN lanhl'n}
board found It's business 50 coniuct'n tit, ~.
could not with sclf-Irspect continue WrI.'r
v lille he had power TO correct IN" apu-' "i..'n
ne fotInd existing. Having called the attention
- ,hc nropcr authorities 10 this situation. ana IL
/ bclng demonstrated that no redress was 10 De Oh
famed he dd what any upright man so placed
/ would do; he resigned his position c"nciuiihs
~ he lions to which h" had called AZ
,rn:ton werr considered proper transactions then
he was not "A proper person 10 De a member OF thdt
"o"'' JOSEPH LAROCQCE.
TILL TEN MINUTES AFTER 4.