New-York tribune., 1894-01-23
MAYOR sCH1EREN ACTS.
ur s,rspENps COMMISSIONER ENNIS AND
MAKES CHARGES AGAINST HIM.
HE ACCUSES HIM OF VIOLATING THE CHARTER
WASTING PUBLIC FUNDS AND OF
vACX OF DycCypYiNE

yu .cx-,,srs HIM OF VIOLATING THE CHARTER.
WASTING PUBLIC FUNDS AND OF
LACK OF DISCIPLINE.
,,ovor schieren made the first aggressive
,,ovement yesterday against the gang which
no found in Office when he succeeded Mayor
roodv The heads OF departments under any
proo,,lyn Mayor hold over one month under his
successor. Mayor Schieren yesterday suspended
John Ennis Fire Commissioner. under the law
giving him that power. and served charges upon
h,m Of violating the charter and wasting public
funds in his recent appointment OF eight nremen
and twelve assistant foremen for the Fire De-
partment He also charged him with lack or
proper discipline The appointments were made
last week and the Mayor summoned the COM
missioner to his office and questioned him re-
gardlng them The charges were preferred as
speedily as possible and the suspension followed.
The action Of the Mayor Will prevent Com
missioner Ennis from filling the vacancy to be
created by the retirement OF Chef Engineer
Nevins who has announced his purpose Of retir
Ing before February l. when Commissioner Ennis
will be succeeded by Commissioner Wurster. The
latter said as soon as the recent appointments by
Ennis were announced that his hands were tied
by this action
The suspension by Mayor Schieren Of Com
missioner Ennis Is the first action Of the kind
under the new city charter. which has been In
force for twelve years. giving the Mayor the sole
power Of appointment Of heads OF departments.
Mayor Boody considered the question OF sus-
pending Excise Commissioner Schliemann last
month on account Of the granting OF license
60 which he was opposed. but found that he had
no substantial basis for such procedure.
The Mayor addressed this letter to Com
missioner Ennis:
Sir: You are hereby suspended from the Office
Of Fire Commissioner and head OF the Department M
rss ana an eGa Sereuno and
herewith serveS Ia YES KssffIERk sER oSGs Mayor
Under the law the Commissioner has the right
10 have hearing in court within hve days.
Ennis secured Charles J. Patterson as his
counsel and an order was served on the Mayor
yesterday requiring him TO show cause why
the charges should not be dismissed In the
Special Term Of the Supreme Court on Satur-
day. January 81 Ennis said in regard to the
Mayors charges that every one or the men
whom he had appointed had been assigned TO
duty and that they would not have been ap-
pointed If vacancies had not existed. There
were still two vacancies in the list Of assistant
foremen and two applications were made yester-
day by foremen for leave to retire. In regard
to appointing new district engineers, Ennis said
that he had told the Mayor that in his eight
years Of office he had appointed eight district
engineers but that he had no intention or ap-
pointing five more. 1t was his intention II ne
appointed a successor to Chief Nevins TO fill the
vacancy from the eligible list 1t is regarded as
probable that Nevins will not retire unless
Ennis can secure the dismissal Of the charges
against him and be reinstated before February
J. so as to fill the place.
Commissioner Ennis has been longer in Office
than any other head Of a city department save
Corporation Counsel jerks and President Will
son, of the Board OF Assessors He was ap,
pointed in January 1886. by Mayor Whitney. and
succeeded Richard H. Poon. He was regarded
as unfit for the place. as he had been petty
ward politician In the Fifteenth Ward. His
business Is that Of a manufacturer Of Shoes He
had not been long in Office when there were
scandals in connection with his having his shoes
polished by fireman in the engine house near
est his home. the detail Of a fireman to take
care of his horse and stable. and the detail Of
two men to do painting and other repairs about
hts house
ADVERSE CRITICISM AROUSED.
When Mayor Chaplin reappointed Ennis. there
was much adverse criticism. 1t was said that
Mr. Chaplin was exceedingly loath to make the
appointment, and only decided to do so after
stormy interview with Jim Shevlin--the direct
representative Of Boss McLaughlin-in which
the loud tones Of Shevln in laying down the
law to the Mayor in his private office could be
heard In the corridor outside. The management
Of the department did not improve, but Ennis
was reapponted by Mayor Chapn IN 1871 ana
again by Mayor Boody in 1892. In this last term
the serious charges were made against the man.
agen1ent of the Fire Department by the IN
eurance Tariff Association. These were investi-
gated by committee composed Of Alexander E.
Orr E. 3. Bartlett and John G. Jenkins. who
found that Commissioner Ennis had been lax in
discipline and that the management Of the de-
partnnent had been conducted under improper
methods. But Mayor Boody took no action upon
the report. and the Commissioner remained IN
Office He Is a brother Of Police Captain Ennis
O. the Sixth Precinct, and close friend OF
"Boss" Mclaughlin.
While the Commissioner is suspended, Deputy
Commissioner Moore will perform the duties OF
the office; but he has no power or making ap,
po,ntments Chief Engineer Nevins had told
Commissioner Ennis Of his intention to retire
and expected to make formal application on the
ground Of disability to-day However, In view or
the situation he said yesterday that II was de-
cidedly improbable that he would retire before
Commissioner Wurster takes Office.