The herald., 1894-05-24
REGULAR KILKENNY CAT FIGHT.
The Fire Department Is all
Torn Up.
A Lot of Cross Charges Filed Yes
terday.
Bomb Fired Into the Meeting of sne
Fire Commission by a Report From
Chief Moriarty-Chsrgss af
characterization etc.

A regular Kilkenny cat fight has
broken out in the fire department. of
this city, and it threatens now to grow
worse before it grows better. The read
ing of the report of the chief engineer at
the meeting of the FIRE commissioners
Yesterday morning was something like
casting bomb into their midst.
The report consisted wholly of a macs
of charges and counter charges against
members of the fire department, pre-
ferred by other members, and the resig-
nation of Charles Harrison, captain and
driver of Park hose No. l, was presented
and accepted.
The complaints were classed in the
report in two divisions. First, the
charges OF E. Jef'ries against J. w.
Heaney, and those of ]. w.
Heaney against E. Jeffriss; and
second, the charges OF M.
McMahon, assistant chief, against
Engineer William Stoermer of No. 2, and
Driver Charles Casey of No. 2, and ER-
gineer Heaney of No. 4.
In his complaint againt Heaney,
Jeffries charges nsubordination, and
|
partment, and also that he fails to do
good and efficient duty. Jeffries cities
as witnesses Rohn, Sloan and Henesy.
In Heaney's charges against Jefries
he says that on February 10th, when an
alarm was turned ia from Twenty-third
and Hoover streets, Jeffries delay
the engine two minutes at the engine
house and then stopped at plug on
Sixteenth street, fully one mile and a
half from the fire, where another three
| minute loss of time was sustained.
Jeffries cites an instance on April
18th, when Heaney came down to
answer an alarm in very brief cos
tune, consisting of drawers and under
shirt, and the engine was detained two
minutes on tnis account. On April 10th
he alleges that Heaney failed to clasp
the collar on the off horse, and that the
harness fell to the floor, and thereupon
Heaney sat On the seat until the cart
driver hitched up for him. He refuses
to obey orders, spits tobacco juice in the
bath tub and beiouls the wash basin.
Assistant Chief McMahon's charges
against Engineer VIM. Stoermer of No.
2, are that he ia insubordinate. refusing
to obey orders, and ignoring the pres
ence of the assistant chief. Also that
he leaves the engine house unguarded
and Is a disturbing element in the de-
partment, giving advice to others, under
which trouble is Matched out.
The charges against Driver Charles
Casey, are naturalization and con-
tempt for the authority of the assistant
chief.
Engineer Heaney is charged by
Assistant Chief Mcmahon with being
insubordinate and refusing to recogniz;
him, turning his back upon the ap
proach of his superior officer.
After the reading of the report of tn
chief, and when time had been allowe
the commissioners to catch thei
bresths, Commissioner Brodrick moved
that the time for hearing the charges b.
set for Tuesday next, at 2 O'Clock, and i
was 80 ordered.
This little Kilkenny cat affair in the
department evidently came as sur
prise for the commissioners. 1t il
rumored around that politics may have
a hand in it, and the fire commissioner
may come together with dull thud q
Tuesdays meeting.
Terence Cooney withdrew his name
from among the signatures to petition
Of Mr.. Lsnk for planning mill on thu
corner of Washington and Los Angelo
streets.
The action of the council in providing
for bids for a combined chemical engin
and hose wagon, to be located on Dow
ney avenue, was read aud filed, and tn
same will be considered by the council
at its next meeting.
All acquisitions and demands agains
the department were approved.