The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-22
THE CHARGES FAIL.
Fire Commissioner MaSel Wins
Before Council.
THE EVIDENCE NOT ENOUGH.
After an Evening of wrangling and
speech Making the Charges Fail
Through by a Tie Vote.

TIE charges filed against Fire Commits
ssouAr George T. Niasel last month by
Afavor Phelps. charging him with being
a non-freeholder and a meddler, were ais
missed by the city council last evening
in Joint session. The final vote on the
charges stood eight 10 eight. the rules
calling for 4 two-thiris vote TO sustain
the charge az issue. being that OF being
A non-freeholder. The charges OF being
a unAddler were dimissed by unanimous
vote. there being no evidence whatever
10 show that he had ever meddled in the
affairs OF the department. The decision
was received with d great deal OF APP
plause by friends OF the accused and he
was heartily congratulated. The hearing
proceeded slowly and great deal OF time
was consumed in wrangles on parliament
airy questions and veToosity on the part
OF some of the members.
The only witness examined last night
was exAChief 4. b. Hunt His evidence
showed that he had on numerous occa-
sions. during the time he held office. had
converse lions with Nasel on appointing
men TO the department: that Masel had
recommended a number of his friends 10
places and in general took great interest
in the running of the department. He
stated that Masel had often attended fires
and helped the boys il their work: that
his relations for the most part had been
bency in office, and only on one occasion
did he ever have any words with him,
and then they did not amount 20 much.
He stated that all he knew about the
freebooter portion Of he charges was that
one night last fall, when the report that
he was a non-freeholder was circulated.
ne went out 10 Masefs house and talked
over the situari with him, as his con-
tinuance In Office depended on Masel's
vote. He said that on that occasion Mas
el showed him deed 10 piece of prop
erty somewhere near Green lake. His
evidence was not changed by cross-ex-
animation, and at its conclusion John
Wiley. counsel for Masel. arose and ask
ed that the charges be dismissed as there
had not been the slightest evidence to
sustain them.
Alderman Lovejoy asked that Masel be
placed on the witness stand as he desired
10 ask him several questions, but Attorney
Wiley would not listen to the proposition.
maintaining that he never allowed a Wit
ness TO go on the stand when he had the
case won. Numerous motions and amend
ments were made, and finally resulted in
motion being made and carried to vote
by ayes and nays on the first charge. that
OF being non-freeholder and to have the
other charges segregated
Noigt. James. Goodhue Loyeioy and
Little were all of the opinion that there
was nothing III the charges outside of the
freeholder clause. and thought that the
freeholder question should be Thoroughly
investigated. Noigt, in response TO a
speech from Jordan holding that a man
has to be proven guilty before he can be
found so. said that he had not intended
making any speech on the subject at all.
and that he had no political aspirations.
nor was he making any star speech 10 the
gallery gods. He said he thought. and
mas been or the opinion all along that Ma
sci is not and never has been a freebooter.
and would vote to sustain that charge.
The vote on the final question sustaining
the charges was as follows: Ayes-Love-
JOY, Little, Voigt, James, Compton. elise.
chapman and Goodhue. Nays-Anderson,
Daulton. Jordan, Sweeney. Gleason. Hurd,
Kister and Crichton.