The herald., 1897-10-07
Drunk and Disrespectful to
Superior Officers
FEED CONTRACT DISCUSSED
THE CONTRACTOR AND CHEF
MOORE ARGUE
Protests Against Alameda Street Side
walks-Petition for Change of
Ward Line-Damages


day at the regular meeting of the board
OF fire commissioners after trial upon
charges which had been preferred
against them by Chief Moore. Had they
told the truth about their misdeeds in
the first place and not tried to escape
punishment by concocting stories which
were afterward proved wholly false,
they would probably have escaped with
q fine or a suspension or both; but as it
was. their method of defense and the
serious charges against them led. to the
commission ordering them dropped from
the rolls. The discharged men are Harry
Meath and John Noonan, both members
Of No. 8 company. ON Hill street near
Fourth. The specific charges against
them were drunkenness, neglect Of
duty, INSTRUMENTATION and speaking dis
respectfully to and of superior officers.
When the investigation of the charges
began, Chief Moore was inclined to deal
as lenieptly with the men as possible,
but when they entered positive denial
to all the charges and said that they
were wholly false, the chief was COM
and this he did in such a manner as to
men were guilty of all they had been
charged with and more.
The Meath case was first taken up and
in regard to him Chief Moore stated that
he had failed to respond to the ringing
Of the bell for assembly of the company
for exercise Tuesday afternoon and
H. e., . H. -, l.
when he was wanted. He was after
ward found on Fourth street near
Broadway. The chief stated that both
Meath and Noonan had been drinking
and were not fit for duty. All Of this
Meath denied, and Captain Lannon of
Company was sent for. He stated
when asked what had been the matter
with Meath that the latter was drunk
and that Noonap had also been intoXi-
Gated. He further stated that Meath
was a constant source of trouble in the
engine house, and that the charges
against him had not been preferred un-
til his own actions made that course
necessary.
Noonan was charged with having
failed to respond to aB alarm of fire
from Second and Spring streets. II was
proved that he did not get on the truck
when it left the house, and this he ad-
mitted, giving as his excuse that he had
been unable to get one of his boots on be-
fore the truck left. He asserted that he
followed the truck and had seen it re-
turning and he then went back to the
house and assisted in rolling it into its
place. In this he was caught in false
hood. He asserted that he had gone to
Third and Broadway and from there hao
seen the truck coming down Broadway
from Second. 1t was later shown that
instead Of taking this route the truck
had been driven up Second street to Hill
and thence to the quarters Of the COM
pany.
Assistant Chief Smith told of Noonan's
having been too drunk to walk straight
the night before, and that he had in
etructed the captain to let him off for
twelve hours. Driver Mcmahon of
Company 8, who acted as captain
in the absence Of Captain Lannon, told
Of language used by both men which is
unfit for publica ton, it being directed
toward him and the chief. After the
hearing Of the evidence the commission
unanimously voted to dismiss both men.
1t was reported to the board that Cali
man Sloan, who was before that body
some time ago, had again been missing
runs. There were other charges agains,
him, such as the non-payment of debts
but of this matter the board did not take
cognizance. 1t was decided to suspend
him, however, pending an investigation
Of his having failA1 to respond to num-
ber of alarms.
ALMOST A SCRAP
The charge preferred by w. ]. Joyce
that his contract for furnishing feed to
the fire department had been repeatedly
violated, was called UP, the communica
tion having been sent to the board by the
city council. The hearing was lively in
the extreme, and it would not have taken
much to have precipitated a fight b.
tween the contractor and the chief Mr.
Joyce appeared to give the board his
side of the matter, and it was easy to SEE
that he was not in the most peaceful and
serene state Of mind. He had a griev-
ance, and he thought it was good one.
His complaint was that, after he had
been furnishing the city with bran and
barley for nearly year, the supply was
ordered from another firm in spite of the
fact that he had a contract with the city
It happened, however, that his contract
called for the furnishing of barley, while
the department used nothing but rolled
barley. This he furnished for time at
an advance over his contract price Of 10
cents. When the order was given to
some other person he called to see about
1t, but got no satisfaction.
Chief Moore explained that there was
nothing in the contract which provided
that the department should purchase
rolled barley Of Mr.. Joyce, and that he
had, therefore, bought where he saw fit.
The commission could do nothing in the
matter, as the fault was in the contrac.
itself, and they did not have the power to
change that. For half an hour Joyce
and the chief had several warm tits, and
Mayor Snyder raped on the table for
order until his knuckles ached Chief
Moore finally admitted that he had given
out the order because he had desired to
and because he wished to befriend
friend, as he did not suppose he had to
buy from any particular place not speci-
Ned In the contract. Joyce left in anger
and law suit may result from the mat
ter.
NEW PAID COMPANY
Chief Moore submitted the following
report OF changes in the department:
On the 1st inst. Chemical Company No.
I quit the premises formerly occupied by