The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-20
MAGUIRE STILL UNDER FIRE.
INVEsTIGATING COMMITTEE HEARS
MORE EVIDENCE.

The Evidence on the Same Line rs
That Already Taken-A Witness
Testihes That the Chief offered
Him $50 to DO Political Work-oth-
err Witnesses Testified to Political
Work by the Chief and to His Free
quenting BarrOOms.
The investigating committee of council
met yesterday afternoon and heard fur
Their evidence against Fire Chief Mcguire.
All of the members of the committee were
present, as were Mr.. C. F. Prendergast
and Mr.. George W. Beckett, who have
conducted the case for the prosecution.
Ex-Policeman John Prendibie was the
first witness called by Mr.. Beckett. He
testified that he saw Mr.. Mcguire at the
Savannah Grocery Company ae the time
of the last city election, about noon. He
was escortng negroes from the grocery
company to the First precinct box and
placing them in line to vote. The witness
said he saw Mcguire at the time of the
lower rice mill fire. He saw him enter a
saloon near the fire twice and get some
thing to drink. He has known the chief
several years. He did not consider him a
temperance man.
Mr. Charlton ruled that what Mr.. Ma
guire might have done before he became
a member of the fire department was not
proper testimony.
Ex-Fireman ]. r. Rackstraw testified
that he was fined $50 in 1886 When he
opened the pay envelope there was a little
slip of paper with 5000 written on it.
This was all the fine he was required to
pay. There was no name attached to the
slip. He received an official letter from
Chief Mcguire the next morning notifying
him that he had been fined $40 for drunk
enness and that in case of a repetition of
the offense he would be discharged.
The annual report of the chief giving a
statement Of receipts of the department,
was put in evidence, showing that the fine
does not appear in he list Of receipts.
Ex-Fireman William McRae testified
that on the night Fireman Buckley was
discharged he heard Chief Mcguire re-
mark in the engine house that Buckley
was kicking about being discharged, but
that it was not worth while kicking as he
might have known he would have to go.
i
mark on one occasion that there were
young men coming in from the country to
get jobs on the police and fire depart
ments and that they would get them. Nc
Rae did not know the cause of his dis
charge, except that he v as charged with
hitting a horse while on the way TO a fire.
Foreman Jerry Murphy asked the privi-
lege of making an explanation. He got
a little mixed up in his statement the
other day, he said, as TO the barroom In
which he saw Chief Mcguire on one oc-
casion. 1t was not Cooley's bar, but the
bar on the north side of River street,.
]. Morgan's. He went with the chief to
headquarters, where the chief dictated
letter for some couplings. The chiefs con-
dition was bad; he had too much liquor
aboard at the time, he said.
Mr.. Prendible was recalled and said
that he saw Fireman Morris acting as
challenger at the second precinct box on
the day OF the city election.
Adolph Goss was sworn. He said ne
lived on Indian street near the fire head
quarters. He had seen the horses get out
of the engine house and get away twice,
he said There was no alarm, except for
drill In five to eight minutes the horses
had been gotten back into the engine
house.
s. L. Miller testified that he was en-
ployed by T. Cooley. at No. 40 West Broad
street There is a barroom across the
street from this place. He had often seen
Chief Mcguire enter this bar. He had
seen him enter the bar in uniform, but
had never seen him intoxicated since he
was connected with the fire department.
He had seen some of the firemen go in
the place with him. but as rule he went
in by himself.
Mr.. Charlton asked what the chief went
there for.
There is a pump near the door, and
there is a saloon" replied the witness.
He may go for water, and he may go for
whisky"
In answer to questions, the witness said
he had never seen Mcguire drinking either
water or whisky in Morgans bar
William Lee was sworn. and said he had
known Chief Mcguire all his life. He
saw him In Corbetts barroom in uniform
with Sidney Lilenthal. who had on a fire
mans shirt. just before the city election.
Mr. Mcguire called him aside and offered
him $50 to work for the Citizens Club.
which he declined. The chief was drum
ming up workers for the club, and said he
had plenty OF money to pay for them.
The evidence taken previously has neer-
~ all been written out by Stenographer
Patton. and the committee will hold a
meeting shortly to begin the consideration
of the evidence.
-S-A-e
SALE OF CLIPS FURNITURE