The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-13
YF TESTIMONY CONCLUDED.
continued From eighth Page.

If he had been an active fireman the
nitness said he could not nave Ialeo 10
LII Mcguire never held any position IN
( denartment where he had command
1,0 -, a. n fire prior to his election as
9setaot chief. The witness said, the
80 limo he saw Mr.. Mcguire intoXi-
os-ad was the night of Sept. 2, last. He
mas standing at Broughton and Draytoh
streets. His attention was attracted 10
Mcguire by Kavanaugh. Mcguire ana
tyo men, who afterwards proved 10 De
Inienthal and Campos were together. The
rhiaf was staggering about the street.
rba three went off and came back later
tn a hack and stopped in front of Lanes
barroom on Drayton street. They went
in and remained few minutes, when they
came ont the chief was assisted into the
bacl< which started east on Broughton
street. Hanley remarked that if the chief
went TO the wake in that condition he
NIGHT get hurt Kavanaugh and Hum
nbrios followed the chief to see where he
went
As TO the Christ church fire, Mr.. Han
lev said he thought it was badly managed.
He thought there was cowardice on the
mart of the men in failing to enter the
building from the ladders on the st. Ju-
Ian street side.
At the Forest City mills fire he saw
ladder being put up from the Congress
street side three-quarterS of an hour
after the alarm had sounded.
As to the rice mill fire the witness ex-
pressed the opinion that the granary
should have been saved. The mill build
ing was on fire from top to bottom when
he saw it. Six streams were
being poured on the building,
one stream on the River street side be-
ing occasionally directed on the granary.
The effect of concentrating all the
streams on the south side was to cause
a draft to the north side of the build
ing where the granary stood, Mr.. Han
ley said.
The witness said he saw firemen at this
fire endeavorng to "kink" the hose He
explained the process of "kinking." The
men were assisted by ex-Foreman Con-
nors.
Mr.. Haney was also present at the
ODonnen fire on Indian street in 1896.
The taking of the hose into Mrs. Ybanezs
house on Congress street at the Christ
church fire was a poor move, he thought.
The fire should have been fought from the
Drayton street side. He had seen Mr..
Mcguire under the influence of liquor re-
peatedly. This was before he was chief.
He did not consider him a man of tenn.
perate habits.
Mr. c. F. Prendergast was introduced
to make a statement under oath, at his
own request He was asked if he had
employed any detectives to look up the
case against Chief Mcguire. Mr.. Prem
dergast replied that he had not paid any
man in any manner, shape or form or
promised any one anything. He had been
assisted in gathering evidence by ex-De.
tectiVes kavanaugh and Bossell, who
were friends of his, and who
had volunteered to assist him in
getting up the evidence. The only money
paid by him on this account was 81 for
street car fare, which he had handed to
Bossell few days ago Bossell had re-
turned the change, but he had told him
to keep as he would probably be requr-
ed to go upon other errands of the kind.
Mr.. Prendergast then read the following
statement of his position in the matter:
savannah, Ga, July u, 1897.-To the
honorable the Investigating Committee of
the City Council, Savannah: GEN
uemen - As false rumors and I'M
founded impressions regarding this
inquiry are being industriousIy cir
culated consider it my duty to Won as
the Investigators, and to myself as, the
prosecutor, TO complete the record by fill
ING this statement, made under oath.
Inc investigation grew out of a letter
addressed TO the board of fire commits
sloners by a committee from the South
eastern Tariff Associa ton, which letter
asked for the removal Of the present fire
ehleI' ana Tor the appointment of a COM
pelent man in his stead. l am not aware
lndt any one in Savannah had the slight
est animation Of the Southeastern Tariff
Associations intentions in the premises
untl after that body had acted. 1 hear
mat the pending inquiry is being attribu-
teu 20 a desire to displace an appointee of
the Citizens Club merely to provide a DO
Huoh Tor an adherent of the Liberal Club.
90 tar as l am concerned, my completest
possible answer to that allegation is my
"ns S-I maintained and consistently avowed
preference to seek, in some other city, a
nse chlet Tor savannah, so that the new
oiller' being necessarily impartial between
ine Two local factions, may the more sure
promote the best interests of the city
anu the hre department by taking the lat
.,I ehIHely and permanently out of poll
" nHe did not inspire the inquiry, neith-
ulu l hesitate, when it seemed neces-
sary Tor some individual to become spon-
4 S MI LOT H. to resume that responsibility.
Hy motives were higher and better than
TVIe political hostility to any man or anv
il"1-'oi' ABOUT two months ago began an
m1esllgation into the condition of the fire
e'paItment, and while my Inquiries then
s cut snort by sudden combination
~ Plisonal business engagements, 1 learn
'N enough to convince me that the denart
80 was urgently In need of radical re-
~. ul' especially was impressed bv the
oDE iously ruinous effect of the vicious
~ aIuly ana un-American rule nut IN
vogue by the last municipal administra-
uou' under which rule the men i'm the de-
N tal Uieht-with the exception, 1 believe. of
we chlef-may be dismissed at anv time
\ "'SHout charges, trials or opportunity for
e'sleHse' i found that the fire commits
S,ollerS possessed absolutely autocratlc
ro~er' ana that they exercised IL with a
Hs1, Clessness never displayed by any car
=, Ieussla who has held Office within the
,st5,lnory OF living man. l knew that under
na ,s perhlelous rule the flower OF the de-
H. tS tineht had been displaced. and / saw
at under It's baleful operation the few
80 men left must inevitably suffer aim
,,'lon OF their usefulness. For bremen
:. only human, ike the rest OF Ms. ana a
~ Sl IN human nature for men reduced
go W. condition Of serfs to keen IN their
49, ana strive after excellence IN
- - eahinEs as nremon can ana do Fow
a. whether they be single or with oth.
hcar,. ''N1ent upon them, can have their
wholly in their e'ori,
dow "'y are constantly weighed
ro"n by the certaintv ,hot
~, iHliier what their merits may ba
,,r.,.'a,lle me playthlngs OF dosperafe and
H., pl.ous political factlonlsts. found
politics