The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-08
FIREMAN kIERNAN SUSPENDED.
Handed His order of Suspension by
Chief Ma guire.

OhAGA Wa EuAEGs
Fireman Andy Herman, assistant fore
man OF the aerial truck, who proved such
a severe witness against Fire Chief Ma
guire before the Investigating committee
yesterday afternoon, was suspended last
night by Chief Mcguire.
Mr. Herman has been acting superin-
tendent Of the fire alarm telegraph sys-
borne having been granted leave of alb
sense to go to his home at Tunnel Hill
for few days
Herman was at his post at the station
Of truck No. ], at Firemen's hall, when
Chief Mcguire handed him letter. which
read as follows:
Savannah Fire Department. Savannah,
Ca. July z, 1897 Mr.. A. j. Herman, Act
ing Superintendent Fire Alarm
Dear Sir: Taking effect at
once you are hereby suspended
for violation OF rules and Of the duties
of superintendent of fire alarm. pending
missioners, and you viii surrender your
keys to me upon receipt Of this.
John e. Mcguire, Fire Chief.
Herman stated to Chief Mcguire that
he had no property belonging TO the de-
partment. The chief told him that he
had inner and outer keys to the fire
alarm boxes, which must be given up.
Herman replied that ne had made these
keys himself and they were his personal
property. The chief then told him, Kier-
nan said, that 1t was against the rules
for any but an officer of the fire depart
ment to have an inner key to the alarm
boxes and that the key must be destroy
ed, to which Herman replied that he
would destroy 1t himself.
When seen by a Morning News reporter,
Mr.. Herman said that he had not inten-
tionaly violated any rule of the department
and that the violation, If any, was so
slight, that it would hardly have been no
ticed on any other occasion. He could not
comprehend how he mad violated rule 6
of the regulations governing the superiu-
tendent of the fire alarm, which reads as
follows:
He may be granted leave of absence by
the board and a vacation leave of absence
for a period not exceeding fifteen days. at
such time as the condition of his work viii
permit it,"
Rule of the same section. which Kier-
nan is also charged with violating, reads
as follows:
During the day when not doing work
on the outside he viii be required to re-
main at headquarters. When absent from
headquarters he Will report to the office
OF the chief, leaving the necessary in
formation as to his whereabouts If need
ed"
Mr.. Herman said that not being accus-
toned to perform the duties of the SUI
perintendent of fire alarm he was not
familiar with this rule He knew that
the custom heretofore had been for the
superintendent to report to the foreman
of truck No. /, so that his Whereabouts
might be known in case he was wanted.
He was busy during the morning attend
ing to the duties Of the
superintendent of the fire alarm.
After dinner he notified Foreman
Pacetu. who was in charge of truck No.
l at the time. that he could be found at
the city exchange if wanted during the
afternoon. He thought he had complied
with the rule in doing so, and this was his
only violation of the rules, if such 1t
could be called.
Mr.. Herman said he received sum-
mons from the clerk of council Tuesday
afternoon to appear before the investigat-
ing committee yesterday, and he informed
Foreman Mcfarland of the fact at the
time. He would have considered it his
duty to obey the summons at any rate,
he said
Mr.. Herman has been a member of the
fire department about nine years. and
bears the reputation of being one of the
best men in the department. He has been
assistant foreman of the aerial truck for
some time, and his friends have endeavor-
ed 10 secure his promotion to a foreman's
place, but without success. In his testi-
mony before the Investigating committee
yesterday, Mr.. Herman attributed his
failure to secure promotion 30 politics.