The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-21
CHIEF MAGUIRE CENSURED.
FIRE COMMISSIONS INVESTIGATION
OF THE CITY HALL AFFAIR.

Sensational Charges as to the Use of
the City Exchange for immoral
PurpOses-The Commission Found
the Chief Exceeded His Authority
and Displayed Bad Judgment in
Mailing I'D the Doors of the Ex-
change and Cautioned Him as 10
the Future-SOme Spicy Testimony
Before the Commission.
The mailing up of the doors of the city
exchange last Tuesday morning was in
vestigated by the fire commission yester-
day afternoon. The investlga ton was
held a the request of Alderman John w.
Smith. chairman of the committee on
public buildings, within whose province
falls the care of the city exchange.
Alderman Smith was present at the in
vestigation, which began at 4:30 o'clock
and lasted nearly two hours. All of the
circumstances of the occurrence were
thoroughly gone into, and the commission
ers evidenced a desire to get az all the
facts.
Chairman Grayson announced that the
meeting had been called for the purpose
of thoroughly investigating iha Incident
referred TO, as we'll as the runlors which
had been in circulation in connection with
1t.
A number Of witnesses were examined.
Messenger Isaac Cohen and three of the
colored porters at the city exchange, who
had been summoned as witnesses, failed
to appear. however. The colored porter in
Commissioner Wilink's office was the
only employe to appear from the ex-
change and he proved very good witness
for Chief Mcguire.
Fireman John Carrick was the first wit
ness. He testified that he was acting in
the capacity of engineer at No l Monday
night AT l O'Clock a telephone message
was received from fire headquarters TO
tell the chief that Policeman Schroeder
wanted him at the city exchange right
away. The witness notified Fireman Tay-
Tor, who rang up No. engine house, and
received the same, message. Taylor first
went on foot When he came back he
said the chief wanted his buggy. He got
the buggy and went after the chief ana
returned about 1:45 o'clock
Mr.. Falvey Waterman at the Savannah
Grocery Company, said he heard hammer
ing at the city exchange about 2 O'clock
He walked over that way and recognized
Chief Mcguire, Taylor and Schroeder. He
afterward and told him the chief had
nailed up the door, that 1t was always
open. Neither the chief nor Schroeder ap-
peared to have been drinking. There was
an electric light In the northwest room on
the third floor. The chief was standing
on the edge of the pavement, about fifteen
feet from the door
Policeman Schroeder testified that he was
walking Bay street and found the door of
the exchange open. The chief passed by
and he called his attention to it, The chief
said for him to wait till he came back.
The chief got Fireman Taylor and nailed
up the door. Schroeder said he had tele-
phoned the sergeant at the barracks al
ready. He then said that when he found
the door open he blew his whistle Police
man Woods came. He then went to head
quarters and told Firemen Christensen to
telephone the chief that the exchange was
open. He had told the chief previously
about finding the building open and the
chief had told him to let him know, if he
ever found it open again He knew the
door had spring lock- and tried to lock
It, but it would not work. Fireman Taylor
also tried the door and it would not lock-
Oftentimes he had seen the door open at
night and lights burning in the rooms.
About three weeks ago he saw a man and
a woman go in the building after midnight
and slam the door to. A light afterwards
appeared in the same room in which the
H..
witness said he had seen men and women
going in there at night more than once.
Chief Mcguire had told him that there
was hay and straw in the building and
that there was danger of fire there. The
chief was entirely sober, he said.
The witness said that he tried to tele-
phone the police headquarters that the
door would not lock, but the police tele-
phone would not work
IF made a mistake 1 acknowledge it,
said Schroeder 81 thought did right"
Chairman Grayson remarked that it was
not the business of the fire commission to
investigate any misconduct which might
have gone on al the city exchange.
Chief of Police McDermott stated, by re-
quest, that the police detectives had told
him the chief was at the theater Monday
night and that he was perfectly sober. No
report was made at the police barracks
the chief said, of the mailing of the door,
and he did not hear of it until late the
next day. The rules are that when a po-
liceman finds a door open, he shall first
try to lock it, If he cannot lock it. Ii is
his duty to notify the sergeant who in
structs the policeman to remain until the
proper person can be found to come and
lock the door. The policeman would not
have been justified In battening the door
or the exchange. A warehouse would
have been different. The policeman should
have remained on duty at the exchange
NiiAlA iSliSNGu. II WIS III the authority of
the policeman to arrest anyone who should
attempt to nail up the door. Sergt Smith
understood Schroeder to say that he had
closed the door. There was no record of
telephone message on the Gamewen list
al the office.
In answer to a question by Chief Ma
guire Chief McDermott said that Schro-
der had told him he had seen man and
woman go into the exchange toget Their four
or t1ve weeks ago. Policeman Ungar also
reported that Schroeder had made this
statement TO him.
Policeman Ungar said he did not see the
ire chief on the morning of Nov 16 He
did not know anything of the matter, ex-
cept what Schroeder had told him, that he
found the door open, that the chief pass
ed, and was Informed of it, He went off.
got board and had the place nailed up
The witness said he had never seen wo-
men going in the exchange at night,
Schroeder had reported one instance to him
four or five weeks ago. He tried the
door twice that night. once at 1l:50 and
again at 1:25 o'clock. The door was locked
both times. He had often found the door