The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-19
fsneciaI TO The HeraldO

j. Weber for BinfOrd- Mr.. weber OBJ
jected TO the charges relating to
tyranny. .domineering conduct, and
demanded that the charge that
he was mulcting employees be
made specific so as to show time.
place and individual affected. He
also demurred to other charges on the
ground that they did not state suf-
ficient cause for action. One of the
charges was found technically defective
and it was allowed to be amended. the
defendant waving all rights in this
matter Mr. Waldram was the first
witness. Regarding the charges of
tyranny witness said Binford had
sneeringly made him move a spittOon
and again had taken him to task be-
cause of a broom-straw a bit OF cigar
in the washbOwl. 1t was Waldram's
business to keep the house clean \
man from the Carnival of Madrid COM
pany had slept in the room adjoining
the chiefs for several weeks The
chief had used profane language to him
once at the house and again at the
Madison avenue fire. He frequently did
this to other employees. Waldram
started to tell about trips made to the
power dam by the chief with his de-
l.
would be admitted. At one time the
chief, assistant chief and captain were
all absent at once at the power COM
pany. The charge that the department
had to turn out for the amusement of
a colored minstrel troupe struck SnaS
when it was found that the pole-sliding
event was in the afternoon instead of
in the early morning The charge was
amended The examination by
Mr witness
discussed the dismissal of the chief
and endeavored to get others to sign
the charges. Witness supposed that
Binford went up to the machine shops
to put in machinery ordered by him,
and that Binford got a commission.
Witness signed the charges at the re-
quest of George Wardlaw. Some OF
them he knew nothing about. but he
signed al lof them. He had heard that
Joe Clark. Charley Empey. ]. W. Ora
ham and Orson Riser were out for the
chiefs job. He told several of the boys
that the fellows who stood up for Bin
ford would go out with him and that the
others would be solid. Mr.. Weber OBJ
jected TO testimony by George Ward
law as to the chiefs profanity. as the
chief had been tried once since Ward
law was in the service.
In the fall of 1895 Burton Stanley
and his son stayed a week or two,
occupying the rooms.
He had been discharged by Chief
Binford and never asked to be rein
stated. Witness said he was discharged
because he refused to tell what the
men said about the chief.
Ed Auth knew nothing material, ex-
ceDt what had been covered by his
previous charges. which had been ig-
nored
Mr.. Malan. driver of the truck, said
that Binford had sworn at him once.
He remembered the visits of the min
strels. There were only men there at
night. He remembered the dodgers.
The matter of charges had been often
talked over bv members of the board.
Mr. Wardlaw, recalled. said he had
got up the charges himself. except one,
ws:ic+ he did not know about until he
saw it in the Standard. He signed it
because IF you see it in the Standard,
it's So
Mr. ChippeIl testified to several times
when the chief had said G. d it. He
remembered the minstrel visits and the
room 10 sleep in. The COMPLAINT
in the case of Binford VS.. Og-
den was introduced to prove the
allegations of the points for which he
had sued the city.
Job Warner said that Binford had
assessed the boys $3.50 each at the
time he was appointed Assistant
Chief Hewatt testified that Binford
was not profane, tyrannical nor DOM
ineering. The visit to the canyon was
made on his own time. He inspected
the buildings with the officiels. The min
strel people visited the department in
the afternoon and witnessed a special
drill. They promised to return that
night with their quartette and sing
They did so. Cigars and candy were
passed around. The firemen were not
to stay up, but none went to
bed In the afternoon ne took a little
girl down the pole.
Walter White had stayed at the
house and had fixed up some bat
teries-
Mr.. Rogers corroborated Mr.. Hew-
ats testimony on all the above mat
ters. The men expected the minstrels.
Mr. Stevens said he was a member
of the fire and police board when Bin
ford circulated a remonstrance against
the repeal of the fire and police law
The chief had acted with his knowl-
edge and approval.
Mr.. Lee. a member of the department
since 1891, cOrroborated Hewatt and
Rogers.
Dee corroborated the other witnesses
of the chief. and further said that
Waldram had told him that influential
men were with him in his movement
to get the chief out
Electrician Moore testified to the
chiefs courteous demeanor and that
the trips to the machine shop were
official. Binford shows no partiaIits.
Mcintosh cOrrOborated this line of
testimony, and said further that Mr..
had told him that the mayor
and three commissioners were with
him, and that all they wanted was
the charges. The commissioners were
Peery. Rogers and Watson. Mr.. Wal
dram denied this in toto and said he
had not spoken to Mr.. Peery for a
year.
Fireman West was for B-lford.
Waldram had asked him to sign the
charges, but he refused.
c. A. Garfield cOrroborated as TO the
chiefs courtesy and non partially.
]. Nj. Graham, whose place of BUSH
ness is next to the department. testi-
fed that the chiefs conduct toward the
men was always gentlemanly
Dee ewas recalled and corroboratedl
Mcintosh as to what he had said con-
corning Waldram's statement that The
mayor and three commissioners were
behind him.
w. B. Butcher said Waldram told
him that he had asked that the min
strels come over that evening and en-
terrain them.
Chief Binford went on the stand and
his testimony covered the points in
controversy. He said the people in
the room were his guests and the fur
niture belonged to him. He denied that
ne had collected the assessment to paw
FOR the job. The allegations were ali
specifically denied by him. The visit
Of the ninSrrelS WAS allowed &c =