The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-07
MISCONDUCT AND OPPRESSION
THESE ARE THE CHARGES
AGAINST THE FIRE COMMISSION.

Sents It's Impeachment Charges.
Chairman w. u. G-aysOn Made a
SDecfaI MarE-FaiIure to Discharge
the Chief Is Said to he Misconduct
in Ofice-Thnt Lett er to the Mayor
Cuts n Prominent Figure-COm-
mfssiOnerS Called on 10 Appear
Before Council Tuesday Night.
The special committee appointed by
council to prepare Impeachment charges
against the fire commissioners made its re-
mort at the meeting last night by setting
forth a series of specifications in writ
ing. to which the commissioners will be
expected to make answer at a meeting
Of council to be held next Tuesday night.
There are seven charges in the report
The committee first charges the commits
sioners with misconduct in Office, because
CT the alleged discouroeous letter which
was written to Mayor Meldrim, which let
ter was returned to the commission. The
next two sections relate to the action of
the commissioners in the case of Chief Ma
guire. in which misconduct is charged be-
cause they refused to discharge the chief
after the investigation and recommends
tons by council.
Besides misconduct the commissioners
are also charged with oppression for sus-
pending and discharging certain firemen
for causes growing out of the investiga-
tion by council.
Chairman W. L. Grayson is made a spe-
cial mark by the committee, he being
. charged particularly with misconduct be
.a.,-o - 20 e+ota5 ta s+oDDad a fira,,,a,, on
the way to a fire for the purpose of get
ting him to do political work for a politi-
cal faction.
The report of this special committee has
been expected for some time, and now
that it has been made and the issue be-
tween council and the fire commissioners
is formally Joined, the question which has
been raised as to whether council has the
right to interfere with the commits
sioners or to mpeach them,
they being the creation of the legislature
and not of council, viii in all probability
be brought to a focus very soon.
Public opinion upon the matter is di-
vided according to the side with which
the party afiliates-those leaning. toward
council maintaining that the impeachment
is authorized, while the friends of the
fire commissioners express strong protests
TO the contrary.
AS to what steps will be taken by the
fire commissioners in the way of appear
ing before council and making defense to
the charges, is not known, though they
have heretofore declared that in the event
charges were preferred they would be dis
regarded them.
1t was stated by a member of council
after the meeting that If the fire COM
missioners made a defense, the trial would
assume the course of a regular investiga-
tion and that the respondents would be
given a fair showing to Vindicate them
selves.
The following is a full copy of the
charges as prepared by the special COM
mittee and submitted to council:
Savannah, Ga, Oct. 6, 1S97.-To the Hon.
orable the Mayor and Aldermen of the
City of Savannah: The undersigned COM
mittee, appointed by his honor the mayor,
under a resolution of your council adopted
at it's meeting of Sept. IA, 1897, touching the
conduct Of the fire comm issioners for the
city of Savannah, beg leave now to submit
the following charges against William l..
Grayson George w. Parish and Robert
S. Nell, as fire commissioners, constitut-
ing the board of fire commissioners for
the city of Savannah to-wit
/. We charge the said commissioners
with misconduct in office in that the said
commissioners on the nth day of Septem-
Der, 1897 caused to be written and sent,
son, a letter of that date addresse to the
mayor of the city of Savannah, andyfn-
tended for your body, which letter is in
sulting and offensive, designed to cast re-
proach upon the members of this council,
and particularly as to the following por-
ton of the said letter, namely: THE evil
dence has, in our judgment shown that
unfair means were used to procure dis
contented and discharged fremen to air
their grievances against their superior
officers, and we do not understand how
members of council could permit their par
tisan colleagues to influence them to dis
regard the sacred duties of their trust by
usurping jurisdiction of matters, which
they did not, and knew they did not have,
thus converting their conventions into a
school for scandal, TO which the idle vic
ious and ill-disposed might so to calum-
Mate trusted officials of the city govern
ment. Still less can we understand how
Z members of council, knowing their organ
ization of this commission, and that il oc-
cupes a position in the city government,
coordinate with that of their own body.
could be parties to an undignihed at
tempt TO influence the action of this body
by threats and mena ces. Surely, sir, poll
tics has crept into the deliberations of
council, and craftsmanship controlled its ac-
ton"
The said commissioners afterwards caus-
ed this letter 70 be published in the pub
lie prints or sept i, 1871, Tor the pur-
pose of giving widespread notice to their
said offensive and insulting letter, and for
the further purpose of making as pro-
nounced as possible this deliberate Of
tense.
Although the said letter was promptly
returned by his honor, the mayor, as be-
ing discourteous, no disclaimer or amende
of any kind has been offered by the said
commissioners or any of them. but, on the
contrary, after the return of the said let
ter they published the same as hereinbe-
fore stated and for the purposes stated.
2. They further charge the said COM
missioners with misconduct in Office, be-
cause. although advised that the fire chief,
John f. Mcclure, was an unfit and in
competent person to discharge the duties
of fire chief have neither suspended nor
discharged him, but have retained him in
office.
g. They further charge that, although ii
was brought to the attention of the said
commissioners that the said fire chief,
John e. Mcguire. had been under the m
huence of liquor at divers times notably
on The night of Sept. p, 1896, and The early