The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-22
FIREMAN MIKE 0BR|EN
His Conduct Investigated by the
Fire COMMITTEES.
CHIEFS CHARGES MADE
Fiannery Says That the Man Was In
competent and Drank Too
Much His Hearing
Continued.

Prior ~ the meeting of the council
last evening the fire and water COM
mittee held a meeting to investigate
the charges brought against Fireman
Mike O'Brien at the meeting of the
council last Wednesday evening by
Chief F~lannery. Nc defnit result came
from the meeting. as the investigation
was not finished. and an ad-
journment taken subject TO the
call OF the chair to rear fur
Their witnesses. but Il did develop
that whoever is at fault. there is dis
sension In the department prejudicial
to the good of the service. IL also de-
veloped that considerable feeling ex-
lists between Chairman Page of the fire
N water committee and Chief Flan-
merry and the latter openly accused
Chairman Page of working against
him.
1t the opening of the meeting Chair
man Page read Chief Flannery's COM
munication TO the ouncil submitted
at h Wednesdays meeting. I'm which
he notified the ounci he had suspend
ed o'Brien and made charges as fol-
lows:
Il have this day dismissed from SER
vice in the fre department. pending an
investigation by your honorable body.
Michael ]. O'Brien for the following
reasons: Incompetency. working TO the
detriment of the department and for
causing dissension in the department.
i earnestly hope your honorable body
will recognize the Importance OF giving
such matters as this a thorough inves-
tigation. as IL IL necessary to the disci-
pline OF the department.. without
which the fire department Is useless"
Chief Flannery. who was present.
was asked to state the circumstances
furnishing occasion for his action and
his charges. In reply to which. he said
O'Brien had formerly been stationed at
the central fire house and drank so
much that he felt compelled to trans
fer him to the Quartz street station.
We wen 10 O'Brien and told him that
for his own good and the good of the
department we would have to SEND him
TO the Quartz street station. O'Brien
said he would not go and quit. Sub
s%equently he came back and said IL II
was agreeable. he would like TO go back
TO work n was willing TO go to the
Quartz street station. He promised to
deport himself properly and was rein
stated. but had since then constantly
created ~dissensions among the men.
greatly preiudicial to the discipline of
the department"
With reference TO the charge of in
competency. Chief Flannerv cited in
stances I'm which O'Brien had proven
himself Incompetent in the chiefs judg-
mem He said he had detailed O'Brien
as plug man and al the recent FIRE at
the tile company's works he had
turned on so much pressure that the
men in the rsfters could not handle
the pipe. and their safety was endan-
gered.
Chief Flannery said also that in
hitching 20 go to this fire o'Brien
snapped the lines together and only
good luck prevented an accident. As
another Instance. at a SUBSEQUENT fire
O'Brien had turned on SO much pres
sure that the pipemen could not handle
the pipe n as a result nearly all the
windows in the building were broken
unnecessarily. When asked by one of
the men why he had turned on 50 much
pressure he had replied. For fun"
The chief thought IL "A poor time 20 have
fun at a fire. when the chief spoke 10
O'Brien about his action the latter was
insolent and insulting.
O'Brien. when asked what he had to
gay. said when asked To go 10 the
Quartz street station that he thought IL
was a conspiracy To get him out OF the
department.. He denied that he was
ever drunk. In explaining the charge
that be had hitched me horses wrong.
O'Brien aid the fault lay with a new
man and he. a. an old man on the de-
partment. took the blame 10 shield the
nov man. and said he hitched both
horses.
Chairman Page inquired at this point
why the chief had not discovered
O'Brien was incompetent before he had
been in the department 10 months. and
the chief replied he had never consid-
cred him a hrst-class man. Alderman