The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-20
TO KILL M GUILDS.
COMMISSIONER sCANNELL DE-
CLARES THEY MUST GO.

10th the Omcers ana Men or the Department
Have Their Secret socicties-Thrt OF the
Mes Endorsed Gen. Tracy In the Mayor
atty Campaign and Pays the Penalty wow.
Fire Commissioner John ]. Scannell an
nounced his opposition yesterday to the con-
tlnucd existence Of the New York Fircmen's
Mutual Benevolent Association. commonly
known as the 'Pinkies.' and declared that the
members must abandon the society II they ex-
pectcd promotion in the department while he
is Commissioner Yesterday was trial day OF
delinquent Hremen. and Fireman John Fitz-
gerald Of engine 20 was one of the men brought
up on charges. His foreman complained that
tho fireman was intoxicated while on duty, and
he was corroborated by the assistant foreman.
Fitzgerald denied tho charge, and several fire.
men testified In his behalf. 80 that 1t was q
question Of veracity between the officers and
the men.
At the conclusion Of the testimony the Com
missioner asked Fitzgerald IL hc was a member
of the society known as the "Pinkies."
"Yes, sir" the fireman responded, with .
smile.
rs not that society banded together to pro.
teot its members and to testify in behalf OF one
another when o member Of It gets into troubled"
the Commissioner inquired.
Fitzgerald said that the society was organized
for mutual aid and protection In all legiti.
mate ways, and testified In one another's be-
half only when they had actual knowledge Of
the circumstances connected with the alleged
offence. When n member had such knowl.
edge he was expected to testify for o fellow
member.
But are they not banded together to protect
one another against the officers of the COM
paniesf' persisted the Commissioner.
"Only in q proper way" was the answer.
Il am convinced from all / have learned"
Commissioner Scannel continued, that the
existence Of tho society is not for the good of
the service. and l propose to break 1t up. 1t is
always dabblinG in politics and I am going to
have that practice stopped, in this depart
business and leave politics alone. l will no. APP
prove the promotion OF any man connected
with this society,".
The Commissioner fined Fitzgerald ten days
pay.
Later the Commissioner gave out a ~typcwrit-
ten statement in which he declared:
This society works directly against the in
tercsts of the public, and is subversive of disci-
udice in favor Of the officers as against the
men, or OF the men as against the officers. An
other r secret organization exists in the depart,
societies are known rs political bodies,and as
such have taken an active part in elections.
tends only. to denoralize the force, the real duty
Of which is to protect the lives and property
The firemen,s Mutual iHcnent Association is
a secret organization that came into existence
several years ago. Its principal work was in OBJ
tanning at Albany legislation favorable to the
frcmen. especially in bringing about an in
crease of salary, The officers organization has
also used its influence at Albany to secure larg-
er salaries. There has been antagonism he
tween the organizations since their inception.
Shortly before the recent election the fire.
mems society held a meeting and Endorsed Gen.
Tracy for Mayor. on the ground that the Re-
ests than the Democrats had. The nickname
OF Pinkics is supposed to have come from the
way, In which one member of the society beck
onod with his little finger to another member
when he wished to talk to him about the soci-
ety's affairs. 1t was the officers who thus dcs-
ignated the society. The firemen referred to
the officers society as the "Thumbs."