Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-03-15
ALDERMAN SHEA'S MEETING.
Capt. Wills Again Discharged From
His Position at Fire Station Three.

special meeting of the Board Of Al
dcrmen was held Monday night at the call
of the mayor pursuant to a request of AL
derman Shea to consider the minority re-
port of the committee on fire department
in the matter OF the discharge of Capt
Wills of station No 8 The board spent
an hour over the matter and the Incl
dent was closed by the affirming of the
action of the previous meeting in the pass
age of a resolution adopting the majority
report of the committee and dischargng
Capt Wills as well as selecting a man
TO fill his place. AT a meeting of the
council. called to order at 9:25, a. II.
Parker was elected an assessor to succeed
himself by unanimous ballot of the
council
The meeting of the Board Of Aldermen
came TO order at S;l5 with all OF the al
dcrmen present. The business of the cven-
ing had been considerably discussed and
with caucus or two in the vault and in
the mayors room all was ready for bust
ness. The minority report upon the mat
ter of Capt wills discharge prepared
by Alderman Sinclair, was read. 1t was
as follows:
ON the 18th day of February, 1900. the
committee ON fire department gave Chief
Murray and Capt Wills Il hearing. From
the statements of both parties the COM
mlitco learned that Capt Wills had placed
an incubator in the parlors OF station No.
;; also that Chief Murray ordered the
same removed. The captain replied that
he would do 80 and did so; also that Il
dispute arose over the amount of coal
consumed at the station during the pres
ent winter, the idea of the CHIEF being jliat
it was on account of keeping the incuba-
tor warm. This was, We believe, disputed
by the captain, and the quarrel grew from
this beginning each contradictins the oth-
er, as small boys sometimes do.
tt.,..,
received from the men is as follows:
Capt. Wis said that Chief Murray call
ed him - liar. Chief Murray denied
using the words ----- liar The uucs ton
was then asked if Chief Murray said as
much as to call Capt. Wills a liar Cant
Wills said that he did and Chief Murray
did not deny IT, Capt. wills upon this
provocation acknowledged that he shook
his fist in the chiefs face.
No charge was brought against the cap
tain for dsobeiicrce, inefficiency, etc, nut
simply for unbecominS conduct toward the
chief at this particular time only.
We believe the conduct of both parties
was, To say the least, improper ana should
not pass unnoliccd. We do not think il a
case involving tho fut urc discipline of the
department, so far as it's rules are con-
, ccrn"d but disgrace To the whole depart
m"nt.
We therefore recommend that Cant.
WIZ ~ Hllt'l TWO NtthS pay ana lIjt
thiot Murray be Ccnsurod for allowing
himself to quarrel With Il subordinate.
We would suggest that there are a num-
; hcr of important buildings in the district
served by the lire engine il station NO 8.
! the engine therefore should be In the
! hands of an experience ID ANA capable man.
! We believe capt Mills to he such "A man
After the report had been read, Alder
| man Shea addressed the board in it's fa-
| Nor a some length. He closed by asking
| Alderman Brownel to move the reconsd-
Grafton of the majority report. This was
| refused but an appeal 10 Alderman Price
| proved more successful and he moved TO
| reconsider the action previously taken.
| This motion was lost in an aye and nay
vote OF five to five, in which Aldermen
| Adsit, Beach, Brownell, Gutchell and Ma
| son voted nay.
| Alderman Shea then offered z resou-
| tion, which was as follows:
Resolved, That in the case of the sus.
pension OF Capt wills il is the sense OF
| the Board that Capt Wills forfeit two
| weeks fine for conduct unbecomne a fire
| man and Chief Murray shall he censured
! by the mayor for unbecoming language 10