The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-04-03

AGITATED
Over the Report that Members
Of Department Had Stolen
Goods at Fire.
TALES WITHOUT FOUNDATION

TALES WITHOUT FOUNDATION
Many firemen Of Morristown, and
Chief Engineer Fox, of the Fire De
partment are much agitated over a re-
port which was printed in The Jersey
man last week that after the fire in
the Bell building was extinguished on
the night of March Goth, looting fol
lowed, and quantities of goods were
stolen, it is alleged, and =" that the
stuff was taken by members of the fire
department.
Stories, involving many prominent
citizen-tiremen have been in circula-
tion during the week, and an effort
on the part of the fire officers has been
made to "run them down" Chief
Fox has spent considerable time in
doing this and declares he has found
the tales to be without foundation.
One story was that a foreman of hose
company discovered a case of fountain
pens in the store of Frank Naylor, and
said to the firemen under his direction
" Help yourself, boys, to these pens. "
This story, as well as others of sim
liar character, the chief says, were
found to be lies, and made out of the
whole cloth, for in no instance could
the picking up Of pin, be traced to a
fireman.
The heaviest loss reported was from
the barber shop of William Johnson.
He claimed to have missed boots,
swords, and a quantity of cigars, also
a Hobart rifle. Upon investigation
everything has been accounted for eX-
cept the cigars. The story of the re-
covery of the rifle is like the capture OF
a Kidnapped child. Last Monday word
was sent to Chief Fox that if he would
call at certain Office in town at a GER
tain hour that nighthe would find the
rifle in certain place in the room. No
questions were to be asked, and the
chief was to give the weapon to the
owner. Instructions were followed
and Mr.. johnson has his rife. 1t has
been learned upon inquiry that the
rifle was taken by boy in this city,
over twelve years of age, and that fear
ing he would be caught, confessed the
crime to his uncle. In order to shield
the lad, whose father it was said would
lash him to post if he knew it, the
uncle had the stolen property returned
in this way.
Turner & Company have found two
empty necktie boxes on their show
case which they say were filled with
goods the night of the fire. They be-
lieve the neckties were stolen after the
fire was extinguished Frank Naylor,
whose rumored loss wouldhaye amount
ed to hundreds of dollars, when seen
by a CHRONICLE reporter, said all that
he had found to be missing was box
of so cent penknives, and those are
thought to be in the rubbish. William
Becker, the barber thought he had
lost a large case of raZors, but when
some one refreshed his mind he re-
membered having taken them to In
dependent Hose house, where they
were found as he had left them.
1t is the concensus of opinion that
the pilfering done-if anyways after
the fire had been declared out, and the
apparatus housed
On Tuesday evening a meeting Of
the officers of the fire department was
called by Chief Fox for the purpose of
investigating the reports. The fire
committee of the Board of Aldermen
was also present and the matter was
thoroughly gone into and it was found
Jnf tKrh "a =
ever for the report that any 'pilfer-
ing" had been done by any member Of
the fire department.
After considering the matter it was
decided by the Mayor and fire COM
mittee that the best way to silence
the insinuations and ''rumors" would
be to call meeting of the fire COM
mittee and to notify all those who had
charged the members of the fire de-
partment with looting to be present
and either Substantiate their claims
or acknowledge themselves in the
wrong. The meeting was called for
last evening and Messrs. Naylor, Beck
er, Johnson and Turner 4 Company's
were notified to be
present but not one of them came and
when seen individually by the chair
man of the fire committee, Mr.. Belby
they each said that they had suffered
no loss from any member Of the fire
and excused themselves
from attending the meeting.
Before the meeting adjourned, Mr.
Belly, for the fire department, said
that the published rumors had been
thoroughly Investigated and the ru-
mors found to be without foundation
and that in the future the department,
the fire committee and the Board Of
Aldermen hoped that no more ru-
mors rejecting on the fire depart
ment would be published unless there
was more foundation for them than
there had been for these.
y. NJ. c. A. Notes.
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