New-York tribune., 1903-03-31
wlyTS STUBGIS oUSTED
tgroat SAYS He Committed an In
dictable offence.
Dip sor HEED RIvEs's WARMING

= cvnsrcS,er CSrosIt In o letter 30 the Mayor
x-sa.sr6av asked for the removal Of Fire COM
ss~ses,er sfurafs for alleged derelictions Ia con-
zeoason with engine house repairs In 6rooAlyn.
4se aasd that the commissioner h&o comn"t.eu
m snasctable offence, and that ne shooio Ee0e'.e
,,,1h the same treatment as was given py Ine
eammissicner TO Fire Chief Croker. Mr' H'0u'
6.rlsrn6 that ignorance of the lsw did NOT eA
ru.a Mr. stungts; and that the comfniSSiontel
auarded contracts .rregaiariy after Corpot 1t,u
Counsel Rives had sent hin an opaflion ~. w.
a,n~ a. The ControIler's letter to the MASol
IN part fellows; -
On MeFSa "a F,e romniiEsioner sturgis of the pro
vssons of section Es Of the chaster .st 9orfh the
ine R detail an opinion Of the Corporation CTea ear
81 holding that the course e. n1 then spechcay
n ststnsion DO nS. onss e snst o pSbe9 bece@
vossioH Of prcvsions 9t the essT5ee ae5ee
Te do With special references to that psHss1eS Hsre
OF Nj sturSis's comr1unicaton 70 20 sV hut nIeading
iSnorance Of the law prior 70 the receipt 9t 1872
rpoc canses opinion pi. oe,6S on s6e pFo1scns
q section s have been scrHp"oa1Sy SSS notWi9h-
ssonde shs clear of he oPiIiS9 q ay1s the co
pSrstoT Counsel OF December 81 lsuS h-ne eeEs
nrser such opiio authotsed upon the house oSn3 GI
Ensns soPaHIy P1I,t;ns N0 81 s and
tsaI of < Ses in all and upon the house or HoHH ts
snS Lsede. . GopSiniai npsiniinS 500 carpentry sn5
tataI ofssfi Whatever opiuon therefore;d ed mas No
SF1 a. prior to the receipt Of the CorporaS ora
;son Counses opinion and In SPITE 2sgnnss from this
Sensrtrsenf you thus find that three weeks Srnors
sseh orntoh' aG a in mat opinion warned him that
SiolsfIon or evasion Of this charter a. Gdi-
s,n Se snr make him personally liable for the cost IA ia
cured the Fire he tolerated in any
public ofHcial or else with an snorsnese tha % nur
going on IN his pt1 hs Was quitting his
Epor,e which would Indicate official incompsseihC1H.
centfeo W wo ss to which none Of the specious
Ssfsnces urged in his letter can in any way Apply
Continuing. the Controller reviews the course
cf the commissioner in awarding contracts anu
aaye tkat within the last year he has again anu
again called the attention Of the commlssloheI
TO the fIIegalty Of the course he was pursuing
Regarding the auditing Of the alleged Irregular
Fire Department bills by the Controller, MI
Grout says that the commissioner had spelieu
cut scquIescenee from the actor, Of the auditors
Of this department in auditing the BILL In clos
ing his letter the Controller says:
am S1ad to be able to say that other COM
missioner has required such warnings or oeen 80
persistent in continuing the old % Shf 1t
g tsa repeet ct the IRE comnissiOner stands alone
1vy into these facts since the action Of the com
missioner OF January q. 1893 three weeks aItet tns
CORPORATION Counsefs opiRion, and the unoouotesnn
violation OF fits terms are sufficient to Justly ~
eeeEns 10 me Quite as rigorous application OF
the penalties Of the Law against him as ne ss
judge administered to the hre chief whom ne re- re-
csnfiy removed from once have only TO aoa
thai IL seems TO my Judgment that no dlneTeint IN
uoaSure Of judgment, IN cases like this snould ne
applied to a member of this administration thah
that which wcuId be applied TO d member OF an
ether administration.
Commissioner sturgis refused to be seen re-
harding the letter. but sent out word by his
private secretary to the reporters that he had
not heard oficialIy from the Mayor. and until
he had heard he would have nothing to say