New-York tribune., 1908-04-29
CALLS FIREMEN AFRAID
WONT TELL ABOUT GRAFT
Uitness Says Men Hare Been
"Hounded" for Testifyng.

James D Clifford. until 100 captain IN tne
Fire Department. and now a practising attorney
and president Of the Firemens Mutual Benefit As
socfaton. the first witness called before Joan
P,IrrOv Mitchell Commissioner Of Accounts yester-
day in the Stewart Building The association or
which Mr. Clifford Is the president is composed or
twenty-five hundred. members of the uniformed
force from ''bIreshirts-- to battalion chiefs. ana
opposed to the organization is the New York Fire
Department Benevolent Association. OF which Chiet
Croker is a member. Clifford dismissed from
the department for -pernicious activity IN me
twO-platoOn agitation.
stories Of various abuses have come 20 ~.
said Mr. clifford We tried 70 find out about
transfers but were told that IL was for tne
good of the service
DO you know Of any money being passed 70
obtain transfers. asked Commissioner Mitchell
Il do not said the witness
Did YOU not tell NE on March IS interrupted
Commissioner Callahan "a few DAYS before COM
missioner Bonner's death that you would tell me
things that would shock the connunty- OF words
that effect; that money had been paid for trans
fers promotions in the way Of graft2
Il don remember I may have
Wasn't there an understanding that II "A Ger
tain conrnissionAr we're ever appointed certain
men would come forward and testify concerning
abuses
Wasn't it understood that II sheriff Hayes were
appointed the men would not be advised - come
forward and tel what they knew
'Comnissioner HAYES always locked CUT for the
men
Didn't YOU receive letter from ne March
80 promising that the District Attorney would fur
nish immunity to men who would testify as TO
money being paid graft for promotions. ETC.?
II believe I did
Witness then said that the men were afraid 20
come forward because there might he action taken
against them by those in authority after COrnus-
soner Hayes's term had expired Two men. ne
said. had been bounded out Of the department for
giving such testimony After time Mr. clifford
Of
graft for transfers or promotions and said that -
would not advise 70 come forward to testify
g. 4 Wanzer. formerly acting purchasing agent
of the department said that he had talked with two
hundred men the graft subject John q Brten.
fireman. said that lie would tell the names or
certain If Clifford would advise him 70 do So
Clifford, was said. advised him afJe-ward 10 say
nothing. Clifford. MI. Wauzer said. vas looked up
TO by the men in the department
F \ Harmed. chief examiner for the commits
sicners. said that he had heard clifford say that
he could get men tell Of abuses in the depart
ment Thomas StUrgis. Fire Commissioner under
Mayors Low and Strong. testified concerning the
telegraph alarm system and the disadvantages OF
the private signal service companies Canvassers
for certain OF the companies. Mr- Sturgs said told
business men thai the Fire Commissioner would
sooner or later compel them to install the system
The license Of one company was revoked By Com
missioner ScUr-is after a hearing
Z G CovIeS president Of the Automatic Fire
Alarm Company ard director in other companies.
told Of the operations Of his concern and OF its
earnings. We s,vore Of on graft before we be-
gan" said witness We gave signals TO
t-e Fire Patrol and they ect fires that the de-
Partment never heard or That vas in $50.
Irving 3 Ferguson of the American District
Telegraph Company. told Of tire company leases on
small signal companies equipment James Quinn
a fireman. was called in the afternoon He was
unwilling witness but the minutes OF previous
testimony Uere produced by the Commissioner He
said rlat he had been transferred from Nauhat-
tan 10 Staten Island \ known as Emanuel
: Berg G salesman met him near tde engine
quarters one day and told him that he could be
transferred back again but it would cost him
something Later the salesman told him 70 meet
him and b.inz 50. ne said mat did know
that rle man vas IN Iuv v4y connected with a
clerk NAMED RosenthaI IL chef Cookers Office
Joseph " Storer. treasurer IF tle Manhattan
Fire Alarm Company. Indignantly denteI shat his
conlpany's license or frarchlSe had been revoked
He said that his company pays the city . cents
each for the boxes which It places IN buldlngs
a. from = 70 S5o each The Ccmpan-, he said.
vas a great public benef4ctor, and should not 20
charged ANYTHING by - city. tonmISsic ner Gal
Iasher brought out 10y questioning t11t the com
parv paid about s2tf" year for a permit which
II valued 4r ItAt"t Mt. Storer denied thar any
offer of money had been made 20 Commissions
SturSis hold Of
Commissioner Mitchell asked for t-e figures OF the
company 30 that the commission might make rec
onl=rdatiors 70 buy u, plant FOR the city. grant
the company FRANCHISE have II pay an amount
i4l year trs ret earnings