Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-12

1t would show a careful administra-
ton of the city's affairs, nevertheless
We did not go abroad for evidence
because we had all we needed with
out doing so. We have shown that
evidence to the board and the board
shall say 1t is competent and sufficient
to prove the charges. that Mr. Chat
field was neglectful and incompetent.
Mr. Chatfield was given every protec-
tion," went on Mr. Guiffoile. ''He
was given the protection of special
clause in the amendment to the char
ter Two-thirds Of the fifteen alder
men shall approve of the verdict of
this board. point to this merely to
show how carefully Mr. Chatfield is
guarded around by special protection.
and / claim that upon the evidence
we have adduced he shall be adjudg-
ed guilty. The public welfare de-
mands it and personal feeling must
| not interior with you in reaching
decision and it is your duty to find
him guilty"
Mr. Guilfoile thereupon resumed
his chair and Attorney N. P. Bron-
son Mr. Chatfield's counsel arose. He
was rather pathetic in some parts OF
his address. He began with paying
his compliments to Mr. Guilfoile for
his manly and gentlemanly way Of
conducting the case. He said that
whether or no it was case of grav-
ity, it was nevertheless serious one.
Mr. Chatfield, he said, is an old resi-
dent and has been actively before the
public for long time. He has held
the Office of building inspector for six
years during which he has issued 81
600 building permits. Looking back
over the years that are past said
Mr. Bronson, I'VE all see many things
which we would do differently were
we to do them over again. The mer-
chant and the storekeeper, all of us
in every walk of life, see some things
which burn little as we look back
over the years that have flown. 1t is
hard to pass upon those things now
and harder still to. say thou art
found wanting in your position !
hope, gentlemen, that you will give
this matter your heart and your con-
science.
"The responsibilities of the whole
city, of 10000 people, are on your
shoulders to-day and will you say to
this man that he is delinquent. Lay
ing everything aside, will you come
forth boldly and say you are remov-
ed 1t is hard thing to say, gentle
men, and a serious thing to do.
I'm all this hearing there has not
been word uttered about what Is
generally known as graft. Not a
word not a breath. No one can get
the smell of smoke off Mr. Chatfield's
clothes. The evidence we have laid
before you is the best that could be
given, and that evidence shows that
he was not influenced by politics, or
partisanship, nationality or creed in
the performance of his duty. Quite
the contrary is the fact, for it has
been shown that he was in conflict
with many of those who testified for
him at this hearing, men who assist.
ed in drawing up the building ordin-
ances.
Public opinion must govern you
to some extent when you come to de-
eide this matter, and when l say pub
lie opinion l mean the statement OF
some of the best men in town. The
talk of the street is not the public
opinion / refer to. The press is Or
called the exponent of pub
lie opinion but that, also, is not the
public opinion mean. / speak Of the
evidence of those who testified here
for Mr. Chatfield.
"Mr Guilfoile could have found
men, no doubt, who could say that
Mr. Chatfield was guilty of graft,
guilty of deserving his duty. I defy
the board to say he is guilty of neg
lect of his duty"
Mr. Bronson then took UP the West
Porter street matter, saying: Sup
pose Mr. Chatfield had refused per-
nit to Mr. Fernandez. He would
have appealed to the board Of alder
men and there he would still be for
we know how slowly boards move.
Mr. Chatfield could have made him
,ull down the brick building but he
believed he was going to pull down
he frame house next to 1T. Yet he
allowed him to fix up the frame house
,ut that is not charged in the allega-
ions and it cannot come in now. He
made a mistake but he was not neg
ectful or incompetent" Mr. Bronson
concluded by throwing all the blame
N Mr. Chatfield's small salary, $1,So0
year.