Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-02-20
GIVEN REPRlMAND
A. |. Chaiiield Appeared Before
Mayor and Board.

In language that was gentle and
at the same time cutting, yet in no
way offending the dignity of the man
they were directed to in words that
We're brilliant with softness, yet elo-
quent with reproach. Mayor Thoms
yesterday afternoon censured Build
ing Inspector A. |. Chatfield and thus
was closed the incident Of the
charges that were heard against the
inspector last week. Mr. Chatfield
felt every word Of the mayors. His
flushed cheek told that, yet he did not
feel as If he did not deserve every
word Of the reprimand which the
board had voted the mayor should
deal out to the inspector, as he was
found guilty of some of the various
charges. The mayor spoke too, as
though he knew he was rebuking a
man old enough to be his father, an
old citizen, man who has been
prominent in the city for forty years
and at the same time that 1t was his
duty.
Evidently to make the scene as i'm
pressive as possible and also to shield
the inspector from any unnecessary
indignity the mayor, the whole board
and of course the inspector stood
while the mayor was delivering the
censure. He said the fact alone that
Mr. Chatfield was before the board to
be censured and reproved for neglect
OF conduct, the publicity he had been
given In the press as an official who
had been found wanting in the per-
formance Of his duty was punishment
in itself to great extent. The board
had found him guilty of neglect in
the East Farm street matter and,
though that neglect was not wholly
responsible, it was contributory to
the awful accident that occurred in
the building, causing widespread SEN
sation, suffering and death. No
doubt, said the mayor, Mr. Chatfield
felt this more than any one thinks
he does. He continued:
"Mr Chatfield, the board of public
safety has found you guilty Of neglect
and failure to abide by the city ordi-
nances To comment unnecessarily
upon such thing, is not our pur-
pose, because you must feel, as we do,
that to bring public officer before
city board for reprimand is an un-
pleasant thing to do.
"The findings were fully justified by
the evidence. A private citizen can do
many things which a public official
cannot consistently do The law re-
quires that you keep a public record
upon books at your office, which you
have failed to do. l have, appointed a
committee to map out future work
and plans and Of course your work
will come under their head.
with reference to the Farm street
and the South Main street Incidents,
| feel that very little either you or
myself could say would at this time
be Of new interest. Negligence in
properly investigating the underlying
supports Of this Farm street building
as you can see for yourself, has caus-
cd a great deal Of suffering and the
death OF one man. You must feel this
keenly.
II feel that should say in Justice
to your record as citizen, that It
must be source of satisfaction To
you to know that il has been one of
of an honorable man.
IF you had more work than you
could attend to, 1t was your duty to
so state the fact. AS far as | know
there never has been any formal COM
from you setting forth
that you were unable to do the work
before You.
II do want TO say this, that 10 long
as the wishes Of this board in such
matters as public protection, are car
ried out. there need be no lack of
harmony. nor should there he any feel
Ing. We are not reprimanding you
as individuals, but as servants of the
city Of Waterbury, which we repre-
sent.
You are now excused Mr. Chat
ield," concluded the mayor and i'm.
the inspector left the room,
4 minute later the board adjourned.
After the meeting the commission
rs congratulated the mayor on his
'emarks. They surely won the adj
of all the board for they
howed the well balanced disposition
" the mayor and that calm, even,
judicial temperament with which he
las often been credited.