The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-10-23
BILLIARD FIRED; NOTFORGRAFT
WALDO WAS AFTER nv BE-
FORE GIYNOR STARTED.
ne Held y Repair BIIls. FHIs~l, Certifie'i
Others, and signed One mat Vas
Forked His plea mat He 10 an
ENempl Fireman l. Not Nerified

Others, and signed One That was
ForEed Tus Plea mat he 10 an
Exempt Fireman l. Not Nerined.
Herbert " Billiard was dismissed from
the Fire department yesterday after FIR"
Commissioner Waldo had given hum a
hearing on charges distinct from m" ac-
cusation IT graft made ny the Commits
sioner of Accounts To Mayor Gaynnr nn
Friday
Commissioner Waldo and Deputy Com
missioner O'Keeffe of Brooklyn heard
rumorz la.t June that grating was being
done 10y Billiard. who was an inspector
acting as assistant superintendent 81 Fire
Department buildings for Brooklyn and
Queens They sent for u. Il. Mabie
president 81 the Rochelle Roofing Com
panv. and asked hun to give What in
formation he had IN regard to accusations
Of crooked work by Fire Department en-
nloyeas Mr. Mabie said he had no ac-
cusatIons 10 make
That investigation resulted IN no ac-
ton. hut afterward the Commissioner re-
ceived reports that started another m
ouirv In thus case he got evidence
through Deputy Chief William Guerin.
who Is IN charge ~ the bureau Of supplies
and repairs Charges were prepared on
Friday and Billiard was notified To- appear
Yesterday for a hearing. The charges
were neglect Of duty and false fertilization
of bills for contractors Deputy Okeeie
sat with Commissioner Waldo at the
hearing and Deputy Chief Guerln prose
cuted
The first charge declared that Billiard
had retained a blll IT Thomas Pagan 4
Son from July To- October g. The bill
was Tor SO Tor repair, In the quarters u
Engine lis. Brooklyn The accused said
he knew OF no reason why he had kept
the bill m his Office instead OF sending II
to Fire Headquarters a. required by the
regulations. tie admitted that the work
was completed on July :.
on the second charge he was accused
Of falsely certifying till for $3.50 made
out hy Emil johnson 81 i3t5 Prn-peCtplacr
for repairs 10 the quarters Of Engln" 100
and also falsely certifying biii Tor So
made out to q. I. Easton IT ~ Nassau
street Tor repairs at the quarters OF Engine
III.
In the case of the johnson bill Billiard
had cert fled on September ~ that all the
work was completed satisfactorily. yet
INSPECTOR James Il Rcehil said under oath
that the work was not completed until
October ).
How do YOU account for your certifca-
tom" the Commissioner asked Billiard
The work was practically done on sep
tember 49, hut there were some small
items thu. contractor wanted changed and
| allowed him To change them. and they
were not finished until October 5. b" re-
Piled.
You changed the specifications OF the
contract, them
Yes
But that was in itself a violation Of
aw -
I didn.r know it
He said that he sometimes certified
bills for contractors without inspecting
the work He certified on his inspector
report ReehIl was the only inspector
he had
The Commissioner then passed on 10
the Easton bill and asked ke"hll n he had
certified that the work was completed on
October 4 The inspector said he had not
certified TO the hll
But here is your signature on the bill.
said the Commissioner {" R""hil
That is not my signature said the
man after looking at It
The Commissioner sent for Bookkeeper
WinklehaCk. who prepares the payrolls.
and the bookkeeper said he didn { think
Reehil's name was written by himself
on that paper.
what DC YOU think 81 that signatures-
the Commissioner asked Billiard
L don't think hs wrote u, the defend
ant answered.
But who did,
OOU AUON
You certified 20 the hill a. assistant
superintendent Of buildings Did Won
inspect the work before certifying
No sir
Did YOU inspect the work. Reehil,-
No air
1T appears that the hill was certified
% without an inspection Billiard. how
do YOU account for a forged signature
on a document You signedp- said Com
missioner Waldo.
i cannot account for IL
Then YOU admit the work was not
completed on september ~ when you
certified that II was
That j. so
Have YOU anv statement TO makes-
Yes. ! object 20 tins trial becau-" |
did not have foTty-eight hours IA which
20 prepare my case A. an exempt fireman
arm entitled 20 forty eight hours.
Secretary lamly said he had searched
the records and could not find the name =
Billiard ia any fire company. Commits
sioner Waldo then said 20 Billiard:
You have signed bills YOU admit for
n forged signature. Won signed bills that
work was completed when As a matter
~ fact the rspai- work was not completed;
YOU held up bills on work which was com.
pleted aud could give no satisfactory rea.
son for doing 80 You ar. not an exempt
fireman and have gIvan YOU the hearing
YOU are entitled 20 by law find vou
guilty 81 the charges. and impose the
penalty q dismissal from the depart.
nenf
Billiard loft the building without further
words