New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-18

Fire Department. having been opoirted
b. Fire Commissioner Johnson 10 sue
words IN = low monotone. The policeman
took one glance 1T the STOPPING figure.
Get OUT he remarked vigorously 70 the
complainant Chase yerself or I'll run yez
ir Who might it be? Why its Father
( srlith-bless his sowl-sdministerin' last
8 .vnction 20 the dvin hrernen and sayin' the
holy pr-a-avers FIR the dead
! Leaves from the Diary Or q Fire De-
rartrent chaplain" IL published, would
contain many incidents as grotesque'v
humorous as this. such anecdotes float
through the talk OF the deputy chiefs ~
.-e department headquarters. In East 67th
Stree or in tho gossip Of the frehouses,
where the Rev. William ST Elmo Smith
vas frequent visitor before his recent I'M
finely death
The telegraph fire alarm. the telephone
s.-vice. vent 10 hrs bedside said one who
Knew him. "and day and night. in all
vsathers and all seasons. a department ris
carried him on the double quick TO every
FIRE % Importance In Manhattan Borough.
The order giving the chaplains the rank
end Uniform Of battalion chiefs was con-
furfnz 10 say the least. once deputy
chief nistook Smith for one Of the COM
uanders and beloved Send that hose
gang I'd 10 the third story right away
The good priest must have been thinking
Of the other world, not Of this, for the
csnnonade Of words conveyed no meaning
Il hin. In i've minutes the chief returned
enraged % and his orders disobeyed and
THE supposed battalion commander stl
standing there with his gaze fixed on the
heavens Here. you. TN have you put o1t
Of the he began roughly when the star
gazing IRE fighter turned around and dis
elosed % the horror and embarrassment Of
the deputy chief the pious visage OF Dr.
William ST. Elmo Smith. That deputy
chief by the way. was mighty lucky IN
that hc was not addicted 10 the habit Of
swearing or didn't indulge il on that oc-
ossiou
"Whv9
Because Father smith simply would
not tolerate profanity. He didn't waste
moral suasion on tho blasphemcr. lie used
his fists
Impossible You don't mean 10 say
mat The chaplain would fight
I've seen him knock 'em fat-memDeis
o. the department mean-whon they
didn't answer him with due respect TO re-
ison and the sacredness Of the cIoth. Inc
reverend father was one Of the best DoA-
srs in the city. He had taken an e&-
tenced course Of lessons under Professor
Nike Donovan. OF the New YORK N1H
'lc CLUB he was a big hearted man anu
earned ten times the thousand dollars d
year paid him by the city for his conhec-
'lpn with the uniformed force. Nheh inc
rules OF the department the discipline Va
Ne Commissioner failed. Fathei SH4i'"
was there and whenever ne went ai'ei
man be got him. The authority Oh '"9
church was his with entire irankhess
he woald point out 10 the sinncr-Whether
ailnHard or gambler or deserter OF hls
'9ini.y-the error Of his way ana the ma
serial and spiritual consequences VI. "''
"es Often he would shame the dehhque"'
'"'o virtue. He had resources OF VII an
sarcasm al command which he freely useN
70 1dicule vice and folly. II he mace V'oe
''Nclt the path Of rectitude WIS
HD'hGingly easy once every year ''
"saiH Confession in each OF the
VI 'he city The foreman's once "@S
confessional There was no excuse iol
any Catholic 10 stray from the fold OF 'ne
D"Dfch. for her ministry was Drought
uF 10 his abode
Headquarters sim laughs over an answer
med IN hy q candidate in an ezsnlna t'on
assistant foremanship. Tie P''s'
t'ont es follows
suppose the hrehghteTs were WI N'N7