New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-28
THROW SCAMPS OUT"
MAYOR TELLS F|REMEN
Mr.. Gaynor SIaShes Grafters
at the Departments Pro-
motion Exercises.
SAYS JOHNSON DID RIGHT
Takes Latest Scandal as Per-
sopal Affront-Hero of
Equitable Blaze Gets
$500 in Gold.

|, The shadow Of suspicion which set
tied upon the Fire Department three
days ago with the discovery that some
of the men who took examinations for
promotion had been approached by
gratters transformed the usually joy
Gus annual promotion exercises at fire
headquarters yesterday afternoon into
one of the gloomiest affairs in the
municipal calendar. II also led Mayor
Gaynor. in his address to the men sum-
moned to headquarters for promotion,
to denunciatory outburst which
amazed even those who have become
familiar with his honor's methods Of
rebuke. He said, as he faced the wait
ing promotion appointees:
/ think Mr.. Johnson did we'll TO cause
these suspensions. Here he found six
miserable scoundrels willing to pay money
to get over the heads Of you men who
are more fit for the places than they
are. Just think Of It! l do not see how
you men In the engine house would let
such scamps stay In over night. | should
think you would have thrown them out
Into the street You men should not be
| expect that they will be tried, and II the
law warrants IL they will be dismissed
from the department
Headquarters at No. 157 East 67th
street was we'll crowded with city off,
Gals and guests when the exercises
opened at o'clock. Fire Commission
or Johnson had evidently framed his
hA g1I do nf
business before pleasure since. fol-
lowing the brief prayer OF Bishop
Greer, McElligott. an engineer, repre-
senting the men on the suspended lieu
tenants list, put the graft question
squarely before the assemblage by
reading a petition addressed TO the
Mayor, the Commissioner and CHIEF
Kenlon, asking that the men whose
names were on the list should not be
compelled to suffer for acts OF when
they had no knowledge, and that the
names Of the hundred men who had
passed the examinations should be al
lowed to stand in their present order.
The petition. however, was treated to
a vigorous introduction by the Commls'
,ioner himself who explained that the
amendments were IN no way affected
nv the withdrawal Of the lieutenants
list and he was Immediately followed
by the Mayor
Mavor Gaynor was introduced. He
said:
The occasion is marred. OF course, Oy
this recent occurrence in the uepdIt-
mrnt Ii has been discovered tndt si&
men who entered an examination put Wy
money with an outsider who claimed 70
have influence enough 10 get them alI'ons
tTn first one hundred on the list. am
lad 20 hear that ii IS not likely that any
81 the six will very long be members al
the Fire Department y man VINO WI
In a hing like that Is scoundrel-i may
~ well the rizht word mere, 90 o yer
tb. whole arfair when | came IN AZ
MAYOR this department and me POltG'
Departmeut were In y. dgploraolr Son l.,i
lion i'm regard to appointments and pro.
n"tions. That | put an end 10, ! hope
80 iii time The man who gets At the
head OF the list Is appointed every tme;
have nut at the head OF every ue-
partrrNnt OF this city an apsoiuteIy noti
est man. a competent man. anu ,'1 cor,aiv
CITY knows II. no matter WHAT Ger S III
,beIlers and scamps may choose TO say
TIere have two or three already con-
tossed and they have Hald some tulIIS'
that have involved others not YET ulyil
tjoned. My advice to every man VINO uIu
nct mt mn the money, but VINO was dp
nrSa ched 6y somebody IL TO come FORWARD
20 Mr. Johnson Ike an ofhcer ana
gentleman and tell him about ao,r,
After going 10 the uouDIe OF aoals
away with all political or money Hli II
ences I'm the way of getting places OF Pr
motions i'm this department 10 nave lhis
contemptible thing happen, mace me teel'
Sor the time being, as though IL was a
uersonal affront TO the Mayor anu ''''
commissioners.
The only bright feature Of the after
MON came when Lewis I. Clarke,
president OF the American Exchange
National Bank, presented Larke' an
engineer. with $500 in gold for his
bravery at the Equitable fire. Larke
WAS the fireman who sawed away at
the bars OF a vault for five hours final
" releasing President Giblin OF the
Eouitable, who was imprisoned there.
Three captains were made chiefs OF
battalions, eighteen lieutenants became
captaIns and five first grade ffremen
were raised to the place Of engineers OF
IT,