Evening star., 1933-01-24
COURT TO DECIDE
FIRE CONTROVERSY
HyattsviIIe Council Rejects
Compromise Offered by
,Rushe Forces.
~ a staf Correspondent Of The Star.

~ Stau correspondent OF Inc StSI.
HYATTSVILLE, Md, January "a
The now famous case Of the mayor and
Council VS.. the Hyattsville Fire Depart
ment, which has figured SO prominently
in the headlines during the past week,
today seemed destined for the place
where most famous headline stories 60
the Circuit Court docket.
Ignoring compromise proposal, the
mayor and Council, at an executive ses-
sion last night. instructed Corporation
Counsel Caesar L. Aiello to take the
would require three or four days to
draw the bill.
The latest action of the Council,
taken at time when Chief Noble F.
Rushe and his supporters had hoped q
compromise would be effected, intensi-
ned their bitterness against the town
administration
Firemen Hold Quarters.
Pending court action on the contro-
versy, the flremen remained in their
quarters, determined not to surrender
the equipment. except by court order.
The Ladies' Auxiliary and other friends
of the department continued to lavish
offers Of funds to fight the case in court
soon after the Councils action was an
nounced.
Authority to take the matter to court
was given Attorney Aiello in a resolu-
tion adopted by the Council on motion
of Councilman G. D. Anderson. As in
all previous balloting since the Fire De-
partment controversy started, the Coun-
Gil was deadlocked, and Mayor L. l..
Gray cast the deciding vote.
Councilman Anderson'S resolution re-
fers to Chief Rushe and his men as "a
group of individuals styling themselves
the Hyattsville Fire Department, Inc" I"
and directs the town attorney ito OBJ
tain judicial determination of all
questions pertaining to the pending
controversy"
The lengthy resolution deplores the
'unwarranted and unjustified possess
sion and use of the town fire appara-
tus and equipment by persons who are
treSpaSSers in the Municipal Building" !"
asserts the "Hyattsville Fire Depart
ment, Inc, has declared it will retain
possession and use Of the apparatus,
with threat of physical violence to any,
one who attempts to interfere with
them, in defiance of lawfully consti-
tuted authority and sets forth the be-
lief that IAN uncontrolled and unsuper-
vised fire department is a menace to
the community"
THE existing fire department contro-
versy," the resolution continues, has
bred doubt, uncertainty and indecision
respecting the rights and duties Of the
parties involved, hence the mayor and
Council feels it is in duty bound to
protect its rights for the benefit of the
people, who are entitled to know who
Is right and who is wrong, and the
only way in which the matter can be
definitely settled is to obtain a decision
from an authoritative and binding
source"
Compromise Is Ignored.
The proposed agreement, Endorsed by
the Rushe faction, was drafted at a
meeting Saturday between Mayor Gray,
Chief Rushe, ]. Frank Lillard, attorney
for the fire department, and DR.. H. T..
Willis, former mayor: It was presented
by Councilman A. c. Moon at last
nights meeting, but never voted upon
when Councilman Anderson offered his
resolution as substitute.
Under the terms of the compromise
proposed by Mr.. Moon, the recently
adopted ordinance dissolving the nre
department would be rescinded, the ex-
isting officers of the department would
be retained, and the Council would be
given authority to supervise disburse-
ments of most Of the fire departments
funds.
The controversy between the mayor
and the firemen has been brewing
nearly year. It started when the
council proposed an ordinance giving
it supervision of all fire department
funds and requiring confirmation by the
council proposed an ordinance giving
men. The department ignored this
ordinance after its enactment. The
council then preferred charges and
ousted Chief, Rushe. This action also
was ignored. Last Wednesday the
council dissolved the present depart
ment and appointed new one. which
has been unable to function because
Rushe and his men retained possession
of the apparatus and stayed continu-
ously In the firehouse.