Year: 1872

The Contest Between the Board or Fire


Commissioners and the Comptrolier-


The Men Will Likely be Paid at Once.


The dispute between the Fire Department. Com
mssoners and Comptroller Green still continues.
The court having decided that the Comptroller Is
right, the Commissioners have taken an appeal to
General Term. Yesterday they met to consider the
offer made by Mr.. Green to pay the men for
october il they would forward the pay-rolls to his
office, and to protect them by promise that such
action on their part shall not prejudice them before
the courts. In this letter, which was published
the 27th ut., the Comptroller gave pledge that
compliance with his request for the payrolls should
not prejudice the case. Mr. Burrel counsel for the
Board, held that this promise was not sufficient to
protect the rights Of the Board, and that they
should have q written agreement in legal form
from Mr.. Green All the Commissioners expressed
their Willingness and, indeed, their anxiety, to
accede to the terms offered by the Comptroller to
pay the men by his own disbursing agent, provided
such action could not be construed as o surrender
OF their rights. Mr.. Hitchman disavowed on the
part of the Board any desire to resort to pretexts
for delay, and charged that the Comptroller was
spOnsible After full and careful consideration the
Mr. q ay TO


disbursements should Mr.. Green give the desired
written guarantee The following resolution was
unanimously adopted, and General Shaler and Presf-
dent Hitchman were appointed committee to con-
fer with Mr. Burrell, their counsel, and II possible
bcCuIc tHc uSIcciucub AOu INC SOlAptIOlcEs-


Whereas an application to the Supreme Court for o
mandamus to compel the Comptroller to deposit
moneys to the credit of this department. be disbursed
by this Board of commissioners has been denied and
whereas steps have been taken to appeal from such de-
cson, and whereas such appeal may remain undecided
for considerable tme and whereas much suffering u
likely to result to the officers men and employees Of this
and whereas The Comptroller. in communication
OF the 18th ultimo, has asked under the decision
above referred to- for the department payrols for Octo
ber for the purpose of providing their payments and
whereas said Comptroller advanced the money for the
September payrolls, and executed written agreements
disbursement
named by the Commissioners should not prejudice the
then pending in the Supreme Court; therefore,


Resolved, That the department payrolls for October,
including the headquarters payros for september and
ing written agreement that such action the part Of
the Fire Commissioners shall not prejudice the appeal
taken from the recent decision OF the Supreme Court


In conversation had by HERALD reporter with
Mr.. Strahan, counsel for the Comptroller, and
Walter II. PecKham, both gentlemen ridicued the
idea that the supply Of the payrolls to the Comp
troller and the payment OF the salaries by him
could In any manner jeopardize the case Of the
Fire Commissioners, and Mr.. Strahan stated that
when the pay-rolls were received the Comptroller
would endorse upon them stipulation tnat the
payment of them by him shall not aflect the pro-
ceedings at law now pending whether this Will
be satisfactory to the Fire Commissioners Is
question We. to be decided, but 1t Is likely that the
employees will be paid within o few days, as the
Comptroller says he will fully protect the Fire Com
mssioners II they consent to the proposition ne
made for him to pay the men either at the station
houses the Comptrollers Office or at Fire Depart
ment headquarters in Mercer street.