Fire Commissioner Accused of Drunkenness and Selling His Vote

Further charges against George T. Masel for misconduct as fire commissioner have been filed by Mayor Phelps under date of May 8. The charges are as follows:

That the said George T. Masel does not now, nor did he at the time of his election as fire commissioner, possess the qualifications required by section 11 of article II of the city charter, for a fire commissioner, in this: That the said Masel was not at the time of his election, nor is he now, a freeholder of the city of Seattle.

Further, that the said Masel, in his election to the office of fire commissioner, has been guilty of conduct tending to interfere with, and which has interfered with, the discipline, good order and harmony of the department, and in particular:

That on or about the 17th day of March, 1895, the said Masel, being then a fire commissioner of the city of Seattle, attended a fire at West Seattle in company with six firemen, who were employes of the fire department, and there engaged in a drunken spree with members and employes of said fire department.

That the said Masel, during the time he has been a fire commissioner, continually kept the preceding chief of the fire department, A. B. Hunt, in fear of removal through the adverse vote and influence of said Masel, and used the power so held to compel the appointment by said chief of friends and favorites of the said Masel, and by the same means forced the chief to make changes in the department and appointments and promotions of men, and refused to vote as commissioner to confirm any appointment or recommendation of the chief unless first submitted to and approved by the said Masel in his individual capacity.

That on the [blank] day of February, 1895, the said Masel, being then an acting fire commissioner, and Alexander Allen, Jr., being an applicant for the position of chief of the fire department, the said Masel offered to sell his vote as a fire commissioner to the said Allen for the position of chief, in consideration of the said Allen, when elected chief, permitting said Masel to name the assistant chief of the department.

That the said Masel, while acting as fire commissioner, has refused to approve or confirm any nominations or recommendations of the present chief of the fire department; that he has refused in order to compel the chief to appoint such person as the said Masel may name to the position of assistant chief.

That the actions and proceedings of the said Masel as aforesaid, while fire commissioner, have interfered with the discipline and good order of the fire department, and have hindered and hampered the chief in the proper handling and management thereof, and have greatly injured the efficiency of the said department.