Kate's Notes: There are three articles here, two from the edition of July 25, 1916 and one from July 26.

TUESDAY, JULY 25, 1916        THE PORTSMOUTH DAILY TIMES         PAGE NINE

FIREMAN IS SUSPENDED; MANY CHARGES MADE

    Charges were filed against Firman Gilliland, captain of the East End Fire department Monday evening in a letter sent to the Civil Service commission which was signed by E. K. S. Clinkenbeard, director of public safety, alleging that he was guilty of neglect of duty, incompetency, insubordination and failure to observe instructions from superior officers. Capt. Gilliland was suspended Monday evening, being notified by letter of the charges preferred against him.
    The letter was given to Mrs. Gilliland Monday evening. Tuesday morning Capt. Gilliland failed to report at the East End engine house for duty but sometime  during the morning called Fire Chief George Koerner and asked him when the suspension took effect. Chief Koerner informed him that it was effective immediately, it is said.
    The communications given to George W. Sheppard, president of the local civil service commission contained several charges among which were: Insubordination, incompetency, gross neglect of duty in locating a fire and breaking the fire reel on July 4. Insubordination, immoral conduct, gross neglect and failure to observe the instructions of superior officers and excessive speeding of the fire truck on July 4. It is further charged that he has been discourteous to Fire Chief George Koerner and members of the department; that he called them vile names on June 20 and 27.
    Capt. Gilliland was notified in the letter that his suspension was desired.
    Chief George Koerner when seen Tuesday morning stated that he had nothing to say concerning the charges which were filed Monday.
    Mayor H. H. Kaps stated that he had been apprised of the action taken and understood that a copy of the letter forwarded to the local civil service commission had been presented to Capt. Gilliland.
    Attorney Nate B. Gilliland, father of Capt. Gilliland when seen Tuesday said that the letter embodying the charges were received by his son’s wife Monday evening. “My son did not report for duty Monday morning. I don’t know what action he will take,” he said.
    “I am not going to fight the charges,” said Firman Gilliland, Tuesday when seen about the charges filed against him with the civil service commission Monday evening. “I wouldn’t fight them if I was sure I would get my job back. I am glad I am out of the service. I could have been working this morning. I didn’t call up, but I will be working tomorrow morning.”
    “What have you to say relative to the charges of speeding?”
    “As far as speed is concerned, they have no right to tell me how fast I can go. The state law says that we have the right over anything.”
    “How about the hose reel?”
    “That old thing. Well it was one of those old reels used by the Germania department about fifty-eight years ago. I took it out and the hubs were so rotten that the spokes fell out. That is what the charge is..”
    “And then disobedience and neglect of duty?”
    “Well I suppose they will trump up some little thing. I don’t know of anything as yet that I have done.”
    “And the charge of incompetency?”
    “I don’t know anything about that charge. The chief is the one that is incompetent.”
    “And the charge of calling someone vile names?”
    “I suppose we all swear. The chief swears just the same as anybody else.”
    “The the charges of immorality?”
    “I don’t know a thing about that.”

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Also on page nine of this same paper was a political advertisement for attorney Nate B. Gilliland, father of Firman Gilliland.

FOR PROBATE JUDGE
To the Republicans of Scioto County:
    I am a candidate for the nomination of Probate Judge subject to the will and desire of the Republican electors at the primary to be held on August 8, 1916. If nominated and elected  will serve all the people all the time with fairness and honesty of purpose. I believe I am fully qualified to fill the office. If honored by the Republican party to the elevation of Probate Judge I hereby pledge myself that I will not seek a nomination for the third term. I believe all good things should be passed around.
 NATE B. GILLILAND.     adv.

Again from the Portsmouth Daily Times
July 26, 1916

FRIEND OF GILLILAND COMES TO HIS DEFENSE

   Samuel Crull, 1327 Mound street, enters protest against the discharge of Captain Firman Gilliland, of the East End fire department station. Mr. Crull says that he worked alongside Mr. Gilliland for a number of months last summer and that he found him to be courteous, competent and obliging. "I never heard him use a profane word during the time I worked with him," said Mr. Crull. "He was respectful to his superiors, and he was always on the job. I think there is something else [...] of this discharge of Gilliland, rather than the charges made against him and I believe the truth will come out one of these days."

-- transcriptions by Kate Maynard, 2008 & 2009.