The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-07

manner In which the evidence was
handled by the jury and the CROSS
examinations made by Foreman WEIGH
showed that every item of evidence in
reference to the disaster that it Ia posi-
bic to unearth will pass before q pains
taking jury co be decided upon.
Fleming Christian, druggist, was the
first witness: 81 was in my store" he
said, when the alarm struck. 1t was
about two o'clock. went out and saw
the location of the fire. It was in the
rear of the Brunswick Cafe. 1 think
the people could have been saved by the
use Of nets. II the ladder had been
raised in twenty minutes the people
could have been rescued. heard moth
ing said about the trolley at the time"
Hugh Wiley, fireman, testified as fol-
LOWS: II sleep up stairs in the fire
house hoard a call of fire from outside
and hitched up but didn't hear the bells.
Hesser, Hildreth, Kokemiller and N.Y.
self went to the rear part of the
brunswick cafe. The door did not an
pear to be locked. We went in and had
the ire almost under control whom an
explosion took place. The wall fell on
US. We took kokemiller and laid him
on pile of lumber and brought it
round. | saw the people up in the win
dow. l drove the truck directly under
the trolley. If l had driven up to the
left we could have raised the ladder.
me explosion was from the store floor.
1t did not smell like dynamite or DOW
der. We were probably Ave minutes
raising the ladder. | was confused from
the explosion and the yelling OF the
crowd. The explosion threw the wall
out twenty feet"
John Engleby testified: "I fore
man OF the fire company. 1 saw the
people in the windows. went TO the
fire house for the ladder. 1t was de-
layed five minutes by being caught in
the door. The ladder was run under
the wire and got caught. paid special
attention to the other ladder. think
Mr.. knepp gave the order not to cut the
trolly. Throe men can raise tho ladder,
but not all OF the fremen know how to
raise 1t. There were crowd of men
underneath the wire and the current
might injure someone. The order is 10
cut tho wlre when 1t is in the way. 1t
did not occur to anyone to broak into
Stewards after mattresses. The ladder
was there 3 minutes before the woman
fell"
Joseph Engleby: when arrived on
the ground the people were in the win
dow and the ladder was raised on the
wrong side OF the trolley. l sent fire.
man up to cut tho wire and he did so
Just as we were turning the truck, The
explosion seemed to be in the center of
the first floor. have given the engi-
neer orders to cut off tho current at the
alarm Of fro. | have cut the wires while
tho current Was on"
John S. Eagan said: 81 was in the
composing room OF THE TINES when
tho explosion took place. rushed to
the telephone and rung up central and
asked them to ring in On alarm. 1t was
probably eight minutes after when L
went to the fire. The aaalae ladder was
on the wrong side. Tho .hremen at
tempted to raise it and it got caught in
the trolley. Eight or ten OF US tried to
push the wagon over, when fireman
came at mo with an axe while another
raised what looked like nozzle and
with an epithet threatened to strike
me. We let go OF the wagon. 1t must
have been twenty minutes after the
alarm before the people jumped
think they could have been saved"
Herbert j. Browne, editor of THE
TINES: 81 went to the fire ten minutes
after the alarm; saw the people in the
window and started for the engine
house. saw the wagon coming down
Jefferson street and drive slowly into
Campbell street and it was brought up
on tho wrong side of the wire. | knew
tho ladder could be adjusted at any
anglo. When Mr. Engleby came he
ordered the wire cut. l saw the people
jump. At first the blaze was entirely
in the Brunswick"
Joseph Engieby at this time returned
and said the boiler had not exploded.
j. S. Hilbert: 81 was awakened by a
cry OF fire in tho engine house and mon
were knocking on the door. Kokemiller
was delayed and made tho attachment
at tho plug. heard the explosion, ard
few minutes aftarward Hesser and
kokemiller staggered into the engine
house. number of citizens undertook
to pull the ladder truck out Of the door.
sent officer johnson to get tho grey
team. In the meantime we had got the
truck moved.
"Mr. Knopp ordered the trolly not to
be cut. Mr.. Engleby ordered it cut. A
few minutes later l saw tho people fall
out. Wilson was excited and Mr..
Engleby asked him to keep quiet. If
the authorities would allow the officials
to make people keep back. there would
not be any disadvantage. think il the
city would allow the firemen to hit two
or three people with an axe 1t would do
good. We have only one pair Of horses
and they arc own property and in this
case we needed two more teams. People
were interfering with the fremen. 7
believe the lives would have been saved
Ii we had had no controversy. ! believe
everybody tried to do too much.
Il. A. Treadway: ~ was at Marshall's
cafe when the alarm OF fire was turned
In. heard Leavy say to Mr.. Gamma.
way It's my building and I've lost
$3.50 In my safe He was dressed"