The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-07
CANNOT GET THE WITNESSES,
SEEK THE POWER 1T NEEDED
FIRST.
SOME TESTIMONY IS TAKEN.
DIR. Dow Has Some Fun With w. o.
DeneSre and Chairman
Thompson.


| block by fire in December last was re-
sumed before the assembly committee
on fire department at the council cham
Der last evening. Assemblyman Thomp-
son presided, and Messrs. Craig, Rear
don, Dix and Kirke,. the other four
members of the committee, were pres
! ent. After listening to the testimony
of four witnesses, an adjournment was
taken in order that the authority of
| the council might be delegated to the
committee, and by this plan the COM
mittee could be empowered to send for
and compel the attendance of witnesses.
A resolution will be introduced at the
meeting of the board of aldermen this
evening directing the joint committee
on fire department from both bodies
to proceed with the investigation.
Assemblyman Thompson read list
| of the witnesses to whom notices had
been sent requesting them to be pres
ent. Only two on the list answered to
their names. and w. o. Denegre, who
as agent for the Schultz block is con-
Quoting and pushing the investigation,
stated that the witnesses would not
come unless they were forced. Assem-
! blyman Reardon, who came armed
with several law books, interrupted to
say that there would be found a way
in which to secure the attendance of
witnesses.
w. y. Williams, a restaurant keeper
on East Seventh street, was the first
witness called, and his direct examina-
ton was conducted by Mr.. Denegre.
Williams said he arrived on the scene,
the night of the fire, before that portion
"a
Schultz block was on fire. He
saw no water thrown on the
Schultz block until after the entire
building was on fire. The first he saw
of fire in the Schultz block was COM
ing down the elevator shaft. 1t was
| fully ten minutes after this before the
department put any water on the
block. He did not know whether there
were any streams put on the building
| from the rear, as he was standing on
Seventh street during the fire. On
cross-eXamination by Secretary Hall, of
the fire board, witness said he did not
know where the lines of hose from any
Of the fire engines went. He did not
see the party wall between the Ryan
annex and the Schultz block fall. He
was of the opinion that the Schultz
block was on fire before the wall fell
He arrived at this conclusion because
he saw the fire in the block before he
heard the crash of some falling walls
The wall he heard fall might not have
been the party wall, but he thought it
was. He was not standing in a posi-
ton where he could see the wall, but
he was positive that there was fire in
the Schultz block before the wall fell
Of his own knowledge he did not know
this was so, but thought it was.
In answer to questions of Assembly
man Dix, witness gave the names of
several persons he had talked with
about the fire in the Schultz block the
night of the fire. One of these witnesses
was Mr.. Rosenquist. AT this Mr. Dene-
gre said Mr.. Rosenquist was a very
! important witness and a very intelli-
gent man. Mr.. Hall suggested that to
the latter fact could be attributed the
absence of Mr.. Rosenquist from the
| meeting.
DIR. DOW'S PASSES.
DR.. ]. D. Dow was the next witness
called. DR.. Dow was in doubt as to
whether he ought to testify, and the
following conversation ensued:
Take your seat" said Mr. Denegre
| MI. DOW don't know as I will until
understand what the object of this thing is.
MI. Denegre-The object is to find cut how
that fire occurred.
Mr.. Dow-Who is going to be benefited by
1t? don't propose to lend my assistance
to anything which is nothing but hammer-
ing. I'm not an article of that kind If
there Is any benefit at all to be derived by
anybody. all right, but l am not going to
take part IN case of "hammering" or
knocking" as it appears to me, SO far as
have heard.
Mr.. Denegre-Well suppose you sit down
and We will commence the examination and
| we Will see what you know. We want to
know the circumstances of that fire. how
long 1t had been burning before. any water
was thrown upon the Schultz building
Mr.. Dow-What is the object in view? You
nave got your insurance and l and another
gentleman are the only losers, and we havn't
made row, and l don't see what the object
is on your part.
Mr.: Denegre-My object is to ascertain
whether CT not proper efforts were made by
| the fire department to put it out
Mr.. Dow-When l rented the office from
you, you stated to me that it was practically
fire proof building.
Mr.. Denegre-I have no recollection of maxi
ing such statement.
Mr.. Dow will have to refuse to testify.
Chairman Thcmpson-We call upon you to
testify.
Mr.. Dow-You con, but 1 don't propose to
lend my assistance to a man who wiIIfuIiy
miSrepresents fact.
Mr.. Thompson-That has nothing to do
with US. We are not wilfully misunderstanding
anything.
Mr.. Dow-The instigator of it all is and
will not be party to it.
Mr.. Reardon-Oh, that's uncharitable.
Mr. Dow-It is not uncharitable, when no.
body is to be benefited 1 was the loser.
Mr.. Thompson-That does not make any
| difference.
Mr.. Reardon-If you refuse to testify we
will make you come up that's ALL
Mr.. Dow don't see who is to be benefited
Mr.. Reardon-That's not your business
Mr. Dow-It is my business. had to pay
for the experience l derived.
Mr.. ThCmpson-We will excuse this wit
ness until we are able to get him properly
Mr.. Dow walked out and Chairman
Thompson said he had witness who
desired to be called, in order that he
could be excused. Mr.. Thompson
called and examined w H. McDon-
aid, who testified that the whole roof
of the Schultz block was on fire be-
fore the party wall fell. No water
was put on the Schultz block direct
until after $3.50 O'clock On cross-ex-
animation by Secretary Hall, the wit
ness said he was on tn scene of the
fire from 2:15 until about 5 o'clock.
He saw fire in the Schultz block be-
| fore the party wall fell and before
the rear wall of the Ryan annex fell.
1t was after 3 o'clock when the fire
broke out in the Schultz block
| Mr.. Denegre said that Messrs Ro-
| senquist, McClellen, Smith and FRYE
| had been requested to attend the meet
| ing, but, as none of them were pres
| ent, he had no further testimony to
| offer at this time.
| WRITTEN BY REQUEST.
Secretary Hall then recalled DR..
| Denny, who gave testimony at the
| last meeting. The doctor was asked
! to identify letter under date of Oct
u