The morning news., 1897-08-18
INVESTIGATION SLOW WORK.
ONLY HALF COMPLETED AND EV-
ERYBODY GETTING TIRED.

| Weakened to That Extent-FOre-
man TOshach of No. 3 Proves n
Strong witness For the Chief
Damaging Evidence by Assistant
NChief MourO Excluded Because of
His Inability to Locate the Time.
The investigation Of Fire Chief Mcguire
by the fire commission still drags its
weary length along. The commission met
yesterday afternoon and heard the tesu-
mony of several witnesses. Honors were
about even at the conclusion of the hear
| ing, Chief Maguire's witnesses tesufying
strongly IN his favor, while those for the
| opposition scored a few points.
Mr. John Prendible testified to seeing
the chief engaged in political work on the
day of the city election.
Mr.. Adams having no more witnesses
on hand at the time, Thomas Kenney was
put up by Mr.. Lawrence. He is in the
employ OF Mr.. Lane at Oglethorpe ave-
nue. lane and Price street. Lane formerly
kept at Broughton and Drayton streets.
The chief came in there between 10 and
y o'clock to see Mr.. Lane on business on
the night Of Sept. o. He went into
fully three-quarters Of an hour. Frank
Campos came In with the chief. Lilien-
thai came in later, he thought, and went
in where the others we're The party had
two rounds of drinks. Mr. Campos or
dered and paid for one round They had
two beers and two WHISTLES each time.
Mr.. Mcguire paid for a round. Mr.. Muir
ply and Mr.. Sheehan came into the res
taurant between and a. m. Witness
said that he did not say to them that they
ought to have been there and seen the
chief blowing himself" He did not say
that the chief was drunk" or "paralyz-
ed" He denied positively having made
such statements to the parties named The
party was there about three-quarters of
an hour, he said, and left some time be
fore the bar closed at midnight.
Thomas S. Russell, the clerk in the
chiefs office, was put on the stand by Mr..
Lawrence. He had held his position since
April l last, he said. He was present
when Foreman Murphy came to see the
chief about couplings for the chemical
engine, and wrote the letter which the
chief dictated The chief was not under
the influence of liquor at that time. He
had never seen him under the influence of
liquor.
A. J. Toshach, foreman of No. 9, said
he was now acting assistant chief dur
ing the illness of Assistant Chief Mouro
The former headquarters were at his sta
ton and the chief spent the greater part
of his time there. He was never under the
influence of liquor there and witness had
never seen him under its influence any
where. No men were absent from his COM
pany on election day he said. His regular
force is nine men and he had eight men
that day. II was his day off and he gave
it to another man. Two other men were
absent, but substitutes were in their
places. 1t was a frequent thing for the
relief to be stopped for various causes, he
said. He had never known Chief Mcguire
to appoint or put off any one for politi-
cal reasons. His treatment of the men in
the department had been most considerate
There have been no favors on account
Of politics. He had never heard of the
chief telling a man how to vote. There is
an order against political or religious dis
cussions posted in the engine houses.
As TO the discipline of the department
now and before Chief Mcguire took charge
the witness said it was better now than
before. The morals of the men are bet
ter" he said. Sidney Lilienthal was a fire
man at witness house for three months
His conduct was good and he endeavored
to do his duty at fires.
Witness said he was acquainted with A.
J. Kiernan, tiller man OF the truck. His
duties are 20 put up ladders and open
doors and windows. He does not have the
opportunity to learn the methods Of fight
ing fire as men in the hose companies do.
Witness did not consider Mr.. kiernan an
expert. He would not consider MIR. Murphy
OF the chemical an expert. He was
brave. hardworkins fireman and nothing
would delight witness more. he said, than
TO have crew Of such men, but he did
not consider him competent TO criticise.
Witness thought Mr.. Murphy was some
times inclined to play TO the grand stand
as, for instance, when he climbed the stee-
pie of Christ church and rang the bell after
all the danger was over, the fire being out.
Witness was asked about the Savannah
Grocery Companys fire. He answered by
comparison of the two fires occurring
there The first occurred in the day time
and the building was completely destroyed
with the adjoining building. The second nre
| occurred at night and only one building
was destroyed. He thought this showed
better management. The witness gave an
| account OF his discovery OF the fire in the
main building after Mr.. Murphy had
gone through the building and announced
that there was no FIRE there. As the re-
suit of Mr.. Murphy's report the streams
] MAlcu were htiAk poured INTO the HlAlh
| building were cut Off until the discovery
| OF the fire near the elevator.
The witness was questioned about the
saddle or support made by him for the
nozzle of the aerial hose stream. II
| had been tested, he said. and
| was regarded as successful up TO the time
| of the Introduction of the universal nozzle.
! Witness said he was on vacation al the
| time of the Planters rice mill fire, but re-
| eponded on hearing the second alarm.
| The whole building was ahlaze when he
/ arrived. He considered the Upper rice
| mill In serious danger. The distance be-
| tween the grauary and the Planters mill
! was fifty or sixty feet It was very hot
! between the two buildings and il was inn
! possible for men TO live there any length
/ of time. Had the entire force been placed
| there it would have been driven away ana
! the granary burned anyway He consid-
/ cred that tine nrc was well managed. the
! protection of surrounding property being
one of the main objects OF successful fire
| lighting.
| Mr.. T0shach said that he carried the
! first stream into Christ church. so far az
]