The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-07


quested that it be written Asked by
Mr.. Hall If any one else beside Dr.
Pool had requested the letter to be
written, witness replied that he could
not remember of any one else. Mr..
Hall asked witness if he had any in
surance on his personal effects in the
block at the time the fire occurred.
Dr. Denny thought that was a private
matter and that he should not be
required to answer the question.
Chairman Thompson broke in with the
remark that he would overrule the
question. Mr.'Hall, in answer to ques-
tons, secured from the witness
statement that he, thought the fire
department should have notified the
tenants of the block of the fire.
W. o. Denegre was then called by
Mr.. Hall, and stated that he was at
the time Of the fire and now is agent
for the building. He had full charge
of the building and placed the insur-
ance on the same Some time pre-
vious to the fire there was $35, 900 in
surance on the building, a part of this
sum had been cancelled, and at the
time of the fire there was but $27,5(O
on the block. He had reduced the
amount of insurance, owing to his
idea that the building stood no chance
of being destroyed by fire. His prln-
capals had not threatened to sue him
for reducing the amount of insurance
on the building, in fact they concurred
with his views in reducing the insur-
ance. Chairman Thompson expressed
the opinion that the examination was
going a little too far without bringing
out anything in connection with the
cause of the fire. The witness, how
ever, said he was willing to answer
any questions Mr.. Hall desired to ask.
Mr.. Hall explained that he was Sim
ply DESTROYS of ascertaining what
caused the investigation TO be made,
and was endeaVoring to get some clue
as to the reasons for starting the af-
fair. MI: Denegre was excused, and,
as he returned to his seat, remarked
that he was not the one who started
the investigation and was not pressing
it,
Mr.. Hall said the board of fire COM
miss1onerS were of the opinion that
by the charter the right to carry on
an investigation of this kind was vest
ed in the board. In the interest of
the public and in order that there
might be no chance for discredit to
be thrown on the fire department, the
board were willing to allow the inves
tlgatlon to proceed. There had been
some talk made by the assembly COM
mlttee that the investigation made by
the fire board was not participated in
by the fire department committees
from the council. He had noticed that
in this investigation the assembly
committee had neglected to call in the
committee from the board of aldermen,
but just why this had been over
looked he did not know. The board
was also aware that the chief of the
fire department and some of the as
sistants were affiliated with different
political party than that to which the
members of the committee belonged,
but felt satisfied that this would make
no difference with the investigation
All the fire board asked was a fair
just and impartial investigation. The
board had a number of witnesses to
examine before the committee, and
these would testify not as e to what
they thought or what some one said
but as to the facts in connection with
the fire.
Mr.. Thompson in a long speech ex-
planned that the committee of which he
was member did not desire to make
the investigation, but the citizens de-
manded it and for that reason it was
taken up. Mr. Reardon, who had ex-
amined the general laws of 1895, had
the clerk read a section from the laws
which would give the council or any Of
its committees the right to subpoena
witnesses and force them to attend
Mr.. Reardon asked that an adjourn
ment be taken until after meeting of
the assembly in order that the COM
mittee could be given authority to
send for witnesses and compel them
under the law to attend.
Mr.. Hall said 1t was unjust and I'M
fair to have lot of evidence taken
against the fire department and then
give no chance for the department to
be heard. Mr.. Hall called attention to
the fact that neither Mr. Craig nor Mr..
Kirke, both members of the committee
were present at the last meeting This,
he thought, was a peculiar thing, as to
his mind if the committee was to pass
on the evidence all the members should
be present and hear it. The idea of
having some of the members attend one
meeting and then skip the next one
and then pass on report was not
proper. All the members of the COM
mittee should attend and hear all the
testimony. Mr.. Hall said some mem
bers of the committee had been going
around the city getting evidence for
the investigation. Mr.. Thompson
wanted to know the names of the COM
mittee who had been looking up evil
dence. Mr.. Hall said one of the wit
nesses had been called by Mr.. Thomp-
son himself and he had noticed Mr..
Reardon around gathering evidence.
MI. 1ItdIuOu was OH Ills leSl III all IN
slant and wanted I'd be sworn in order
that he could. explain matters. Mr..
Thompson said he knew nothing about
Mr.. Mcdonald and had simply called
him so that he could testify and be eX-
cused He was of the opinion, how
ever, that if the members of the COM
mittee desired to do little investigat-
ing on their own account there is
nothing wrong about it. The other
members of the committee agreed with
the chairman. sd
Mr.. Reardon said he happened to
be at the Ryan hotel yesterday on bust
ness and made some inquiries but
further than this he was not looking up
evidence. Mr.. Hall apologized and the
tiff was over.
Mr. Kirke raised the point that none
of the witnesses had been under oath
and that the committee was not act
ing on the authority of the council or
either of it's branches in conducting
the investigation. He suggested that
the committee be authorized by the
council to proceed
Mr.. Hall suggested that the corpora
ton attorney be in attendance at the
meeting of the committee. Mr. Rear
don said, in answer to this, that the
corporation attorney had raised the
mittee to make the investigation. On
motion of Mr.. Craig an adjournment
was taken until after the board of al
dermen and assembly had held meet
ings and authorized the joint COM
nittees on fire department to proceed
with the investigation.
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