The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-10
PROGRESS OF INVESTIGATION
Continued From eighth Page.

were witnesses for the chief In the room
and suggested their retirement Two or
three firemen retired. Mr.. Buckley re-
tired at the same time announcing that
this was the reason he had not retired be-
fore, because of the presence OF witness
es for the chief.
James Il. Brown testified that he was
member of the fire department., but quit
oct. last Dan Kiley the constable,
came to headquarters and notified him to
go to Mr. Osborne's office to get instruc-
lions for political work He spoke 10 the
chief about it. who told him to suit him
self about It. The chief said he thought
he ought to go. He said he would not go.
and quit On the day of the city election
he met the chief, who offered him $50 and
his Job back to vote for the Citizens Club,
which offer he declined. He went to the
bar with the chief and took drink with
him. Witness said the chief told him
once before he left the department that he
was going to appoint Lillenthal, saying
that he had been out with him. The
chief had on citizens clothes on the day
of the city election. he said.
Foreman j. j. Connolly Of No l engine
house testified next. He was questioned
on the line of the chiefs management OF
fires The Planters rice mill fire was first
mentioned The fire was very hot, he
said. and the men could barely stand H..
There was no chance of saving the mill
from the first Had the streams been
turned on the granary at first It might
have been saved At the Hull fire ne did
not notice anything unusual with the
chief except his remark about raising
the ladder. As to political work. Mr.. Con-
molly said two men were taken out of his
house on the day OF the city election, Nc
Grath and Christian. They were excused
by order of the chief. Christian present.
ed the orders, telling him to sign them,
saying il made no difference whether he
did or not as the chief said they could
20 anyhow. This left eight men In the
house. Mr. Connolly admitted that the
machines in the house could not be oper-
ated with eight men. During the sum
mer il was frequently the case that there
were only eight men in the house. Had
there been a fire the two men who got or
would have been expected to respond.
Mr.. Connolly said that II was common
thing, and had often happened to him to
have a ~ Of vomiting after coming out
of the smoke at fire. The smoke caused
the hremen to cough and sometimes retch
and yomit he said.
As to the rice mill fire Mr.. Connolly
repeated his statement that had there
been more streams thrown on the granary
Il could have been saved. BY sending men
TO relieve himself and the two others who
were fighting the fire at the granary the
building could have been saved.
Mr.. Connolly replied Indignantly to
question by Mr.. Lawrence II he did not
retreat and was ordered back by the chief.
that no chief that ever lived In Savannah
had ever seen him leave his post. He was
questioned very closely by Mr.. Lawrence
as TO the possibility Of saving the granary.
lie admitted that this fight was conducted
with great difficulty and that IL was only
possible for him and those with him to
stay where they did by reason of door
held In front OF them by Mr.. Henry
Greene. other firemen would have had
20 have similar protection, he said.
Mr. Connolly said he had never seen the
chief under the influence OF liquor. He
was excited ri the Hull fire. This was the
only time he had ever heard the chief
swear. He was usually very cool and
quiet al a fire. lie heard nothing about
the chief being drunk that night, either at
the Bennett wake or at the fire. No one
said anything to him about Il. He was al
the wake al the time the chief WAS said TO
have been seen 10 pass there In hack In
an intoxicated condition. but heard moth
ing Of the kind. either al the wake or when
he returned TO the engine house across the
street
Al 7.3O o'clock an adjournment was taxi
en- until 4.3O O'Clock this afternoon.