The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-12
GOGOLIN WARNED
AGAINST DANGER
So Say All the Witnesses at the Cor.
ouer's IGquest
GREISER TOLD HIM PERSONALLY
Evidence That shows ConclusiveIy
That Street Commissioner Dun-
ming Not Only Did Not Order His
Mento Go Into the Building but
Directed That They Should Not Go
In and Warned Them of the Dam
ger from Falling Walls.

Otto Miller, c. E. Stiles, John Mohr,
Charles Spindler. Frank Johnson and
Patrick Cusick, the coroner jury EN-
paneled by Coroner Longstreet to in
uuire into the death of Michael Gogo-
lin. the street workman killed in the
ruins of the Young Mems Christian
association building, Feb. s, met last
night in the arbitration room of the
court house and proceeded to take tes-
timony.
Louis Schwass, assistant chief of the
FIRE department, the first witness called.
testified that he was acting chief on
the afternoon of Feb 4, and had charge
of the ruins. The fire continued to
break out in various places and he ad-
vised that the street commissioner
keep some of his men on all night. Mr..
Dunning wanted that firemen be put
on but it was impossible to get any to
work that night so Mr.. DunninS agreed
to keep some of the street gang on.
Five men were put on and George
Greiser, foreman of the street de-
partment, who is also an experienced
member of the fire department, was
put in charge of them.
Witness inspected various portions or
the ruined walls but did not inspect
the particular wall that fell. lie told
Greiser that the rear wall wasn't safe
and warned him not to so into the
ruins. The duty of the gang in the
rear was to play the hose on the barns
where the flames every now and then
| were breaking out in the hay and
| straw.
STREET COMMISSIONER TESTI-
FIES.
Street Commissioner A. Il. Dunning
| was DeXt called. Among other duties
that pertained to his Office, he said,
| was to see to it that the streets were
kept clear of distractions. He came
| down to the scene OF the lire early III
the morning and found his foreman
and a gang of men clearing away the
debris on the streets. He saw that the
walls were dangerous and he built
fences in front and rear to keep redes-
trians from getting into danger.
He personally warned Greiser, Gott-
leib, Maher and Palmer Waters about
the danger of going into the ruins, tell
ing them of the dangerous condition of
the falling walls. Greiser came on
duty after witness had gone home.
No man was ordered to go into the
|
one should go in. He personally warn
ed the two men in front against going
into the building and also told Greiser,
the foreman. to likewise warn the 9TH
ers, who would come on later. He also
told Special officer Hall to convey
these orders to the men who should
come on duty later.
Palmer Waters, one of the men who
| i1h at hn of "a
building. testified that both Mr.. Dun
ming and Assistant Chief Schwass
warned him against the danger of fall
ing walls and especially to be cautious
If wind should come up. He was not
told to go into the building.
TOLD TO MOVE AWAY.
| Ctottleib Maher who worked at the
front of the building, testified that he
was working at the southwest corner
of the building when Mr.. Dunning
came along and told him to move
farther up as the spot was very dan
gerous Mr. Dunning when leaving
about 6 O'Clock, told them not to &c
into the building and to be careful not
to get near the walls. At 8 o'clock Mr.
Dunning came around again and told
them that in case a wind should rise
to be extra cautious.
Philip Wirth corroborated the Others
about the instructions and warning oi
Mr.. Dunning. He was told it was not
necessary to go into the building.
They were simply to pick up tie hos,
when a blaze should break out In th
barns or cellar of the Y. NJ. C. A. build
ing and play the stream on it from th
alley.
The witness said that he warned
Gogolin against going into the cellar
. but Gogolin insisted upon going in, s.
! the witness helped him to get the hos
, down. Gogolin went in, witness said
to get at little patch of fame tina
could not be reached from the alley.
Special officer II. c. Hall, of tn
: street department, testified that he ha
been stationed by Mr.. Dunning in For
! est court to keep people from goin
rear the dangerous walls. BY direc
tion of the street commissioner he toll
Wirth about the dangerous walls an
further instructed him that it was no
necessary to play the hose on the ruin
all the time, but simply pick UP tn
I hose and play on such little blazes a
broke out from time to time. Witnes
did not tell Gogolin anything, becaus
: he left before Gogolin arrived. He
q however told Greiser, who was i
charge, what instructions had bee
= given by the street commissioner.
= RESCUE OF GREIsER.
Patrolmen Jonathan Rodham, Thorn
= as Lowry and John d. Thomas told c
: the rescue of Greiser and the findin
= of Gogolin's body.
3 Street Commissioner Dunnlng wa