The evening world., 1902-10-18
Ex-Deputy Police Commissioners
Says He Went to Armcry Fire
to Avert Disputes Between
Police and Firemen.
COL. PARTRIDGE SENT HIM.
Witness for the Defense contradlcts
Marshal Freel's Testimony About
the Park Avenue Hotel Elevator
Shaft Where Fatal Blaze Started.

The trial of Chief Edward F. Croker
was continued to-day before Commits
gioner Sturgis at Fire Headquarters.
Owing to the sensational climax which
came in Thursdays hearing. when the
personal record of Lieut.. John Rush,
Supervising Engineer of the Department
and principal witness for the defense,
was attacked, a large crowd of inter-
ested spectators were present in the
trial room.
Chief Croker, in full uniform and
smiling confidently, was seated with
his counsel, John ]. Delaney, and his
associate. Mr.. st. John. Assistant Cor
poratlon Counsel Whitman conducted
the case for the prosecution. with capt.
Cosby acting as his associate. Both
sides had civil engineers acting In an
advisory capacity.
Thurston on the Stand.
Ex-First Deputy PolceS commissioner
n. B. Thurston was the first witness
called for the defense.
Col. Thurston told how on the morn
ing OF Feb. %, on his return from the
theatre to Police Headquarters, he was
notified of the armory fire. When he
reached there the armory was in flames.
How often were you in the Park
Avenue Hotel that night?' asked Mr..
Delaney.
"Three times"
Mr.. whitman objected to a question
from counsel as to whether the witness
thought the hotel in danger any time
previous to its taking fire, on the
ground that the Colonel was not an ex-
pert.
In qualifying. Col. Thurston. as an
expert. Mr.. Delaney brought out the
fact that the colonel had been attending
fires since 1865.
II have been to every large fire since
that time" he said.
How often were you in the hotel be-
fore the ire?' asked Mr.. Whitman.
'Only once
'Do you know If Chief Croker ever
attempted TO se2ure for you a city posi-
tion?"
objected. The question was Withdrawn
Col. rhurston then expressed a desire
TO tell why he had ATTENDED the fire,
and receiving the Desired permission
from the Commissioners, he said:
There has always been considerable
hitching between the w Departments,
and COMMISSIONS Partridge said to me;
'Thurston, do you ike to so to hres,
there IS a big one up at the SeVtnty-
will you, and keep things straight.
The Hotel Fire.
Edward Mahoney. the Chief Engineer
of the Park Avenue Hotel at the time
of the fire, was next called by the de-
tense. He testified that the base of the
elevator shaft in which the fire was first
discovered had no opening.
when did you first notice an opening
in the base of the elevator shaft?'
asked counsel. .
1.-The morning after the fire l noticed
three"
the elevator shaft, which Fire Marshal
Freel testified was open at the time OF
the fire, Mahoney swore had been COW
ever by hardwood boards by the house
carpenter by his orders. 81 saw It
there the night before the fire. he told
Mr. Delaney
Joseph W. Cody, of the Building De-
partWent. who was engaged in supervis-
told Mr.. Delaney that he had noticed
several of the streams OF water playing
on the fire and that they were very
Considerable merrlment was occa-
stoned by the droll answers made to
counsel's questions. Cody had been tell
ing Mr.. Delaney of a conversation he
had had with Chief Croker during the
Wicke fire. He was putting on his rub
bers." said the witness.
"His rubbers?" asked Mr.. Whitman.
Lock here, young fe low said Cody.
eff you're looking for iEht you'll get II
good and plenty. I'm n fighter. l am"
The witness was teen excused. and Mr..
Delaney announced that several wit
nesRes expected to testify for the de-
Tense had disappointed him and were
not present. Adjournment was taken
until Monday morning at 10 o'clock,