New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-10-16
THOUGHT HOTEL SAFE.
FIREMEN AT CROKER TRIAL TESTIFY
THAT THEY CONSIDERED PARK
AVENUE IN NO DANGER

After lapse OF ten days 20 give the defence oi
poHuniiy 70 prepare their case the trial 81 'hlel
croker was reopened at Fire Headquarters Seste'-
day. J. j. Delany. counsel for chief Croker
asked the privilege Of renewing all motions preNl-
ously made regarding the dismissal Of various
charges and specifications against the chif1' -"
the ground that they had not been proved. tie also
requested That his motion dismiss, made al ll'F
opening Of the trial. be again noted and emo"aled
ma the record as having been offered at the open
ing OF the defence. Assistant Corporation 'ouHs'A
Charles > Whitman superseded Mr. COSBY AZ
counsel 10 the commissioner. the latter being pres
ent only I'm an advisory capacity
Captain Kenlon. of Engine Company No. =, tesu-
ned, regarding the charge that chief Croker i'm
properly managed the Park Avenue Hotel fire, that
II Was with great difficulty that the FIRE in the Ist
Regiment armory could be attacked. A. n" time
dii he consider the Park Avenue Hotel in danger.
Lieutenant Edward J Levy. Of Engine No D. tes
tilted that by order OF Chief croker he Inspected
the front of the Park Avenue Hotel twenty l'e
minutes before the fire. He instructed to see
II any OF the hotel windows were open
The prosecution seemed surprised by the answers
made by the lieutenant and tried TO shake his testi
mony, lie said that h. could see all the windows
Of the hotel front, and that none were open
In the opinion of Captain Martin y coleman u
Hook and Ladder No. 3 the fire was not oommun'-
Gated from the armory 10 the hotel.
Captain John /. Anderiesse. Of Engine No l. testi-
fed that at time, in his opinion, was there any
danger TO the hotel.
Captain Edward :. Root. Of Engine Company 30
10 told Mr. Delany that at no time did he consider
the hotel in danger lie saw no sparks on the
hotel roof
Lieutenant Martin +. Galaxy. of Water Tower
No. 8. saw no danger to the hotel While Leu
tenant GALAXY vas on the stand Mr.. Delany sud
denly left the Park-ave FIRE and took up the specl-
hcation under the same charge which dealt WIN
the Nicke fire.
The lieutenant noticed that the water pressure al
Thirty -frst-st. and First-ave was bad the stream
only reaching two stories high.
Andrew Mum. a fire man. serving with Nat'I
Tower No. > told Mr.. Delany that before the tower
connected with the hrebOat they did not nave
sufficient power 80 keel the nozzle straight ,t-
Battalion chief Kenny testified that one ~ uI9
companies threw stream Of forty feet ana an
other thirty-iive. Kenny told Mr.. Whitman he
had called the attention OF several company COM
IrauGerS the poor pressure.
Engineer John Mcclure, OF Engine No. -, te-ti-
fed that n" could not get enough water from the
feed his boiler, and had 10 draw the fires TOT fear
Of burning IT, -
Lieutenant Thomas J. Brierton OF Engine No 81,
testified that he could get from TWO
hkdrafits Captain John Walker Of the same com
pany told the same story From the Nirke irt
Teuth-St fire. Captain Walker that the wall
facing north. that fell on the STANDARD Oh stoT-
age warehouse TO him had appeared safe.
CAPTAIN Charles NJ Sheridan. 81 Engine No >
told OF an order from Chief Croker which saved
the lives "a the armcry FIRE.
Chief Georgr r. Farrell OF the 10Th Battahoh
said that the armOry isuited place but the Stats
on the east He believed that the hotel was aTt-
proof, and and seet were on the roof NJ
did think the situation was at all dangerous,