New-York tribune., 1906-04-03
CHIEF CROKER In RAGE.
ORDERS PHYSICIAN OFF.
Pitched Battle Threatened OUer
Injured Fireman at Blaze.

Chief Croker of the Fire Department and the
police cashed again last night at fire at
Bridge store No. ., under the Brooklyn Bridge,
near Franklin Square. Witnesses of the affair
declared that it looked more like a small riot
than the honest expressions of opinions by men
having the lives of their fellow men in charge.
Chief Croker lost his temper and said some ugly
things about the police, but it appears he was
aggravated by their interference. The affair
reached such point that the police drew their
nightsticks and the firemen shoudered their
axes.
DR.. Homer Williams of the Hudson Street
Hospital. was an object of Chief Crokers wrath
too The Chief said TO the physician:
'AlI you've got 10 do is to get out of here
you and your ambulance"
Some say the chief emphasized this with one
two expletives.
The clash rose through the police and DIR,
Williams persstng in taking Fireman William
O'Connor of Engine 81. to the Hudson Street
Hospital O'ConnOr, with sixteen other men,
was overcome during the fire. but all recovered
after taking some brandy and inhaling fresh air.
This occurred about half an hour after the fire.
men began their attack on the fire AS
they recovered they went back to work again.
O'Connor recovered in a few minutes and
mounted one of the ladders again He had been
hardly half an hour inside the structure when
he was overcome again and hauled out uncon-
scious
A policeman sent in an ambulance call and
The Hudson Street Hospital answered. DR.. Will
Jams looked at O'Connor for a moment and or
dered him to the hospital The assistants
CARRYING him to the ambulance when Chief
Croker rushed up.
Here what the are you doing? No man
of mine shall go to the hospital tonight. Wen
take care of them" he declared.
BY this time O'COnnor had been put into the
ambulance. and for the next five minutes dis
graceful scene followed. The Chief demanded to
know who sent in the call, whereupon the po-
Iiceman came forward and said he did.
You had right to do this. Let the police
do its own work and Wen do ours"
The policeman tried to say something, but
the Chief broke in abruptly:
Il don't give a for the whole Police De-
partment of New York. This won't go to
the hospital Boys take him off the ambulance" "
The young physician had idea who was
doing the talking. CHIEF Croker had forgotten
TO introduce himself Consequently, the physi-
clan resented the ordei.
Il appeal to the police Dr. Williams said'
and the police dozen strong rushed to his
side At Croker's word the firemen brushed the
ambulance men aside and hauled out O'Connor
and nIaced him on a truck. one of the police
ner pulled Croker away from the ambulance
but the Chief made himself known then' ana
declared with a mighty words that no man OF
his would go to the hospital that night.
-rbz. nolica drew thelr sticks al this juncture
and a dozen fremeI stood oppoSlte 'iie''' WIN
their axes lifted. Dr. Williams tred 10 tel the
c,ier that the mans condition was serious but
the chief would not listen.
..Wer what am | to do the physician askeo'
"AII you've got TO do shouted the chlel Is
. -, --,,,,r ambulance and go back get oul Of
here" DR. williams did So but hVe minutes
,ftor he was gone O'Connor was being rushed
- breakneclz speed to st. GregOrys Hospital
He was unconscious When he got there. Ply
si,,,,s Al that hospital declare pint Of oxygen
WIS numped into him, and thar if he had been
t,cnt al the fire five minutes longer he might not
have recovered. Captain Rush had recommend
ed to the CHIEF thai the injured man have hos
pital
The fire did Iittle damage, but kept The fire
men nghting al night. Il broke out IN stor-
ago house. which was packed from the ground
floor TO the fourth floor with old newspapers
owned n, some Italian and packed there by the
United Trucking Company.
CHIEF Croker when the affair was almost for
gotten said to = Tribune reporter:
An I want at "a ere is to be left alone. ] am
rns;ponsible The police have no right 10 hlei-
fere one way or tie other at Il hre II Il ihin -
severely nurt then IT Is different matter y"
time is lost in getting a man I" hospltal IA "a
49, .,,ct conditions Here We've had men maoe
- Fo,. , be timc being 10y smoke. \ few MN
ntes i'm The fresh air and they're able to go
Iant, T,ber. we're sixteen men overcome to-
D1obt anI All are back again. Long ago there
was an understanding between fire CohlllS-
eion.r HAYES and Police Commissioner McAd"o'
/ bv the terms of WHlch the ponce were ~ ny
their hands off at a fire