Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-12-08


said that it was impossible to get lad
ders to the fourth-fioor windows in
time to save any of the girls who
jumped.
Caffreys testimony was in part dl-
rect contradiction of that given earlier
in the day by Alfred S. Donaldson who
said that himself and some of his en-
ployees in the Kerr factory, across the
street from the burned building, had
attempted to raise forty -five-foot lad
der in an effort to save Miss Anna
Haag. Donaldson said that no tiremen
were present. Caffrey insisted that he
and at least two Of his men were there
and that Miss Haag leaped just as the.
ladder was being swung to her. Don
aldson had testified that he and his
men could not work the extension of
the ladder and that it only reached
part way between the second and third
floors This was also denied by Caffrey,
who said the ladder extension worked
properly and would have reached Miss
Haag in five seconds more If she had
waited
,.What was the first thing you no.
ticed when you got to the fire about
two minutes after the alarm was turned
in?p asked Mr.. Mott after Caffrey had
told him that he was in charge Of the
company at the time.
Abandoned Life Net.
Il noticed two persons hanging out
of a third STORY window on the High
street side of the building. The smoke
was so dense / could not see whether
they were men or women. We put up
thirty-five-foot ladder that just
reached to the window, and as soon as
I saw it was men Captain Van Walk
enburg and Eugene McOuaD coming
down I left there and went TO the south
end of the building. Then the life net
was manned, assisted by members OF
the salvage corps, and worked until
II broke 1t was broken when three
girls leaped into it at the same time.
There were no more girls In sight when
the net broke, so we abandoned II.
IT then went to the north end of the
building and saw Miss Haag in one OF
the windows on the top floor. got
busy raising the extension ladder, ana
lust as we started to swing 1t toward
her she Jumped, almost hitting me as
she came down. I did not call to her
not to Jump, but I heard many others
do so.
Took Four Minutes for Ladder.
How long did it take you to put up
the ladder?' asked Mr.. Mott.
Getting it from the truck, which
,vas at the other end of the building,
and getting it up took, 1 should judge,
about four minutes" replied the wit
ness.
..Did the ladder reach the window
was the next question
mo, it was about two feet short,
responded the witness.
"Did anyone go up that ladder to see
If any more girls were in the fourth
f1oor?' asked Mott.
mo" was the short reply
"Whatr' almost shrieked Prosecutor
Mott. you mean to say tnat no one
wont IN the ladder to investigator?
sNo one could be alive on the fourth
noor then answered the witness, land
no one could live in the smoke that
was pouring out of the windows
Could Have Looked inside.
aNow.r continued Mr.. Mott, Il know
that firemen cannot live inside
smolte-filled building any more than
anv other person but you firemen are
used to smoke. Surely you or one Oh
yo,r men could have stood it long
enough at the top of that LADDER TO
make a hasty look inside.
IJe,1tenant Caffrey made no reply to
tbis statement. "What did you do
next?" asked Mott
1--WE lowered the ladder to the third
noor window and ran line of hose IN
on that floor" was the answer
"oh, then you thought It better 10
nut out the fire than to make EFFORT 10
save human lives?" sarcastically asked
Mott.
"There was no chance of anyone
being alive in the building at that
sine insisted Caffrey, who was
<S..tsr,ed nm SECOND pREeJ