The Washington times., 1914-02-18

ing to keep men on the first floor while
fire ragged on three floors above them.
and while tons of waters were being
poured in on top of them. / a mnot going
TO say. ! leave that to the judgment of
the trial board.
1t seems to me that so long as we
are not blessed, as are those in New
York, with chiefs who know immedi-
atcly upon arrival at a fire, where var
iouS companies are located, that the
chief should have some method of find
Ing out from his subordinates where
they have sent men
Justifes Chief Wagner.
Chief Wagner was justified in as
Stunning that no men were in the struc
ture. by the fact that the structure SEEM
ed doomed from the moment he arrived.
II was the duty of the deputy. Lieutcn-
ant Dixon and others who saw the men
of No 6 in there TO tell Wagner. l don't
care whether the book of rules says so
or not.
In conclusion 7 wish to TOint out
that this hearing has demonstrated that
less personal ambition and more regard
for others is needed in the Fire Depart
Jneut There is too much evidence Of a
tendency to shift blame to the shoulders
Of others.
1T is difficult for me to arouse any
sympathy for a defense that rests Lpon
q SfllUIg OF rcSIDONSlbllllN.
j have not thought ii necessary to
deal with any of the political activities
connected with this case. In a city Of
:;;n,'-p inha abitRntS, the capita, of a ma
ton Of 90.Hyo.ppo people, whclc all Gov
ernmcnt property and millions of dol
lars worth of priVat" property lies, the
present Board Of commissioners is GO
ing 70 haNc L lire department that is
perfect certain, in the CO-Ordinatiou of
its parts. and free from politics and
incUmpetentS
''ODe of the virtues of this trial has
been 10 ascertain the weak spots Of the
rIT'. depart ncnt, and ! am certain the
commissioners will correct them.
That ther" are weak spots Is evident
from the fact that i:r Il little building, 81
by 1hJ feet, m"n could Ii" buried for an
nOur without anyone knowing it.
''Thcrc are weak spots SumcWhcre
and the charges In the cai' have been
a vehicle to get at the facts
0'Donoghue For the Defense.
IN beginning his argument for the de-
fcusc, Attorney y. W. O'D"noghuc dc
Clarcd that not s,intill:t Of "vidcn"c
had been produced /" show that Deputy
Chief Sullivan WIS guilty of iucliicicncy
or neglect Of duty.
1t Is uuruIt Itrsdi"tci,' hc said. that
to send men in th' hTSt floor Of that
bllIlDS was IoI Sth1liS II'll INTO II
place Of peril.
1T is uncuHtradictcd. also. that it
Was the proper place 10 hight the fire.
II is immaterial whether there were
lives 10 be saved or not
THE testimony shows that in aC-
curdancc with the rules and customs Of
the Fire Department. il WAS the proper
thing to send the men Of No. 1 into the
building The first company III action
goes inside.
-, ,b.r, NM, ..yi1.prn 20 ,-bo,,, ,,,.,,
Deputy Chief Sullivan. or amy one
eIso, considered that the men were
in = dangerous position mp to N"
time Of the collapse" Even the men.
VINO w"r" injured. testified that th"y
considered th"msclvs in II safe posi-.
ton.
"lr the nam" Of Justice, whor, -
tn" testimony ~ support III" aIl""a-
tions against deputy Chief sullivan"
Did Not Erect Building.
Through an error in transmission il
Was stated in the 80 edition of The
Times yesterday that Ia" iIrrn of James
J.. Parsons, contractor, erected The
building occupied by the American IYvc
and Tcn-Ccnt Store
il MAS this firm which tor" down the
building following the lire. and it had
nothing to do with its construction
James j.. Parsons. il, WAS called as an
expert Icy the defense late yesterday
Afternoon 10 testify To the COnstruc-
tiDn of the building. II WAS shown that
part Of the girdcrs which supported the
upper floors were Of cast iron
Attorney p'DOn"ghue offered in oyi-
dcnCe at the close Of the prOccedincs
Il portion of the cast iron pirderS, pho
tUgraphs Of the American Five and
Ten-Ccnt Store, and findings OF the
board which invest gated charges prc-
ferred by Battalion Chief &. Il. Proctor
against the members Of No. > engine
company. Of which he MAS then fore
man.
The charges were not sustained