Evening star., 1914-02-16
Policemen Give Testimony.

3O1lCSu1eu 11V6 4eSL11uOuV.
Police Sergt. John E. Cats and Pri-
vate Joseph I. Thompson, who were
within half a block of the fire at the
time the alarm was turned in, gave
brief testimony at the resumption OF
the trial today.
Questioned by Joseph c. Sheehy. q
member of the trial board, If he had
noticed a hose line extending into the
building, Sergt. Cats replied that
there was a network Of hose on the
street. but that he did not notice any
particular line.
These witnesses were followed by
Charles W. Gill. chauffeur to Chief
Wagner, who stated that it is his duty
chief Under close questioning by Cor
poration Counsel Syme. Gill stated that
he did not recall any particular orders
he was given to carry up to the col
lapse of the building.
He stated that there were several lines
of hose in front Of the store and that he
could not tell one from the other.
The fourth witness called was Linton
T. West of No. truck company who ac-
companied Battalion Chief Proctor to the
fire. West testified that he witnessed a
meeting between Proctor and Capt. Ian
ahan in the alley back of the store at
about the time 1t was discovered men
were imprisoned under the debris. but
stated that ne Old not near Whdt CONVEX
sation took place between them.
On the stand last week Proctor stated
that Lanahan ran UP to him and ex-
pressed the fear that the members OF No.
. engine company had been caught un-
der the fallen floors. Lanahan subse-
quentiy testified that he did not recall
the conversation referred to by Proctor.
Firemen Forced Out.
Lieut. George ". A. Dixon Of No. "A
engine company. who followed West on
the stand. related how the members of
that company on arriving at the fire
first attempted to go into the build
ing on the first floor. but were forced
20 back out when they discovered that
their hose line was not long enough. He
was then ordered by Deputy Chief Sui
livan, he testified. 10 fight the fire from
a ladder through the second-story win
doWs.
Cross-examined by Attorney o'Don-
oghuc. witness said that the building
looked safe and that there was nothing
to suggest the possibility of a collapse.
WHATS your opinion of Sullivan as a
firetighter?"
Il know Of none better" was the
reply,
sullivan's chauffeur. William Henry
Nash, was the next witness. He told of
his turning in a second alarm at the
order of Sullivan. Nash said that he
ano the deputy chief were standing on
the roof OF the Family Shoe Store when
the crash came, and that he, the wit
ness, remarked, there she goes"
Continuing. the witness said that Suili-
van sent him down from the roof Of the
Family Shoe Store asking permission to
send No. company home. as the fire
was thought to be under control at that
time.
He found Chief Wagner standing IN an
alley In the rear OF the building. and on
delivering the message to the chief re-
ceived this reply. he testified:
Don't bother me about No. {. / am
interested In these men In here"
Nash said he returned to the roof OF
the Family Shoe Store to convey to Dep
uty Chief Sullivan the information that
nrernen were thought to have been caught
under the building. and on his way en-.
coantered Fire Marshal Nicholson, whom
he told about the accident
Deputy Chief Sullivan. he testified. re-
marked That's too bad" when told by
the witness what Chief Wagner hae
said about men being buried under the
fallen floors.
ollie d. Holmes and Marshall B. Long
both of No; ii engine company. who
fire from a ladder through the windows
on the second floor and later on the
third floor. Long said he got on the
third floor about twenty feet from the
W lllUO" anu was IN tNiS position WheT
the collapse occurred. The rart of the
, floor on which he was standing did moi
fall.
Fire Marshal Nicholson Testifles.
Fire Marshal p w Nicholson. the
next to take the stand. narrated his
movements at the fire In considerable
detail. There was conglomeration OF
hose on the street in front of the fire.
@. Did you notice any hose going into
the building?
A. I did not.
Q, About how far back on the first
floor did you go?
A. About ten or fifteen feet back
Q. Did you see any firemen there?
A Not there.
Q. Did you know any were fighting the
fire on the first floor?
A. No.
Nicholson substantiated that portion o,
Nash's testimony relative to his meeting
with the chauffeur when the latter in
formed him of the fact that men hac
been caught under the building
Previous to this the fire marshal
told of the meeting with Battalion
Chief Proctor, who asked him, he testi.
| field. II II was the east wall that had
fallen. Nicholson testified that he
answered, no, 1t was the rocs auC