The Washington times., 1914-02-17

!, Capt. Thomas OConnor. of No. 1,
reported. he said, to Chief Wagner.
, and was assigned TO the second story
front After seeing his men placed,
he made a survey of mis- Surroundin IS
to nCte conditions. Later he start Fl
to the third story, but the ladder was
not put up properly, ard he ordered
| the building collapsed.
Q.-Had Eon been ordered down be-
fore the falls fell?
Q.-But you were on the ground?
There is no rule. he said. requiring the
captains to report the location of the
companies.
Capt. Ernest Howard, OF No. :. tes-
titled he was off duty en- the night OF
the fire, but arrived after the third
alarm.
Questioned by Attorney Darr as to
whose duty 1t is to look after the safety
of the men, he D accd the responsibility
on the officer in direct charge.
IF took men into a building. | would
look out for them. If conditions were
not safe, | would take them out and
report what l had done TO the chief
engineer"
Asked concerning ris opinion OF Dep
uty Chief Sullivan as a firefighter, he
said There is none better.
1uulCodOuS VI OduSCl
Q.-The fact that firemen are injured.
or even killed, does not indicate that
the officers in charge are negligent or
inefficient.
A.-No, sir. \ fireman is in danger
from the moment he begins lighting the
fire.
Corporation Counsel Syme-Is a sag
ging roof an indication of danger?
A.-Yes, sir. When the roof begins to
sag, that is a good time to get out.
Attorney O'Donoghue-Is the fact
that a roof sagsed an indication OF m
mediate danger to men working three
or four stories?
A.-Not in my opinion.
The trial is rapidly nearing Il close
At the conclusion Of Battalion Ghlei
cghue announced that while the defense
desires to introduce several additional
witnesses. IL is the intention to proceed
as expeditiously as possible.
Captain Howard said that in hghtins
a fire he always liked to come out and
look around to see for himself how
things were. He said he would stay IN
any position until 1t got too hot. he
said said If he saw building was 60
Second Battalion Chief Samuel X.
Henry was appointed to the Fire De
partment on the same day as Deputy
Sullivan and had fought fires with
him every day since. He declared
Sullivan was a typical fireman. that
there were none better and that he
had never seen a weakness in MIN.
He gave the usual testimony about
the absence Of any rules to report
positions Of companies, and the ab-
sence Of any cutsom. He said cap
tains would guard against danger to
their men and that the chief in charge
would send word If he saw 1t from the
outside.
Chief Henry said that the men never
should have been left in the burning
build ng. He was asked hypothetical
questions by the trial board and Mr..
Syme as to what he would do under
given circumstances. He said il ne
kne wthere was danger. he would bring
men out; otherwise he wouldn't.
Capt. H. +. Mcconnell. Of No. IL, tes-
titled to seeing the hose of No. 6 COM
pany running into the building. He said
the floors appeared safe. and that,
though he was on a ladder at one Of
the walls, he did not know there was
The only noise he heard he said was
as Of a shelf falling when hit by a
stream OF water.
He gave the same character descrip-
ton of Sullivan as a fire fighter.
Always On the Job.
Capt. John H. Virnstein. No. 16, tes-
tifed that his company fought the fire
from the alley in back, directing their
hose on the first and second floors until
the fire was out Then he asked per-
mission to go to the fourth 1cor of
kann's.
He said Chief Sullivan was a good
fire fighter. and always looked after his
men. To the question, wasn't he al
ways on the job" The witness replied
SO for bet
Captain Virnstein said the collapse
came after the fire was practically eN-
He saw it from kAnn's
fourth floor, he said. He gave it as his
opinion that water helped to bring il
down.
Captain Martin. of New truck. testi-
fed that captains looked after the
safety of their men, that there were no
orders, and it was not the practice to
report positions of companies. Sullivan
he said, was one of the best Of fire
fighters.
He has the keenest insight into fires
ever saw" he said.
Captain Martin testified that he was
acting as chief in the fire at Twelfth
and ID streets that occurred during the
fire of December q. and that he did not
report the position Of companies when |
he vas relieved.
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