The Washington times., 1914-02-18
Wagner Doesn't Recall.

NnlGt " aSlltF IttblsGl Iitdl Adu
cen racking his brain ever since being
Irst asked that question. and that he
ouId remember no such circumstance
= OF anyone telling him that men were
the building. lie declared vehe-
lent!y:
Why, there were men right alongside
t me. who had helped those men in
mere. and they never said word TO
ne about it." he said.
Q.-Who Were these men?
A.-Wby, Captain Dixon. OF No.
Tuck. and the men of this company.
Private MoNley. former chauffeur for
,,hief Wagner, was then called 10y Mr..
vme, but Mr.. Darr objected 10 his teS-
imony on the ground that he had been
resent in the room as a spectator and
4ad heard the evidence. Chairman
Mark Brooke. 'of the trial board, ruled
nat Mr.. MoXley could not be heard, and
@ was excluded.
Private Gill chauffeur for Chief Sui
van. testified that he had heard bat
.licn chiefs and DenutY Chief Sullivan
eport to Chief Wagner at previous
res, These reports. he said were usu-
lily as to the condition OF the fire. He
aid the pos ton "f competitors had
,een reported Asked to cite an IL
-Lapce. ne told of the Benning fire,
vhere Chief Proctor had reported to
Attorney 0Donoshue. on Cross-eX-
.-nination. asked Gill if he had ever
card Deputy Chief Sullivan report the
Cnoition of a fire. and Mr. Gill replied
the affirmative.
This erded the taking OF testimony.
Corporation Counsel Conrad II. Syme
dmmed up for the prosecution preced-
g his argument on the evidence with
general statement of the case.
Shifting the Blame.
EXcoriating officials of the Fire De
.trtment on their uncertainty as to
'ersonal responsibility, Mr.. Syme said
Iat the alacrfty to shift blame for
he Ten-ceDt store disaster is painfully
p evidence
He turned to those firInen present and
rnphasiZed the statement that the
safety of those actually fighting fire
rom the Inside seems to lie a matter of
rery little consideration on the part of
EUperior authority.
Nobody can consider me eXtraTagant
n saying that this trial has disclosed
2 condition somewhat alarming. ON
e cDmpulsion of the clearest evidence
nd the fir1nest proof, an uncertainty of
.ffficial and personal responsibility is
,ppaTent An alaCrity to shift the
lame for the disaster is painfully in
.-videnCe.
MY whole theory in conducting this
rial has been to ascertain with exact
ness and fairness every incident of this
ire felt that by SO doing it would
.Iearly appear how il happened that
Practically whole engine company
.ould be buried in the ruins of a build
ng and no one in authority knew any
hing about for over an hour. One
would have to search long 10 flnd a
s,irnilar incident in the annals OF fire
lighting.
Ascertain the Truth.
The only method known to human in
tclligence 10 correct an error is to as
crtain the truth. The only way TO do
"xact justice to any person or any situ-
tlon is TO get at the truth ABOUT H.
The only way to build up any insti-
'Ition from n fire department to gov
..gnTnent Is to construct it on true, just,
nd effective principles.
This is no tint" "umnouplace-no
-hreadbare moral platitUde. 1t is fun
.l4,nnntaI principle of infinite force and
athonlIrSS conservation, and nothing i'll
uis world * too small or too great Tor
e.. application. knowing this, ! have
..rnestly tried 10 get at the exact truth
of this situation as ] knew that was
he only way it could BE- corrected.
Conception of Duty.
u can conceive Of but on" right pur-
,gse in presenting this else to this
uTrt. and that was To establish the
nth Of everything relevant to TINS
SO in the nature Of Il fact. If it Was
.. e., i was y ta"t
II II VA untrue, II had no existence
% fact and could prove nothing. If l
o.ld, by the examination af any Wit
rss disclose any fact which indicated
fU- efficiency OF caTlcSSnCSS of chief
-.uivan- it WA my duty 10 do Ii, and ]
ID. 20 dDnC it II the examination o. any
rt0css could disclose any fart which,
explaining In" -ItUatIpH- either CN-
Grated him entirely ar explained his
ION. / lclt il ms duty TO reveal, not
mccall 1. II wUuld be credit ] do
.u' crave I" convict anyone wrOngiulIy.
II is not my duty t" constituted stu-
..'rlty. 10 conceal the truth about amy
UU-- know tn" purposes OF the
commissioners Of the District uf Column
80 ars. righteous. J know tGcir mo
cs arc pure. Their power viii not tee
O.. r"a.-'-i, fh"ir dl-nity degraded or the
.ricg-ity Of thor aHmini-t ration iln-
l-..d. H. Tho dISclO~IT" Of The truth IN
n.- '~ any other 'as,. IL" ml"ml,'rs
th.- court nay wei I'~I LHat The con
raJ-"n OF their duty tv thu I'roiUuDd-
dictates a. 1hrI I"unss business "an
n~h no "Vjl H. anyone
The only WY 10 make til" Fire De
r.-iru'uI q useful ana d"p"ndabIo in
'f4n"uf ui tb" district government is
irmlv correct anythIIl" aDd every
nG that lnteTf"r"S with tn" har-
'fl"u> aud automatic coordination Of
..'aes must b" made crrttin-n not left
me imagination. IT. several duties
.r-Est be- understood for effective CO.
I..rsltt"fa--Hot Ignored for the purpose
e -UiftiuG accountability Tor misdi-
ted effort Ur avoiding CcnSurc for
.r'N' ntihle disaster"
Gr1h.r. Nj Svue IOutci out. l'cp-
- tElrf sullivan must i.tv" known
Il tho mon Of EUgiU" 'OmiHBy No.
,nlE have STAYED IN the burning build
2 until driven out by iirc. or ordered
...' hy commanding officers.
When N" deputy went to tho roof
.f'rr remaining with Chi"f Wagner for
rte = time. no saw tn. second. third
nd fourth floors buruin;, nhOv. tn"
.'T ho had sent into III" first floor
I'd Mr.. SymC.
II" testified hcrr tnlt lr did not tel
'-aI"f Wagner Oi The position oi No. I $
non. Ii' failed Ia inform the CuIrf of
hat fact be"ausC there WAS 40 rule
compelling him To do so
'-Fpired bv the Almighty, L. Inform his
No were ia a position Of DANCE. II
alFo Wa the duty of others who stood
cslde Fnief Wagner TO notify him of
he Der7lous location of thos.. live men.
nat they escaped with their lives il
tue only 10 Providence.
Responsibility Not Removed.
II is absurd to believe that the COM
rC Of the chief engineer on the scene
WAS an absolution 10 the deputy chief
4 any responsibility for the welfare of
-le men of No. s.