Evening star., 1914-02-17
Enthusiastically Indorse His
Long Record of Service
in the Department.
ACCUSED FIRE FIGHTER
HELD "BEST IN WORLD"
Both Sides Manifest Desire to Ex-
pedite Trial-Little New Evil
dence Is Developed.

Eulogist!c characterizations Of Deputy
Chief Sullivan as fre fighter marked
the trial Of the veteran fireman today on
charges OF inefficiency and neglect OF
duty preferred by the District Commits
eioners.
Fifteen members OF the fire department.
ranging i'll rank from prvates to deputy
chiefs, took the stand In behalf of the
defendant and enthusiastically indorsed
his long record of service In the depart
ment
Little new evidence was developed by
| the testimony and both sides manifested
a desire to proceed with the trial as
| rapidly as possible from this point on.
There is a possibility that the defense
may rest it's case late today
James NJ. Burns, superintendent Of
Mount Olivet cemetery. took the stand
shortly after the beginning OF the after
noon session. He testified that Charles
B. Proctor third battalion chief. came to
hun one day soon after Christmas and
| asked the witness IL, In the event there
should be "a vacancy in the position of
chief engineer would he sign a petition
indorsng Proctor for the place.
Many Witnesses Examined.
| Witnesses followed each other in rapid
succession. Attorneys Darr and O'Don-
| oghue alternated IN examining them
| Questions repeatedly asked were:
! DO you know Of any rule requiring re-
ports to be made by subordinate off,
Ger to the chief engineer upon his ar
| rival at a fre?''
| is 1t ineficiency on the part of fire
department officials to order men into
buildings to fight fires when no lives are
at stake?"
What Is your opinion of Deputy Chief
Sullivan as firetighter?'
| Practically without exception negative
answers were gwen to the nrst two ques-
| tons.
The witnesses equally were a unit in
praise of Sullivan ability as a fireman.
One OF them, Capt Patrick J. Holiohan.
| OF No , engine. said that Sullivan g
| to the fire department what Gen. Grant
was to the Union army.
| capt Hollohan was the first witness
| called. When asked if he had ever
known Sullivan to be inefficient in his
duties. Hollohan said that if a man
| had suggested such thing he would
| nave thought him crazy.
Corporation Counsel Syme cross-exam-
| ined the witness and endeavored to OBJ
customs of the department toward safe
guarding men who had been ordered into
| burning building and are in position
| where they are unable to see danger
| above or about them.
No Way to Tell Location.
| After tnsistent questioning by the cor
poration counsel as to how the chief en-
| gineer, when arriving at fire after the
companies had been placed, may ascer-
tain their location. the witness replied
| that he did not know.
| Attorney O'Donoghue objected to the
tA rvlaG oSlyA bxrA Afr
| Syme on the ground that they bordered
| on the hypothetical
| Lieut.. NJ. D. Murphy Of No. engine
company. a. ]. Bargagni of No. Is en-
CINE company. Lieut.. J. r. Groves of No.
10 truck, Private E. 3. Rollins Of No. 3
truck. Frank S. Reed of No. ) truck,
Private John P. Egan of No "a engine
company, Capt. Tom O'Connor OF No l
lengine and Capt. Ernest Howard of No.
I engine testified in order.
| Murphy stated that the captain of a
company is Immediately in charge and
primarily responsible for the safety of
his men. The testimony of Bargagni was
TO the effect that he considers Sullivan
one Of the best firefighters in the depart
ment.
| Groves, Rollins and Reed narrated
the part they played in fighting the
ten-cent store fire and gave testimony
| favorable to the deputy chief.
| No better ever wore uniform
| was the tribute paid Sullivan by Capt
OConnor, and the next witness, Capt.
! Howard, added to the compliment by
| saying he did not believe there was
! better fire fighter in the world.
"Typical Fireman." Says Henry.
| Following these witnesses Samuel r
Henry. second battalion chief who en-
tered the fire department twenty-five
years ago. the same day that Sullivan
was appointed, was the next to testify
and he proved good witness for the
deputy chief. Sullivan" he said, Il:
a typical fireman. l never saw hin
show q weakness anywhere"
Neither rule nor custom makes it duty
for an inferior officer to report to Su-
perior officer when the latter takes COM
| mand at a fire. the witness Stated. On
cross-exannination by Attorney Syme he
declared that any one in authority who
knew the condition of the ten-cent store
should have brought the men of No. q
engine company out OF the building be-
fore the collapse occurred.
Chief Henry gave testimony which was
favorable to Sullivan's record in the de-
partinent and his efficiency as fireman.
Capt. H. F. Mcconnell Of No II en-
stein of No. 16 engine company. Capt.
P. .. Martin of No. truck. Private
Lloyd. +. H. Nelson of No. IA engine
company and Timothy Donohoe, acting
Martin stated that Sullivan has the
keenest percent,on at =
man he ever knew. and he did not be-
lieve there was ever a fireman more
efficient in his duties than the deputy
chief.
There is none better in the United
States, and that means the whole
world to me-" said Chief Donohoe in
expressing his opinion of Sullivan's
firefighting qualifications. The after
noon session was resumed at 1880.
Praise SulIivan's Ability.
Those testifying at the afternoon ses-
sion yesterday in addition to Deputy
Chief Sullivan. who was the first to take
the stand. were Capt. John Darlington of
engine company No. II. Thomas NJ.
Green and Cecil T. Hurst of the same
company. Otto A. Becker and Charles
Thomas OF No. truck and Lieut. Thorn
as Buckley of No. engine. All the wit
nesses gave Sullivan a good reputation as
a fire fighter. Capt Darlington said that
he was on the roof Of the Family Shoe
store at the time floors in the ten-cent