Evening star., 1914-02-25

| Imprisonment of five firemen under the
ruins of the American Five and Ten Cent
Store. during blaze on the early morning
! OF December ~ for approximately an
hour before being discovered. the special
| board appointed to try Sullivan and in
| vestigate the methods by which the fire
! was managed submitted it's report to the
| District heads this afternoon.
| No recommendations are contained i'll
( tn. report. nor is any reference made to
the need of a revision of the rules gov
ernlnS the fire department.
| Board Criticises Proctor.
! The board criticises Third Battalion
/ Chief Charles &. Proctor. one of the Wit
| nesses at the trial, who admitted on the
stand that he had endeavored to obtain
defeat Of certain legislation recommended
| by the Commissioners.
! His general bearing and testimony be-
! fore this board indicate serious insub-
! ordina.ion.'' states the report, with ref
eIenct N MIR. Proctor.
AT6ther feature Of the report is the
statement that the board is impressed
I with the necessity of provision being
, made for an adequate pension fund for
the fire department
! The findings of the trial body, which
consisted of Capt. Mark Brooke, assist
ant Engineer Commissioner, chairman
| Joseph c. Sheehy, chairman of the excise
board and Charles +. NeSbit, superin-
, tendent of insurance. were transmitte d
were in session shortly after noon today.
Commissioners to Go Over Evidence.
! Commissioner Newman stated that he
| and his colleagues would go over the
| evidence given at the trial and later
! reach conclusion as to any action which
| they may deem necessary to be taken.
| 1t may be a week or longer before the
/; case is finally disposed of.
! Chief Wagner declined to discuss the
! verdict The decision was characterized
| as most just one by Attorney u. W..
O'Donoghue of counsel for Sullivan.
-Sullivan's exoneration comes as the
result OF his refusal to comply with a
suggestion by the Commissioners that
he apply for retirement. following
secret inquiry of the management OF
the fire conducted by Commissioner
Siddons.
Hearing Lasts Six Days.
The trial board was appointed by the
Commissioners. and spent six days in
hearing testimony. Corporation Coun-
sci Conrad H. Syme appeared for the
District and endeavored to bring out
the fullest information concerning the
methods by which the ten-cent store
fire was managed. and conditions OBJ
! tanning in the fire department. Attor-
ney Charles w. Darr directed the de-
fense for Sullivan.
The other members of Sulivans coun-
sci, in addition to Mr.. ODonoghue. were
John J. Keenan, and Arthur Alexander
The placing of the blame upon Chief
Wagner will. it is anticipated. arouse
RI and rnf IN
and efficient fre-fghting record of the
head of the department. Wagner has
been in the service thirty-five years. More
than thousand citizens united in paying
q tribute to the chief and Mrs. Wagner
a. a public function held in the Mu-
nicipal building, June II. 1872. on the oc-
casion Of their golden wedding ami
versary. The chief was presented with
purse of $1,000 in gold.
Boards Full Report.
The full report submitted by the board
is as follows:
THE board appointed by you in Com
missioners' order of January 81, 1914. to
try Deputy Chief Andrew J. Sullivan
upon charges and specifications preferred
by the Commissioners has the honor to
| submit the following:
First Deputy Chief Andrew j. Sulli-
van is not guilty of the charges and
| specifications preferred against him.
| Second. In many cases the testimony
| of the witnesses before this board differed
materially from that given by them be-
| a lack Of appreciation of the necessity
| of care and accuracy in making reports
to a superior, and is censurable.
Blames Chief Engineer.
| Third. F'iremen were permitted to re-
| main buried in the ruins of the fire at
| the five and ten cent store, on the
| morning of December "a. 1913. for a
| period of approximately an hour after
| the collapse Of a portion of said build
| ing. due to the failure of the chief en-
| pineer of the fire department to suffl-
| GENTLY inform himself respecting the po-
| sitions of the various companies II
| was the duty of the chief engineer to
| ascertain the locations and dispositions
| of the various companies at tne nre ana
| upon the collapse of a portion of the
| building to ascertain whether or not all
| the men under his command We're ac-
| counted for. He did not exercise that
| physical and mental activity which the
| duties of his position call tor.
Urges Pension Fund.
| "In this connection the board Is
strongly Impressed with the necessity
| of having provision for an adequate
| pension fund for the fire department.
Under the present state of the law
| when a man. after years of faithful
and efficient service. reaches an age at
| which he should retire from active
duty the Commissioners are under the
! necessity of either forcing him to re-
| tire with uncertain and inadequate
/, proyision for his livelihood. or con-
tinuing him in the service with re-
| sponsibilites and duties calling for the
exercise of physical and mental powers
| inconsistent with his age and physical
| and mental condition. The detrimental
| erect upon the service of such a con-
| dition Of affairs is obvious.
Proctor's Attitude.
Fourth. The testimony of Battalion
Chief Charles B. Proctor developed the
fact that he has endeavored to secure
| the defeat of legislation recommended
by his superiors, the Commissioners of
the District of Columbia, in their esti-
mates Of appropriations to Congress.
His general bearing and testimony be-
fore this board indicate serious in
| subordination. .