Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-02-27
'VINDICATION
IS EXPECTED IN
PROBE OF FIRE
Evidence Given at Hearing
Indicates Firemen Did Not
Shirk Duty at Dr..
Adams Home,

complete vlnQlCatlOn TOT members
of Hose company No. "a, of the
Omaha fire department looms as the
outcome of Commissioner Harry B.
Zimman's investigation of implica.
tons by residents of Florence THAI
the firemen were guilty of miscon-
duct in failing to remove persons
overcome by smoke when the home
of DR.. Arthur B. Adams, at 8406
North Thirtieth street. burned Sun
day.
A boasd of investigation consisting
of Commissioner Zimman, c. A. Sal
ter, chief of the Omaha fire depart
ment, and c. G. Cragcr, battalion
chief in charge of the second dis
trict, which includes Florence, list
ened to conflicting testimony from
10 citizens at a hearing held in Flor
cnce yesterday afternoon, which,
those who attended the hearing de-
clared, failed to shake the case men,
bers of the hose company under fire
established for themselves.
Repeat Old Charges.
Previous hearings held by the
board had narrowed suspicion OF
cowardice, which was the charge
made by several witnesses against
the fremen to Captain James l. Jen-
sen and Driver Stewart Dale.
DR.. Adams repeated his testimony
of how he removed his 9-year-old
son, Gene, who was i'll with pneu-
monia, and his daughter, Madeline,
- years old, from the burning build
ing and that he notified everyone
within hearing that Miss Nellie
Jones, Arthur Adams and Albert
Walkup were still in the house.
John Williams, proprietor of a ga
rage across theh street from the
Adams home. and Edward Claycomb
stated that no fremen offered to
enter the building and as a conse-
quence they we're the only ones to
ascend the ladder to rescue those
in the building. Mr.. Williams told
of finding Miss Jones unconscious
i'll the house.
Difference in Testimony.
Their testimony differed directly
from that of DR.. Adams as both say
they were on the roof before the
doctor and his family descended the
ladder. Neither could state positive
ly that they and the Adams family
were he~only people on the roof.
The testimony Of Arthur Adams
was also contradicted. He told that
Jesse Rich, a neighbor, helped from
the room while Albert Walkup,
Patrolman ]. c. McGregor and c.
5. Kaer all testified that he climbed
down ladder alone.
Captain Jensen told of stationing
two men to lay the hose and an
other at the hydrant leaving only
himself and Driver Dale for other
duty and that they erected ladder
to the front porch Immediately. He
said when told that Arthur Adams
was in the house He Immediately
sent Dale up the ladder. He ex-
planned that he heard Mr.. Williams
call the firemen yellow" and gave
him permission to follow Dale. He
said he had confidence in Williams
and thought he would be of as
sistance.
Close Hearing Today.
A moment afterwards he testi-
fled that someone said there was
another boy in the rear and that
he started a search of the rear
stairway for him but was unable
to locate anyone. He said he re-
turned to the front of the house and
Dale told him everyone was out of
the building.
Dale testified the same as Cap
tain Jensen and told of helping DR..
Adams to descend and heard Will
liaps break a window which he
entered moment later in search
for trapped occupants. He, said he
saw Miss Jones on the roof and
went to the rear in time to see
Arthur Adams rescued.
Commissioner Zlmman stated that
testimony by Jesse Rich will be
taken to day, at what will probably
be the last hearing of the investiga-
ton. At the conclusion of Dale's
testimony, he stated that no one had
yet been able to state positively
that Dale had not carried out his
captains orders, nor had it been
shown that Captain Jensen failed
in the execution of his duty.