Evening star., 1922-02-14

trusses were covered up in the debris.
The condition of the debris would In
dicate that the failure could not have
first occurred at column No. 2.
Witness was excused, and Frank L.
er, again was called to the stand.
He said the only proposal he had
on the steel work was that Of c. A.
Schneider's Sons. as indicated by ex-
animation Of his f1les. However, he
said. he had certified copies Of pro-
posals submitted by Barber & Ross.
Makes Explanation.
He asked permission to make a
statement. which was granted.
The work the men on his pay roll
did was carpenter work, he began.
The other work was done by subcon-
tract to men who he believed, stood
high in their lines.
The hollow tile work was awarded
to the Hammett Fireproofing Com
pany. he said; the cut stone to the
ingalls, Company: erection Of the
ington; ornamental iron to Bruno
Bros. Washington: structural steel to
c. A. Schneider's Sons.
At this point he took some time to
highly laud the latter company. and
]. H. Ford in. particular. When he
awarded the contract for the. steel.
he said, he thought he had done q
good thing.
Erection Of the steel work was in
the hands Of John Mcdonald. and
plastering, McNulty Bros. Of Wash
ington.
Believed Work Well Done.
Donald NJ. Wallace, he continued.
was the general superintendent on
the job. Each Of the subcontractors
was represented by a foreman. he
continued. At no time did he have
any idea that any one was sighting
the work at all.
He said he received $77.2o7s5 for
the job. out of which he got net
profit Of $2.7s9.12. out Of which in
turn had to come his compensation
for ten or eleven months super
penses. This he cited. he said. to
show that there was no proflteering.
He then detailed the number OF
buildings which he has constructed
in Washington and other parts of
Out Of i3o buildings built in the
never had an accident He never
had any reason to doubt the stability
of the knickerbocker building. he
went on.
Attended Theater Himself.
"Only a week before the accident
took place I occupied seats in the
theater with my wife, my son. my
daughter. her husband and their two
children" he said.
This would indicate, he said. that
he had no doubt about the building.
Did the Schneider Company bid on
the same plan as Barber & Ross?'
Maj. Gordon asked.
Yes" answered witness.
Under whose supervision were all
Of the subforemen" Maj. Gordon
asked.
"Mr Wallace"
who was he?"
my general superintendent"
He reported to you?"
Yes. in charge Of all the work"
What did Mr.. Geare do?"
He had general supervision. Every
subcontract had to be approved by
Was Wallace under the supervision
of Mr.. Geare?" Maj. Gordon contin-
ued.
"Yes. Mr.. Geare had authority under
his contract to remove Mr.. Wallace
II he felt so disposed"
Witness was here excused. and r.
G. Fletcher of the Hammett Fireproof-
ing Company was recalled.
Says Men Were Experts.
"Inasmuch as this company has
borne the brunt of attack in this
controversy" he said. II can't under.
stand 1T. as the walls are still there
The men employed were tile experts
They were picked men. The man In
charge Of the work up to the concrete
band on the wall had been in charge
Of the academic building at West
Point.
More care was used in the Knicker.
booker walls than at West Point OF
any other part Of the country" he
went on.
He said he didn't understand "the
unusual condition" at the junction
of the stage and Columbia road walls
pointed to by Col. Kelly.
There was no unusual condition
there" he asserted.
There is crack there. but it would
seem to be an effect rather than q
cause" he said.
"Mr. Fletcher. every one here who
had anything to do with this buildine
has praised himself. The building
You're satisfied that the work wa.
properly done?" Maj. Gordon went on
"Yes. SIR"
He was excused.
Reginald W. Geare. the architect
returned to the stand.
You have something further?'
Yes. 1t seems I have created an
erroneous impression as to what ]
did on the night of the accident.
Il heard about it and went over
there. I heard there were ten people
under the debris. When I got in j
noticed the first barrier was thil
truss, and then I noticed this break
walked up to the truss. 1t might
only have been a second that I waa