The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-12-03

NlA Gtle AQloullnk plVpSEuon, w have the statement of Q most reli- able citizen that he first observed the fire, eight minutes before the department had been notified; that he was on O hill driving toward the center, and that he had actually driven to Q point on Leavenworth street before he heard tho men of Fire Headquarters leaving the sta. ton. Bremen of Engine 2 declared that when they left their station, the entire center was lit up, And we have the word of Q Camp Edwards soldier, Private First Class Thomas l.. SymondS of Battery D, 20a, Coast Artillery, he was there before the department had been called and that flames were then shooting from the south side of the Rose Shop, not far from the Alexander building, Also, We have the sworn statement of 0 watchman, who responded to Q ground drop of the watch signal sys- tenn at 7s09 D, m, to find that smoke and flame had broken from tho Rose Shop, north-eenter section of the roof, Policeman Ralph Belloise on duty on East Main street near Brook street saw smoke and flame also on roof at north-center section, before arrival of the department,
 All of this testimony tends to prove eonelusively the fire had see cured Q good start, some time in advance of being noticed, and word sent to the department,
 The fire, as the people of the city, well know, practically destroyed the Rose shop and communicated to the Bradley building, which, also was so badly damaged the upper floors, at least, may have to come down, The roofs Of both structures fell In at different times; the asphalt roofing on the Bram building accounted for the dense black smoke at the begin- ming of the fire,
 All fires of this nature arc SuS. pieleus to the attaches of the Mar Shal's office, Therefore, 1t is their bushes sand obligation, acting for the public of Waterbury, to inquire into every angle, And naturally, we poked over the ruins during and after the fire, and did not take up our hearing until Tuesday, Novem- Der %, Mir, Bram responded to our summons without hesitaney; his papers and books we already had in our possession, We examined hir most carefully, and eXAeted the story of his life, without tho least obiee- ton on his part, He was frank and honest we felt, He made no at- tempt to hide anything, and didn't hedge any in his answers, We learned he was born in New York City, educated in the public schools of Brooklyn, graduating from the high school and also from college, that he started out in the dress hus- mess in New Jersey, and eventually came to Waterbury, In 1929, rented a small store ln the Bergin building, ct No, 6S, and then moved to larger quarters Nt No, l07; in 1884 he moved to No, eS-9T, On Sunday he went to dinner with two other couples and later went to Q metien isANkNAS NASNNtAI WAAGEV AlV WUe " the time the fire occurred,
 Joseph dRrher, l49 Cooke street, an employe Of the Rose Shop, was the last person in the store, previous to the fire, But he was there, he explained, only for c minute or so, simply to turn back the heat con- trol theFmoStat, And this was in the morning between the hours of 10 and II o'clock, And the record in the office of the signal system showed he was Inside just for a brief period, and for the purpose intended,
 The witnesses examined included, Max Bram, Samuel sherman, Miss May Helen Smith, South Main street, Anthony Barra, 5l Field street, Joseph D, darher, l49 Cooke street, Leroy Miller, watch service, Lester Mace, watch service, Jesse EXford, watch service, Abraham 0arber, North Main street, Pvt, First Glass Thomas L, Symonds, Camp Edwards, Police ofilcer Ralph Belloise, James Claffey, 5S Field street.
 Our own examination disclosed that Mir, Bram aS late as last August had a savings account with the Waterbury banks of at least $25,- 000,0o, that he bought much stock In advance of the holiday season, and that his inventory showed around $50,000,00 of stock, separate of the fixtures in the place; that his reputation among the banking institutions interviewed by us was first class, and that his borrowing capacity could actually be higher than he himself desired; that his