USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > History of the Fort Wayne Fire Department : extracts from Fort Wayne, Indiana, newspapers > Part 15
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build a bridge, I thought there would be no fire; told Mr. Vogel that he could draw my pay to settle his claim in October; he drew my pay after that time; I was present at the Bijou fire; I was at the Bloomingdale fire.
Fred Michaels, sworn - Said that he is a foreman of a fire company in Fort Wayne; Dunfee left the service of the fire department sometime in October, 1880; the chief notified that Dunfee had left at that time; think it was either the day before or the day after the October election when I handed in the resignation to the chief. He said all right.
On the cross-examination, said - That Mr. Vogel was very busy at the time I handed in the resignation of Dunfee.
Emet Dunfee, sworn, said that while in department he drew $10 a month for services. Drew my last pay from the city for October, 1880; notified my foreman that I resigned from the company. I never authorized any one to draw my pay from the department.
On cross-examination witness said he was not friendly or unfriendly towards Vogel. I admit that I wrote the card in the evening papers to-night saying I would take the matter to a higher tribunal. I never told Mr. Vogel to draw my pay after I left the department. I told him at one time to draw my pay but he never did so. I never thought singularly that Vogel did not draw my pay. I told him, I think, to draw my pay when I bought a suit of clothes. I bought the suit of clothes in 1878, I think. I might be mistaken about the date.
The defense admitted that in the months of September, October, November and December, 1880, and January, 1881, the defendant had drawn from the city the salary of Dunfee and appropriated it to his own (Vogel's) use.
W. W. Rockhill, city clerk, testified that Pohlmeyer did not draw pay from the city for the month of October, 1880.
Frank B. Vogel being sworn, said - Emmet Dunfee was in the service of the city, and left the same in February; I drew his pay for the months of November and December, 1880, and January, 1881; never recollect that Fred. Michael gave me a letter; did not known that Dunfee had left until some time afterwards; rules are hung in the fire department; I remember of paying a fine imposed upon me of $30 by the fire committee; Mr. Wolf notified me; they did not fine me in the Pohlmeyer matter; the fine of $30 was imposed upon me on account of the Dunfee matter; I did give Pohlmeyer credit for two months being $20 for the two months of September and October; the reason I put down two months on the October pay roll to Pohlmeyer was because he had not drawn his wages for the month of September; I bought for the fire department, in May, 1881, from Lavanway, fifteen bushels of oats, amounting to $6.75; these oats were delivered at the engine house; I gave Lavanway a voucher on the city for the amount; I think I bought oats for my own horse during the same month; I say that the fifteen bushels of oats bought from Lavanway did not go to my house; that they did not go into my bin.
On the cross-examination Mr. Vogel said: I certainly never bought any oats for the city and sent them to my house; I keep a stub for every voucher that I give on the treasurer; I buy oats for my own use from Lavanway; I drew six months of Pohlmeyer's pay; he authorized me to draw it, as he owed me; I did not draw any of his money after he left the department. I left Pohlmeyer's name off the September roll by mistake, and took him up for two months on the October roll. If I did not receive notice of a man's discharge or resignation, he was kept on the roll until I received such notice. I dismissed Pohlmeyer as soon as I received notice from his foreman. I never recollect Fred. Michael giving me the resignation of Dunfee. The fire committee took action in the matter and fined me $30 in consequence of Dunfee being carried
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on the rolls after he had resigned, which I paid; am in the habit of making up the rolls of the full complement of men each month, the same as the previous month, unless I receive notice from the foreman that there has been a change. When the fire committee came to me in regard to the Dunfee matter, I told them that I had never heard of Dunfee's resignation; I do not remember of a mistake of this kind ever before in my experience; I know of a number of city officers who have made mistakes; I don't know whether oats have ever been taken to my house or not.
Alderman Wolf, testified, I have been a member of the fire committee ever since I have been in the council, last April the Dunfee matter was brought before the committee, the matter was looked into and the committee decided that Mr. Vogel should pay $30 into the city treasury; the committee did not make a report of their action in the matter to the council, and never did; the money was paid, the witness, within a week; the committee never had but the one meeting; the meeting was held at Fox's parlors.
On the cross-examination witness said, we took Fred. Michael's word in the matter; the committee concluded that Mr. Vogel had done wrong and to make him more careful in the future, we fined him the $30; I, as a member of the committee, never believed Mr. Vogel to be dishonest.
Alderman Vodermark testified I am now and was in 1881 a member of the common council, and one of the fire committee; I remember the case brought against Chief Vogel before the committee. The mayor first called my attention to the alleged irregularities of Chief Vogel. The committee called upon Fred Michael and Fred Becker, and held a conference with them on the subject of Dunfee's resignation and afterwards being carried on the pay roll; the committee resolved to allow Mr. Vogel to pay back the $30, as it was looked upon as something that had been overlooked by Vogel, and in order to make the city books right we took this action. I am sure that Mr. Vogel was present at the meeting of the committee.
John Johnson (Scotty) testified: I recollect Pohlmeyer in the department, either Daly or Berger took his place. I think Miller took Dunfee's place. On the cross-examination witness said he did not know this, simply thought so.
Luke Lavanway testified that his son Alexander has gone to Lake township on a visit; witness did not send him away; have not conversed with Mr. Vogel for three or four months; Mr. Carrier never talked to me about the Vogel matter; no one instigated my son to leave the city.
Adjourned until this evening at 7:30.
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FORT WAYNE DAILY GAZETTE Saturday 01/07/1882 Page 6, Col. 3-4-5.
VOGEL VINDICATED.
CHIEF ENGINEER VOGEL ACQUITTED OF THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM.
SYNOPSIS OF THE TESTIMONY LAST NIGHT.
THE VOTE OF THE COUNCIL IN THE MATTER.
The interest in the Vogel investigation did not seem to wane at all last night, if the large crowd present can be taken as a criterion. Long before the time of convening, spectators began to gather, and by eight o'clock, the space outside the bar, set apart for visitors, was filled with persons who desired to see and hear the investigation. Mr. Vogel was in his place at an early hour, accompanied by his attorney, Mr. Bell, and at 8 o'clock the council was called to order by the mayor. All the members of the council answered to their names.
Herman W. Lapp was the first witness sworn and testified: I am a bridge builder and contractor on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad; am acquainted with Fred Pohlmeyer; he was in my employ from the 12th day of August to the 20th of December, of the same year, doing work at Atwood, six miles west of Warsaw, Etna Green, Kosciusko and Columbia City, during that time; he worked for me during the entire time excepting three weeks; he received pay from me for that time; my men remained at work during ten hours a day every day except rainy days or Sunday.
In the cross-examination, witness said: I do not know that Mr. Vogel knew anything of Pohlmeyer's working for me.
August Frank testified - I work at the pumping house; belonged at one time to Vigilant company; can't tell when Pohlmeyer quit service: Miller began in the fire service at the time Dunfee quit.
Cross-examination - I only know what I heard.
Silas A. Lavanway testified - Worked for my father in feed store in this city; Mr. Vogel ordered oats from us in May; received pay for fifteen bushels of oats in that month; took them to Mr. Vogel's residence; received pay from city treasurer.
Cross-examination - Took fifteen bushels of oats to Mr. Vogel's residence; don't know whether I took them all there at once or not; think I went twice to deliver the oats; can't say as to the matter; I drew the pay for the fifteen bushels of oats in person; do not always take the bill for oats immediately to the fire department; the oats I collected for in May were delivered in February; Mr. Wolf asked me when I got my money; (account book of Lavanway exposed to witness;) this is the account book of our store; we all keep it; I identify an entry on the book to Frank Vogel dated February 16; I never recollect delivering fifteen bushels of oats at one time to Frank Vogel's house; on May 7 I see an entry on the book of the sale of five bushels of oats to Frank Vogel; the entry is made by my father; I find no entry on the book of the sale of oats to Frank Vogel between February 16 and May, 1880; I cannot say why the fifteen bushels of oats were not delivered at one time; perhaps we were out, or something of that kind (a certificate signed by witness, and stating that the fifteen bushels of oats were delivered to the residence of
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Vogel in the month of May, was shown him.) He said: That is signed by me; I perhaps did not understand what I was signing when I signed that; it was given me to sign by Phil. Lindlag and James Hoagland; I am certain I took fifteen bushels of oats to Mr. Vogel's house; do not know whether the five bushels of oats ordered May 7 are paid for or not; I have been getting clothing from Mr. Vogel for perhaps two years; no one but Lindlag and Hoagland asked me to sign the certificate; no one else was present.
Re-direct - A man named Brenner was present when I delivered the oats; he opened the door for me; when I presented the bill to Mr. Vogel he gave me a check on the treasurer; that was for the oats I put in his barn.
The city attorney here introduced the chief's pay rolls of the fire department from October, 1880, to May, 1881; also a voucher for $6.75 paid to Lavanway for oats by the city treasurer.
The prosecution here rested.
Mr. Luke Lavanway was called and testified - My son and Harry Mahn were working for me; I do not know of fifteen bushels of oats ever going to Mr. Vogel's house, but know of that amount going to the engine house; the fifteen bushels went to the fire department February 16, 1881; were paid for May 6, 1881; the voucher dated May 6, 1881, was to pay for fifteen bushels of oats taken to the fire department.
Cross- examined -- I swore last night that my son was in Lake township; if my son had ever taken fifteen bushels of oats to Vogel's house I should have known it; the entry of the order for fifteen bushels of oats of February 16th is in my son's handwriting; I have told people around the city that the "oats matter" was all right; my son quit my employ on September 6th, Mr. Carrier called on me to see me in regard to the matter; Mr. Vogel has bought nothing of me since last May; Mr. Urbine, who delivered the oats, is now in Virginia.
Re-direct - I have no interest in this case; I did not know that my son was in the city last night; I was regularly subpoenaed in this case; bills were always made out by our house to Frank B. Vogel.
Alderman Wolff testified: I never talked to young Mr. Lavanway except at the committee meeting; he told me that the certificate (spoken of above) he had signed; he told me he had delivered the oats to Vogel's house in the month of May.
Cross- examined - Have not forgotten a word of the conversation; I mean that I remember about the conversation; I have not said a word but that was the substance of the conversation; I give it to the council as I understood it.
Mr. Vogel testified: The fire department voucher book contains stubs of all vouchers paid on account of that department; I find in that book no vouchers paid to Lavanway from January 1, 1881, to May 6, 1881, then I find one for $6.75 paid for fifteen bushels of oats.
Cross-examined - Voucher No. 296, dated February 15, 1881, for 58 bushels of oats for fire department, bought on the street; we only buy from Lavanway when we cannot buy on the street; I bought altogether eighty-nine bushels on the street on the fifteenth of February.
Re-direct - Orders on feed stores for oats were not always filled at once; it takes about twenty bushels of oats a week to supply the fire department; I could always buy on the streets because it was the cheapest manner to buy.
The defense here closed their case. Mr. Colerick, desired that counsel on either side be allowed thirty minutes each in summing up.
Mr. Muhler moved that ten minutes be allowed, and Captain Hettler thought that counsel
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e
should have unlimited time. After some discussion, it was concluded by the council that thirty minutes be allowed to each attorney.
Mr. Colerick opened the argument for the prosecution, reviewing the testimony. He dwelt upon the evidence of Pohlmeyer and Dunfee, and asserted that for nine months the man Pohlmeyer had drawn his pay at $10 a month; that the man Pohlmeyer had for four months worked away from the city, yet Mr. Vogel, because Pohlmeyer owed him, had kept him upon the rolls. The evidence that Mr. Vogel did not know that Pohlmeyer had left the department, Mr. C. placed much stress upon. He accused Mr. Lavanway, sr., of committing perjury in swearing that his son was at Lake township. The weight of the evidence, he believed, was with young Mr. Lavanway who had sworn that the oats had been put in Vogel's bin.
Mr. Bell followed. He said he was satisfied the charges had been brought through malice on the part of Mr. Vogel's enemies. He looked upon the charges as very graves, but the case on the other side was very thin. Each company of the department had a foreman whose duty it was to report any charges. If these reports were not made to the chief, there were no changes made in the rolls. He spoke of the fact of Pohlmeyer being reported on March 8, 1881, and that the pay-rolls showed that he was dropped on that day. If there was an error made, it was the error of the foreman in not reporting Pohlmeyer before, as was his duty to do. As regards the oats transaction, he said; that it was absurd that Mr. Vogel should swindle the city out of $6.75. Mr. Vogel has sworn that he never paid out of the city funds anything for oats for his own use. Mr. Vogel's oath is as good as any who have sworn to the contrary. Mr. Bell spoke of the testimony of the Lavanways and said that there was nothing in their evidence to show that fifteen bushels of oats had ever been delivered to Mr. Vogel for which the city had paid. It was a practice, he said, for parties to draw the pay of employes on the pay-rolls. The practice, he thought, might not be a right one - was not dishonest - was a custom. The committee has said that Mr. Vogel is not dishonest in the matter; if fault lies anywhere it lies with them. He stigmatized the whole matter as a mean, low outgrowth of malice.
Mr. Colerick, in closing the case, said the council could not find on the fifteen pay-rolls a single man who Mr. Vogel collected money for except in the case of the two men involved, and that no mistakes were ever made except in the cases of these two men whose pay had been collected by Vogel; he called to the attention of the council the fact that the fifteen bushels of oats bought from Lavanway were bought when over one hundred bushels of oats were on hand in the department; he censured the fire committee for taking the $30 in the Dunfee matter; the committee, he said, were not sitting as a council; they had not right to do that. Why had Vogel a right, Mr. Colerick said, to employ seventeen men on the pay rolls when the city allowed him but sixteen?
Both attorneys' speeches were quite exhaustive, and at their conclusion it was decided that the vote should be viva voce, that being in accordance with the law on the subject.
The clerk then read the specifications in order, and the council voted on each separately. The first specification, the Dunfee matter, resulted in the following vote; Guilty - Chittenden, Vordermark, Wise, Yergens. - 4. Not guilty - Boltz, Brames, Doehrman, Fox, Hamilton, Hettler, Mohr, Muhler, Pape, Reese, Reidmiller, Welch, Wessell, Wolf, - 14.
On the second specification, the Pohlmeyer charges, the vote stood: Guilty - Boltz, Hamilton, Vordermark, Wise, Yergens .- 5. Not guilty- Brames, Chittenden, Doehrman, Fox, Hettler, Mohr, Muhler, Pape, Reese, Reidmiller, Welch, Wessel, Wolf .- 13.
On the third specification, charging Vogel with buying $6.75 worth of oats, removing
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them to his own house, and afterwards allowing the city to pay for them, the vote stood: Guilty- Boltz, Yergens- 2; Not guilty - Brames, Chittenden, Doehman, Fox, Hamilton, Hettler, Mohr, Muhler, Pape, Reese, Reidmiller, Vordermark, Welch, Wessel, Wise, Wolff - 16.
By this vote the charge and specifications being not sustained, the mayor announced that the accused was fully discharged in the matter.
FORT WAYNE DAILY GAZETTE Sunday 01/08/1882 Page 6, Col. 5.
A TOTAL LOSS.
THAT WAS THE RESULT OF A FIRE AT NEW HAVEN, YESTERDAY
MORNING - HARTZELL'S MILL ENTIRELY DESTROYED.
Yesterday morning, between 5 and 6 o'clock, Mr. Job Fisher, who keeps a meat market at New Haven, while on his way to his store, discovered flames emerging from the north part of the engine room of the flouring mill of E. & A. M. Hartzell, at that place. He immediately gave the alarm and the bells of the village were rung, but owing to the fact of the building being old, it was entirely consumed before the flames could be checked. The fire department did not arrive on the ground until some twenty minutes after the alarm was given, owing probably to the fact that there is no particular discipline and there being so few fires in the berg it was totally unlooked for. Two streams were thrown upon the fire as quickly as circumstances would allow, and the firemen, (volunteers) did all in their power, but it was too late; and what the night before represented a large and enterprising business, in a very short time was reduced to a mass of smoking ruins. The firm have kept no watchman, and probably the fire gained considerable headway before it was first discovered by Mr. Fisher.
The building, which was entirely of wood, was built in 1858, by Amasa, Volney and John Powers and used by them for milling purposes for many years, and was the first mill built in the village. It was ultimately sold to the Messrs. Hartzell, who have been doing a good business there by their enterprise and business ability.
The loss on stock and building amounted to $8,000, upon which there is no insurance. The stock, fortunately, was very light, the roads having been so very bad that no grain of any amount had accumulated; otherwise the loss would have been much greater. The fire is supposed to have been caused by spontaneous combustion in the sawdust packing around the pumps in the engine room.
The citizens of New Haven express great sympathy for these young men who have lost everything, and there was a movement inaugurated yesterday by which a subscription would be raised for their relief.
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FORT WAYNE DAILY GAZETTE Thursday 01/12/1882
Page 6, Col. 2.
Last night the alarm from box No. 52 was caused by the explosion of a lamp in the office of Dr. Depler, over Hiltz saddlery store, on East Columbia street. The doctor, becoming frightened at the explosion, wrapped a quilt about the lamp and threw it into the street. The flameable material was soon consumed with no damage.
FORT WAYNE DAILY GAZETTE Wednesday 01/18/1882
Page 6, Col. 5.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Few of our citizens realize the present high state of discipline and equipment of our city fire department. A visitor, on entering, will find three finely equipped engines, all in perfect readiness, at a moment's warning to be out on duty; then aside from these are two or three hose carts with several hundred feet of hose, and a hook and ladder wagon. After surveying the engine rooms yesterday, a reporter entered the stable where he found eleven very fine horses. One team, which is composed of two large dapple grays, commands a very large price and for which $1,200 has been refused.
The arrangements in the stable are such that when the alarm of fire is given, even by a signal miles away, the horses are unhitched, the doors fly open, and all made ready for the animals to rush out, which they do, and take their places at the engine or hose-cart, as the case may be. This is all done by the means of electricity. The well trained animals seem to know as well the signal of fire as the keepers. It seems by the present systematical arrangement no fire could get under much headway ere the extinguishers would be upon the ground and at work.
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FORT WAYNE DAILY GAZETTE Tuesday
01/31/1882
Page 6, Col. 1.
The hook and ladder truck capsized as it was leaving the engine house, on the occasion of the Vogel fire Sunday, and the ladders had to be carried to the fire by hand.
FORT WAYNE DAILY GAZETTE Friday 02/03/1882 Page 6, Col. 5.
FIRE IN BLOOMINGDALE.
Yesterday afternoon at about half past two a telephone message was received at F. B. Vogel's store that a house was on fire in Bloomingdale. The clerk immediately turned in the alarm, to which the department responded and found it to be a smoke house belonging to John C. Wagner, living at 35 North Calhoun street. The fire was quickly extinguished and the damage was slight.
FORT WAYNE DAILY GAZETTE Wednesday 02/22/1882 Page 6, Col. 1 & 3.
The hose cart became stuck in the mud at Lewis street yesterday while going to the fire.
Fire .- The alarm of fire at half past one yesterday was occasioned by the burning of the boarding and eating house of Frank Nabe, and the Pittsburg telegraph station at the new yards. They were both totally destroyed.
The eating house is a three story building and the station a wooden shed. Loss, about $5,000.
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FORT WAYNE DAILY GAZETTE Friday 02/24/1882 Page 6, Col. 5.
A PAIR OF FIRES.
THE GROCERY STORE OF AMOS WALTERS & CO. DAMAGED TO THE
AMOUNT OF $10,000.
THE BLOOMINGDALE MILLS ENTIRELY CONSUMED.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRES SUPPOSED TO BE INCENDIARY.
About half past eleven o'clock last night a gentleman on Calhoun street discovered smoke coming from the rear of No. 108 Calhoun street. He immediately ran to the headquarters of the fire department, and the alarm was turned in. It was found that the smoke came from the rear portion of the building, and to this spot the fire department, who were very soon on the ground, directed their attention. A cry went up from the crowd that several barrels of kerosene were stocked there and fearing a recurrence of the explosion which took place in the Boltz grocery some ten years ago, they fell back. Chief Engineer Vogel broke open the back door and threw out the barrels of coal oil which he found there, and directed a stream of water thrown upon the fire which seemed to be centered at that place. Immediately after a black smoke was discovered coming from the second floor, occupied by Dr. J. D. Coyle, dentist, and a stream was directed to the second story. The fire was in a very short time gotten under control, but not until considerable damage was done. The building is owned by Dr. Schmitz and occupied below as a grocery store by Amos Walters & Co., and in the second story by Dr. J. D. Coyle dentist.
The firm of A. Walters & Co., state that their damages are at least $1,000, there being a large stock of teas and canned goods in the store room over their store. This is fully covered by insurance in the Phenix, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and the Howard, of New York city. Dr. Coyle's loss is about $400 and unfortunately he has no insurance. The losses to the building, we are informed, is entirely covered by insurance.
The origin of the fire is undoubtedly incendiary, as the back door of the building showed marks of the insertion of an instrument by which it was pried open, as also the window on the alley was found to be wide open. The money drawer showed evidences of having been tampered with and small change was found scattered on the floor behind the desk. Mr. Vogel says that when he first entered the rear end of the store he found fire on the floor at the side of a kerosene oil barrel as also on the second floor. Someone had evidently entered the store, rifled the money drawer and then set fire to the premises.
Before the fire department had scarcely reeled their hose there was another alarm sounded, and the word went from mouth to mouth that the Bloomingdale mills were on fire. A reporter of the Gazette hastened to the scene and found that it was too true, and the blaze from the fire shown out for blocks, lighting up the streets, making it seem almost like noonday.
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