The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-11-25

Failing Walls-M0rc Deaths and Man
gaed bodies.
Scarcely is the ink dry which recorded the late fear
full tragedy in Greenwich avenue where nearly fifty in
nooent children lost their lives and fifty laid
upon beds of suffering and anguish when
assaied with the sickenIpg intelligence Of another
catastrophe which, though grsndy horrible In It
results is nevertheless mournfuy SD The facts this
case Of death and destruction are as foows-Ata
lew minutes past twelve O'clock yesterday Just the
employed In the printing factory Of the Messr
Hoe, at the Of Broome and Sheriff streets had
stopped work to eat their dinners tremendous crash
heard and the next moment t discovered that
the top part Of the side wall gable end Of building
which stood next to the blacksmith shop had fallen
The blacksmith shop Q story building, and the
wall part of which fell WAS stories high being
part of building used by Messrs. Harmon Co., brew
ers Of No IL Sheriff street, malt house The upper
,oft was uied a for grain, and there
nine thousand bushels Of barley in it at the time.
There are usually from $4,000 to 10000 bushels Of
grain in this same loft, land Mr.. H. about
to have several thousand bushels stored there to-
morrow. The wall evidently weak, and was not
securely anchored to the timbers the roof At the
time the wall fell there but few men in the
blacksmith shop, most Of them had gone to dinner
Had the accident happened half hour later the loss Of
life must have been fesruy great The distance Of the
top Of the wall above the shop great that the fall
ing gathered great impetus before it reached
and when at length it did strike the roof it hardly
with perceptble resistance great quantity of grain
followed the bricks and morter, and all lay together
shspeess Of ruins The Of the establishment
went to work clearing away the rubbish and soon
ly hurt but not mortalIy said at time that
his sight destroyed but this 1t il hoped, will prove
not to be the Going with their labor the work
men came to and released the body Of another Of their
companions, named William Conquest, who alive,
but who was also badly injured. They worked en- and
sound the feless body of Enoch s Brown black
smith and after removing still more of the timber and
grain they discovered the body OF Walter Matthews
was also dead This completed the list Of the missing
Several Of the workmen had escapes and Of
them was actually hit by one Of the timbers, while
another stood in the midst OF rubbish which had
fallen all around him--yet wonderful to say, he
untouched or at least entirely unhurt Mr.. Conquest
is the foreman of one department of Messrs Hoes
tabishment end had just returned from Philadelphia
He entered ths shop for the purpose OF shaking hands
with some Of his fellows when he assailed by the
falling mass He was removed to his residence in De
lancy street. in state of mental arrangement but is
not seriously Injured Mr.. Sears. The latter
taken to his house in Williamsburg, where also
taken the remains of the deceased Mr. Brown he having
been, when alive resident Of that city Mr.. Matthews
belonged to East Brooklyn. He was native Of Eng.
land 20 years Of age and has left wife to his
loss. Mr. Brown also q native Of England 43 years
of age and bas lett wife Ave children His brother
buried in the ruins at the Hague explosion
but released himself and went to the aid OF his CON-
panions where piece Of wall fell and buried him for
the second time but he was, after ALL saved lie at
the Of this disaster and took charge Of the remains
OF his brother.
As the accident occurred Of the employees
in the establishment telegrsphed Mr. Hoe in Gold street
who Immediately went up, aud possible sent
for Justice Tmpsen who attended accompanied by his
clerk, Mr. Laor. Justice Timpson being tquested 70
hold inquest on the bodies, In the absence of the
Coroner had Jury empaneed and went into an exami
patisn OF the The following is the result of the
inquest held in view Of the bodies of the deceased
INQUEST.
City aud COUNTY Of New York, William l.. Colby, Of
No. Madison being duly deposes and
rays that he works at the Messre. Hoe Co.'S foundry;
that al the time Of the accident he was in the office
ing in the ynrd-I heard the crash and dust and
smoke; mmt distely went TO the yard after advising
the in the Office to telegraph TO Mr. Hoe and
smithshop had fallen roof ofthe shop crushed
IL in and that there large quantity Of bricks and
barley in the shopi immediately called assistance aud
went to work, until moved the stuff off from the boz
dies Robert Sears was the first found; he was
severely hurt; next found William Conquest he was
also badly hurt; We then found Enoch Brown; he was
dead and then found Walter Matthews; he was also
de sd when we found him. from the time the accident
happened until We got Mr. Matthews out should think
about fifty minutes; never heard Of spprehended
Danger from the gable end Of the brewery falling OUT
have worked In the foundry of and for twenty five
years
The next witness called was William Braithwsit, who
testified ~ follows IL am q blacksmith and work At
Mesus Hoes foundry; l was at work at the time OF
the accident; about twelve o'clock stranger into
the shop addressed Robert Sears and shook hands with
him Robert vent to wash bis hands Walter Matthews
stood lis right turned my head to look out in the
yard and before could turn the wall fell down
Walter Matthews Robert Sears the stranger and ny.ef
ell that saw In the shop at the time did not
Enoch Brown in the shop the time; not injured
me Cf the rubbish went me; then went TO
work and got out the bodies Brown and Matthews we're
dad; Sears and the stranger were badly injured.
O. by Juror DO II ose trip hammers some trip ham
in Their part Of the building make much jar
A-No, cir you can scarcely feel the jar. They are
light ones and wer. not at work at the time never
heard thing said In relation TO the building before
John , ~ S hd,.. ~ En
Brown and Walter Matthews In Hoes foundry,
Of Sheriff and Broome streets from such examine
ton he thinks that Walter Matthews to his death
by sufocstion as he cannot find any external wounds
upon his p.ron and further he thinks he suocated
BY the eer.y which came from the brewery lie has also
veal wounds his head all very severe, on the
right temple he must have been struck BY something
very heavy the skull fractured In three places on
the risht eide two the forehead each eye
there two other small bruises which Of no m
bernard Hssy ofNo IL Columbia street deposed that
lac works In the foundry of the Mesrs Hoe and was In
the blacksmith chop AZ the time Of the accident
Robert Fears shake hands with q man Matthews was
wsrnihg his coffee and Brown just coming into the
shop when the wall f was In the centre OF the shop
beam struck ne ON the back then LEFT the premises
and did not rrturn for some time know nothing more
about the transaction.
Philip Harmon eepossdI live at $40 Greenwich street.
am Of the proprietors Ct the brewery Nos O. 10
and Il Sheriff street was not ia the building at the
time the wall fell the building til. gable end OF which
fell four hr ST, high the upper part .s S% the
Hoes blacksmith shop the fourth story Of the brewery
occupied q. barley oft and has been occupied
for the last ten twelve at the time OF the acct
cent there in the Ion from 700 10000 bushels Of
barley We usually have in that Ion from 5000 TO 10000
bushels the building erected from twelve to fifteen
years sgo the walls are twelve inches thick
sworn before me, this Zach day OF November, 1851
g u. TIMPsON, Police Justice, Acting Coroner.
ON this s,idsnce the inquest rendered the following
verdict
sr.rr o. Nav YoRE- City and County Of Nee Tqk
An nquisition, taken st the foundry Of n. Hoe Co
No IA Sheriff street in the Thirteenth ward of the city
q New York in the county New York this Gath
q November, In the year Of Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eft y one before Cornelius limp
Police Justice and Acting Coroner Of the city aud
county aforesaid view % the bedy q Enoch Smith
Brown lying dead at the foundry aforesaid upon the
osths and sfhrmations Of good and lawful % the
state o. New YORK duly chosen and sworn or affirmed,
and charged 10 inquire behalf Of said people how
and In what manner the said Enoch Smith Brown
20 his death do, upon their osths and armstions say
That the said Enoch smith Brown 10 his death by
having his skull fractured In consequence Of the falling
Of the gable end Of building q malt house the