The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-23
TIE BUILDING MURDER.
Commencement of the Official Iuvcstigatiou-
Testimony Of the Builder and orc of the
Fortunate Victims.

Commencement of the Official Iuycsfiyatiou-
Testimony Of the Builder aud orc Of the
Fortunate Victims.
Coroner keenan, commenced the investigation
yesterday into the circumstances attending the
death OF tile four persons killed on the 18th inst by
the falling OF the building In Thrty-ffth street.
Assistant District Attorney Fellows appeared for the
people. The first witness examined was Samuel
Cochran,
TIE BUILDER or THE FATAL PILE.
He testified thar he Is mason and huilder has
been SO engaged Tor seventeen years In this cty has
erected some two or three hundred buildings:
erected the building that iel IL was twentv-sX ieet
front and ran from Thirtyhh 10 Tnrty-sIx,h street.
fronting on both sides 1t was about 1871 feet deep;
the average height was scventy.sevcn feet six
inches; twelve feet mp was sixteen inch wall, aud
the balance twelve inch wall; ii was eight stories
high; the foundation was on rock that had been
blasted out TO the grade OF the sidewalk Ieyel!ed
OF with stone, making an average stone wall OF
about two feet, and from that the bricS wall
was started; Haycrstraw hard brick was used in
the construction; Thomast0wn and Westclester lime
was used some was bought from Hoagland Bell
usually called common lime; Kills sand was used;
procured from The beach at Staten Island; extra
precautions were taken with the building; 1t was
BRACED UNUSUALLY WELL,
two braces TO each window frame; only one is
usually used; the number of braces used was about
double; they were nailed from the wEdew frames to
the beams and would remain until the building was
foOred; the braces keep the wall straight; 1t was tim
bered BY three by twelve spruce timber, placed
twelve inches from centres or apart; the floor Is laid
on these; this was closer than they are usually
placed; the usual distance IS sixteen inches from
centres In dwelling houses; there three sets or
tiers Of herringbone bridges in each floor; the tim
beers entered the walls four inches; they were
iron, built with the wall to hold It and spiked; it
Keeps the walls from spreading; the WORK on the
building was wa first class Is was also the
building was made with the owner J. r. Hale, on
the 10Th October; never saw any plans or speclca-
October and was 10 be completed with all diligence
but no time was specified; it ready for tire felt
root when 1t fell; the carpenter was John Hamilton;
commenced laying the walls about the 10th October:
John Dasey was the foreman or tile bricklayng In
the opln0n OF witness
THE CAUSE or THE FALL
was that the wind lifted the roof: the walls fell out
ward; this was caused by the wind, which was
ana fell on tue tier Of beams beneath; understand
that plans OF sketches had been submitted to the
Building Department by Mr.. Hale or his agent
THE INSPECTOR MIGHT HAVE BEEN THERE
does not know him; heard he was there: buildings
are sometimes erected without plans; II the floors
had been laid, thinks the building would have been
safe; It might have fallen had the walls been
thicker; there were only four walls no cross walls,
In the building; thinks that for building OF that
height the walls should have been thicker; they
would not be safe under all circumstances; ii the
building had been finished thinks II would have
been safe FOR the purpose for which IT Yas to he
used; had told his foreman that he thought
the walls should have been thicker; never refused
more men, az he thought the work was going on fast
enough: refused Mr.. Hale; witness thought It was
gong fast enough Tor safety; lie then said If that
was the case he didn't want any more put on;
Gregory Flynn saw the building fall told his men TO
get out as they were likely to be murdered looked
out second time and saw the east walls bulge out
ward about half way up and about tue centre, ana
the whole came down with % crash.
ONE OF THE VICTIMS.
Matthew Cairns, OF Bergen, New Jersey. testified
he owned the tenement house next to the build.
Ing; was IN the house at the time 1t fell and was
buried In Tie ruins; heard runbling noise and
thought 1t was the workmen, and soon afterwards
was crushed down and became nsensiblc; when he
came to himself lie was under tho ruins buried up;
had heard persons say that the building wouldn't
stand; thought 50 himself; knew the walls were not
thick enough.
Mr.. Fellows notified the Coroner that he was en-
gagged IN a case In the General Sessions aud could
not remain. lie was very DESTROYS OF being present,
particularly at the examination or the owner OF
the building and the architect
The Coroner adjourned the further examination
until Tuesday next,