The New York herald., 1870-01-28
THE WILLIAMSBURG BUILDING CALAMITY.
Continuation OF the COrOner's Inquest
How Tenement Houses Are
Constructed.

coroner Whitebill ana jury took further teBti-
mony lass night a. TO tho cause OF the death OF
Joseph Bonner. one OF the victims Of the Division
avenue tenement house calamity. the testimony
wii DO found exceedingly suggestive.
THE TESTIMONY.
Aaron " Cannon, sworn, deposed--I am mason
ana builder by occupations; was engaged In the
construction Of the buildings that fell In Divi-
sion avenue; was employed BY Jacob Shepard;
employed man to DO the cellars and
stone work; when finished the cellars looked
very fair; new stone work Is very deceiving: yne
latter was put up In very cold weather. the coldest
OF the season. and one or TWO heavy rains followed:
bottom was sandy; thaw continued until the
buildings fell ana caused weakening OF the bonds;
In my opinion II 1t had been In the summer the
buildings would have sto0d during the construction
OF the foundations was only present few hours;
did not consider 1t my business to superntend that
portion OF tho work; I was present when the
buildings fell; the party stone wall next to
the east gable end was the nrst to give way while
tho stone work was progressing frequently d.
rected the masons to Dut IN plenty binders; on one
occasion noticed that the hank pressed in the stone
wall. nut . day or two Afterwards observed tnat
the wall was straighened after the wall was put up
thought II was fair one; there were great many
very bad stones In the wall; the wall was about
Of bad ees ss es d aTn mooes
them; saw some small stones in the wall
and, the masons told me that they wanted
better ones; others were then obtained, and they
did not prove satisfactory 20 the mas0ns; new lot
was then obtained from person recommended by
the maS0n5 thought that the stone wall was good
enough to support The brick wall or would not nave
built on IT. the mortar used was as good as any /
ever saw; II was TO have built the party walls
would require better stones even II built In The
summer season; have seen walls fully as bad AZ
those that fell; think have seen worse walls; Mr.
Shepard, the owner OF the buildings was always
ready to furnish ALI Oul0inQ material
quality required by the builders; was under no re-
straint In that respect; the bargain made with the
stone mason was that he was to put up the wall OF
eight inches for cents per FOOT the material
be furnished by Mr.. Shepard; German mason
not to lethm have 1t.
II. @. Law, sworn. dcposed-I was told by my
brother thar the masons were using cobbe stones
nlgger heads In the foundation walls; called Mr.
Snepard's attention to this. ana he ordered the
masons to stop using them; after the walls fell
than there should have been; l saw The walls ire.
Quently during their construction and thought they
looked well; had loaned $4,000 on the buildings;
Mr.. Cannon has done work for me during the past
ten years, and his Work has always proved satisiac-
tory,
son by occupation; have worked az the business
twenty years; put up the walls that fell Division
the work tor seven cents per foot as business was
slack; Mr. Shepard was to furnish the material;
commenced the work on the 18th OF December and
finished 1t on the 4th OF January; the day the build
inGs fell examined the walls and found them all
right; my opinion s that the buildings fell in
Quence OF the changes In the weather. | deny ever
saying that l found the brick wall hall an inch
out OF line TWO days before the accident; did say
that went to the top OF the buildings ana on LOOK
Ing down could not see the mason work. as
should under ordinary circumstances. [fhe Coroner
here informed the Jury that the called 1t hts
house the previous evening and told him thaI the
brick wall was half inch out OF line. The witness
insisted that the Coroner misunderstood him. Mr..
Cannon told me the day after the buildings fell
not TO como to the inqeest as l might be
arrested; Mr.. Shepard also told me that IL
was best TO keep away from the inquest;
they said that should have work on the buildings
again; MIR. Shepard once told me that II would put
In eli the small stones could ne would make me
present. he did not tell me to work In round stones
do not remember saying that II my opinion the
buildings fell In consequence or the brick party wall
falling down; my work was thoroughly done.
The inquIsit0n was adjourned at midnight, and
Will be continued on Monday evening next