New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-12-31
FIRE WRECKS AND RISKS.
SEARCHING THE CENTRE-ST. RUINS.
FRAGMENTS OF HUMAN REMAINS AND sHREDs
OF CLOTHING FOUND-CORONER HERRMAsS
VERSION OF THE CASE.

Police Captain Kennedy. resumed the work 81 searching
among the ruins OF the Caxton Building Tor the Doaes
OF the victims OF tho Centrest fire. at a. NJ yesVer
day. and continued the work until dark. Portions OF
burned human skull, tufts OF singed har' pair Vi
womens CATERS encased oyershoes and fragments OF
striped merino shawl found the point where
the fire esoape was q considerable distance from the
place where the horribly disfgured body " Jane Stew
art age H. Of No. 20 Charltons was found on Sunday
No other traces OF the missing bodies were discovered
but the search will be continued, daily, from D. H. t
dark IL ia feared however, that some OF the bodies
may have been entirely reduced TO ashes and that others
may have been 80 mutiated that, even found, they
cannot be recognized.
The search is Of difficulty and Ia attended with
much danger In consequence OF the insecurity OF large
brick tower six stories HIGH which constituted an ex
tension OF the main building and which seems likely TO
fall at any moment In the top Of this tower Is large
iron tank filled with water which settled several inches
| Yesterday and will doubtless fall with tremendous
crash unless removed Capt Kennedy states that 1t Is
the duty Of the superintendent OF Buildings TO cause the
tower removed unsafe structure that he has
informed that official OF the danger, and requested
action. Capt Kennedy further states that he caused
the tower TO be closely watched while the aborers
at work. but that he fears fatal results II the danger De
not at once removed by order of the authorities
In anticipation that large force Of prisoners would
be sent from Backwells Island 10 work the ruins
sup Kelso ordered detail OF three men from each pre-
cinct to report Capt Kennedy for duty in guarding
tho prisoners. The prisoners not having been set to
work. the detailed officers posted about the ruins
TO preserve order and keep back the largo crowds OF
spectators who thronged the vicinity during the day
The Commissioners OF Charities and Correction sent 100
prisoners to the ruins but they locked up in the
Tombs and will be sent back TO the Island to-day They
were all what are commonly called short term men,
having been committed for ntoxlcation and dsordery
conduct The unexpred terms of their brief sentences
we're to have been RENTED at the conclusion OF the
search but money having been subscribed TO pay for
the removal Of the ruins IL decided ttst the work
should be divided among the unemployed laborers Of
the neighborhood.
About onethrd Of the mass Of bricks. timber machin
cry, halfburned paper and other materials which con-
stitute ruins and which firmly frozen together
and gled blocks of ice have been removed and
it is thought that under the most favorable crcum-
stances several days will eapse before the work can be
completed. The cost OF the search from rough esti-
mate will be from $1,000 to 1880 though much larger
outlay il anticipated quarters In addition TO
guarantee by Coroner Herman that the expenses VIII
be promptly paid and that he will personally subscribe
$500 for purpose IL the county officers refuse pay
ment Capt Kennedy has received "a subscription from
Police Justice Bowling OF 500; from Morgan Jones, OF
$3.50 and from Alderman Gllsey OF $500 making total
Of s75O practically in hand which will probably prove
ample In addition TO this guarantee the following let
ter was received the Coroners ONCE, from the Con-
trollcT, yesterday:
CoyrRorLEns OFFICE MONDAY morHing. Dec 30. 1872.
HERMAN cooar-DgAR Sir; Your avor Of Lh Issianiay
ness al he eio.s q the wear the sst th subject Of
your s vas On s,.aY 'SI0 ng i sp ihasen reply
that cannoi pat The expense Of toe work IN the 1ng
oO as matter recurring prompt ssa'on .. sshoTs S
to have ,b, Sang 9d win '.stAf
S STn Icar ol a any Ssr a IN ng power Had been previously
Of the & the TG So1 by tai, . @s have ,ts been s G3s s ali
can % relieve the anxiety IF those Wno have suffered s
specially yours. AND. H. GREEN, Con'roier
In making the search, under these ample guarantees
OF payment the aborers worked with ygor yesterday,
and were effectively aided by the police. Heavy beams
were dragged from the ruins and deposited In side
streets and thousands OF bricks were piled upon the
ord, walks The large OF New York Newspaper
Union also recovered and delivered to its
The rubbish cleared print
ing-presses to which some hOising apparatus
will be required. About onethrd Of the space covered
by the ruins having been already cleared as above
stated the remainder Of the rubbish will be transferred,
piece by piece, 10 the vacant space.
A CoROSER's JURY MPASELED.
Coroner Herman has mpaneed the following jury to
hold the inquest such bodies may be found in the
ruins
Edward Cooper OF No. Il Burng-slip Peter C. Barnum
OF No 1913 Chaham-5 Robert J. HOgue of No ~ Reade
ST., Enoch Ketcham OF No. 100 Beckman-st, Jeremiah
Qnmlan OF Nos. 1856 and 1873 Wiam,s, Meyer stern Of
No 1876 Broadway, Hugo Wesend0nk of No. 29j Broad
way Charles d. Bailey Of No. % Chatham-st, George
HusIe6 OF TO u LAVA Pb3s Of No Ss Sreenest
james Il whitlock OF No, 81 sCath;st, William G. Conner
OF No % Cenre-st, william NJ. Fleiss OF No AZ Broad
way, aud Philip Bissnger OF No 10 John-st
The Jury visited Sixth Precinct Stationhouse In
the afternoon, and viewed the body already found
Deputy Coroner Cushman. in examining the body after
charred flesh VI finger OF the left hand, which he
pointed to jury After the jury had viewed the
body and taken the customary oatn they ADJOURNED 10
meet at the Coroner's office at IL a. III. Jau 6.
CORONER HERRMAY's EXPLANATION.
Coroner Herman has requested the publ
cation Of the following statement
"THE TRIBUNE. in an article headed. Tape
bodies of the victims OF Centre-st fire. unjustly
fleets the Coroner who hestated TO order this
regular channel of communication, who 70 bear the
expense and also makes general charge OF official
consider the Board OF Coroners exempt and whatever
responsibility for delay IN his matter may seem TO at
far individual reference TO me Is concerned desire
To 3 % the
Of a search before consulting with the Controller.
"The fire occurred on Tuesday evening Dec a. and no
relative of the missing persons, amy elso
10 the COroDers Office about TIL Friday, Dec a. at
about noon Capt Kennedy of the Sixth Precinct then
and said that superintendent Kelso had sent him
TO any Of tue COroners we're in as he intended TO
call about searching for the bodies. Instead OF waiting
for the Superintendent 10 call immediately went to
Police Headquarters to him. After the matter had
been briefly discussed, IL was agreed that should ad
dress an official request to the superintendent TO begin
search for the missing persons, and that the Supern
endent should then lay the before the Board Of
Police Commissioners for immediate action. This was
6one but the following morning. Saturday, called
Police Headquarters 10 learn the action OF the Board
and told that counsel had advised that the Commits
sioners had power IN the premises. The matter was
then brought to the attention Of tho Board OF Health
but this Board was also informed by counsel that 1t had
no authority 70 order the removal OF the ruins then.
In the presence Of the members Of the Board said that
would give $500 out Of my own pocket toward paying
for search to be made among the ruins. Immediately
after the adjournment OF the Board OF Health, Satur
day afternoon, sent messengers TO look for Robert
Craighead, the owner OF the destroyed budings bur
could find him, and told that he cut OF the
city called upon the Controller soon after y. M
the day He said he very busy, and requested
to make statement OF the In writing, and 1