Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-09-04
SHOCKING ACCIDENT.
A Man and Row Killed

CRUSHED TO DEATH BY THE FALLING OF A
WALL OF THE NORTHERN MARKEr-ANoTHsR
BODY SUPPOSED TO BE UNDER THE RUINS
This afternoon, at about half-past O'Clock,
while workmen were engaged in pulling down
the remaining walls of the old NorthernLiberties
market, tho demolition of which was begun last
night, as stated elsewhere in TIE STAB, the
southern gable end Of the main building fell,
killing two persons-John Wldmyer, agei
about forty, and lad named Millard
Bates, aged about fifteen years. Dir. Wild
myer, who was q butcher in the market,
was engaged IN no., re me s sont5 no9Ss
wall, at the time il fell, and the lad Bates was
near him, employed with dog in hunting rats
moVpS the props which held the wan nu fSom tie
inside, in which direction it was supposed it
would fall, when it commenced to sway to the
southwsrd. and moment after fell with a crash,
with the fatal result mentioned. A large force
Immediately set to work TO remove the Debris
and in about fifteen minutes reached the bodies
OF Widmayer and Bates, who were found to be
crushed terribly. and quite dead. The head of
Wldmayer was mashed into a shapeless and
unacceptable mas, and several of his limbs
were broken and crushed. The injuries received
by young Bates were mainly about the BODY
MS neck and back being broken. He
had also received a frightful confusion
ON the left side OF the forehead. The body of
WIdmyer was carried - the undertaking es,ab-
Ahinent of Mrs. FreiZe on 1jh street, Just above
the market, and that OF the lad Bates TO the 9Th
precinct station house. The father of the lat
iatC'r5 MI r.. II. Bates, who for q lOnI time
has been Justice OF the peace in this city, soon
appeared at the station house nearly frantic
and was at once admitted to the room where his
dead child Was lying, when he gave vent to his
grief In the most touching cries aud lamenta
TONS.
Widmayer was a German, and lived on the
Seventh street road beyond the Boundary He
had had stall in the mar iet for several wears
past and was generally esteemed an excellent
cluzCn. 1he unfortunate man leaves a wife
ana SIX or seven children to mourn his loss
During the day nine pOlcemen-six from
Lieut.. Eckloff's precinct and three from Lieut.
kelly's-had been detailed to keep men ont of
the ruins, and they say they repeatedly drove
them out and warned them of danger An of
hcer states that a few seconds before the wall
Tell he had driven young Bates and several other
Dcys engaged in rat hunting out of the ruins.
and when the crash came did not suppose any
ore had been injured.
Mr.. PlOwmaD, the gentleman under whose
superintendent the work was being done, but
who was absent at the time of the accident,
states that he and his bosses had appealed to
men and boys time and again to keep out of the
market, but many of them would insist on dis.
regarding all warniDgs-the former being anx-
ions 10 secure their fixtures and the latter To
catch the rats as they emerged from the ruins
The coroner has been notified, and will hold an
inquest on the bodies this afternoon.
P.S.-Just before going to press. ii was ru-
mored that Mr.. Widmayers son was with him
at the time of the accident, and was covered
with the debris; and the work men are removing
II, TO see If such is the case,