Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-09-05
The Fatal Accident at the NOrihe 40
Market "

Yesterday afternoon, DIR. Patterso- ,ta 80
Ter, held an inquest on the bodies of John Wild
may CT and Millard Bates, who r,ere killed YES
terday las stated in The STA. of last svaningl
by the falling OF a wall at ~ ,e Northern m arket
While that structure wa, being demolished by
0 Oaia oi Ine BOARD OF public works. Sanitary
Chcer ouiilSan sut 'hOned the following jurors,
who were sworn: >. f.. l.. Reese, John Kessler
j. II. STANLEY, y. II. Young. Julius Eisenbeiss,
Z. +. Behrens, W. III. Hoover, Horatio Moran,
y: y. King, Edo Giant, George Lsntier, and
| William Wolf.
THE TESTIMONY
was as follows:
Hiram Blackford testified that he was helpinr
| Widmayer to pu; his bench out of the way, when
| the wall fell just as some one shouted "loOk
! out"
James Reed testified that there Was no fine
! between the alarm and the falling of the wall
| fer person to escape.
jos. Herzog testified 20 seeing widmayer go
into the market with pick or axe, and in three
or four minutes afterwards he wa! fell.
Officer Roth testified that he assisted in remOy-
ing the rubbish and finding the bodies.
officer W. II. West testified that about /
O'Clock his attention was called to bows raciu ?
toward the wall; called them back; most of them
came back; Widmayer started to run, but was
caught under the rubbish; did not know the men
On The top of the walt witness was about fifty
feet from IT; 1t was the cross wall of the north
front; don't think il was the result OF ne ggenca
on the IPrt OF any one; if the man bad hal
DCtice TO remove his stand this accident nj gb {
hot have occurred.
George Blackwell testified that he was with
Mir. Widmayer; called 20 him and said - Com .
or aud cOmmenc tearing down his -tall AMI
carIying out portions of il; the third time ID -
went out aud started back The wall fell; heard
the wall fall, but Saw nothing but dus'i there
were men AZ work on the root; there was bov
with him named Anderson Scott
Charles F. +. Richardson testified that he had
stand il the market; had no notice to remove
his property from the market; was informed
that the board of public works had heard that
the market men were going TO get ont An injuns-
ton. hence their haste TO tear II down; did not
know the man who was manaling the WORK;
don't think deceased could have moved his
things at the same time witness moved his with
night about O'Clock.
Rudolf Eichorn testified that he was in the
bacon business in the market. Had paid his
rent (SSO) for one year, commencing July, 1872.
and exp iring June, 1873. Had not received any
notice of the removal. of the market.
Thomas Butler testified that he was carrying
in and said .'get out of here Just as soon as You
cam and by the time the words were out of his
mouth the wall fell and the victims were buried
in the ruins. At this time the laborers were at
work on the top of the wall. He did not hear
them caution those below. Did not think they
knew there were men at work inside.
TIE VERDICT.
After deliberat,on, the jury composed of resi-
dents of North Washington, including severa al
dealers in the marketO returned the following
verdict:
That the said John Widmsyer and willard
Bates came to their death between the hours OF
one and two O'Clock on the 4th day of Septem-
Der, 1877. IN the CITY OF Washington ana county
aforesaid, by reason of wounds received by the
falling walls OF the Northern Liberty market;
the said Widm2yer while removing his property
from it and the said willard Bates AZ the sans
time, while hunting rats; and they further ind
that the board of public works, by negiectins to
give notice OF the removal of said market, merit
the cersure OF this jury.
STATEMENT OF MR.. PLowMAN.
The following sworn statement of MIR. Plow-
Iished:
"As was not presant at tho noronar,- inopaSt
over the bodies Of the unfortunate victims OF the
accident at the Northern market Yesterday,
desire space in your columns to make brief
statement OF facts as matter of justice to my
self. Having immediate charge of the COrc0rGn
square sheds, in endeavOring to carry out the
Instructions of the board to have them COM
pleted at the earliest possible moment, yester-
day left the work of pulling down the old build
ing to Mr.. Collins during my TEN pOrary absence.
returned to the spot little before one O'Clock,
examined the progress of the work. and gave
such directions to the foreman Of the men (Mr.
Collins then being abSent) as considered neces-
sary. At the same time passed through the
debris and admOnished the men and boys who
were in the ruins of the possibility of something
falling on them, urged them to get out and re-
quested the policemen who were on duty to keep
the place clear, and they said it was matter of
impossibility.
approached the point at which the accident
occurred, where there were some men and boys
pulling and hunting in the debris, and begged
of them to desist, as there as possibility of an
accident, but my persuasiOns had no effect
then approached Sth street, and called to one
of the men in charge. under Mr.. Collins. and
directed him to warn all people away and to use
the utmost care in removing the roofs of the eX-
terror sheds, end at the same time told him to
request that the parties engaged in demolishing
stalls desist and request Mr.. Collins upon his
return to place some of his men at work re-
moving the fragments of walls which looked
dangerous. and called his attention 30 the par
ucUsr spot where he accident occurred. Alter
again cautioning such parties As l saw and re-
Guestine the officers to keep them away, | left
10 attend to other duties, returning at the
earliest possible mon ent, and during the inter-
val the accident occurred.
The bodies having been removed I'm me date
~ began 10 investigate the cause, and was in
formed by the foreman in charge that after 1
had been gone few moments he noticed the
men in the vicinity OF the accident, and re-
questGd them TO desist, as tDey would throw the
wall. In answer he only received imprecations,
and returned TO another part OF the buiidng
just as the wall fell. All due diligence was
used, and every possible precaution taken, both
by my employees and the police. to keep market
men, citizens, and children from the premises
and while i. with all others, feel deep regret
over the accident, must say that neither my
self or my employees are in any wise respOn-
sible."
ELEVENTH DISTRICT GRRELRYITRs-Dr
Allen On the Rdnpdge.-A meeting of the 18th
district Greeleyites held last night at
Potomac Hall, DIR. G. p. Culver i'll the chair