The New York herald., 1873-11-21
TIE HARLEM, BOILER EXPLOSION.
Proceedings Of the Second Days Inquest-Evi-
dence OF the Boy and Man Engineer-The
Engineer Barnum Without Certificate
Contractor Beemer Says He Docs Not
Know Anything About Boiler.

Know Anything About a Boiler
The second days proceedings OF the Harlem
boiler explosion inquiry were renewed yesterday
at eleven O'Clock at the Coroner's ONCE, before
Coroner Kessler and the jury, whose names have
been already published in the HERALD There was
the same array OF counsel as on the previous day.
The principal facts developed by the evidence were
that very few OF those who had most to do with the
boiler knew anything about the power OF steam,
and that the contractors opinion, as given yester
day. was that the cause OF the explosion was the
defectiveness OF the boiler, which defect was not
discovered by him untll after the explosion.
JOHN @ pA6GErT REcALLEp.
The Coroner stated that at the request Of some
OF the jurymen he would recall John C. Daggett
The witness was then cross-examined on several
technical points by the foreman OF the jury, Mr..
Jackson. The witness stated that he had msun-
derstood the meaning OF the question put to him
yesterday by the Coroner as to whether he had
charge at any time OF the boiler winch had ex-
ploded He said that his business was to attend to
the hoisting engine, but that several times acting
under the instructions OF Mr.. Barnum, the en-
gneer he had examined in his absence the water
gauges and attended TO them. lie testified that
he never remembered seeing the crack in the
boiler spoken OF by previous witnesses; II there
had been any crack in the boiler he would most
likely have seen 1t; saw no white lead on any part
OF the boiler; at the time Of the explosion the
workmen were trying 10 put rollers under the
platform; could not say positively If the boiler
stood level or not at the time OF the explosion in
the absence of Mr. Barnum witness had charge or
the boiler.
TESTIMONY OF POLICE SERGEANT.
Eugene " Woodward, sergeant OF the Harlem
police related conversation winch he had with
an engineer named VIM. Johnson, who had been
III the employ OF the contractors Coyne Beemer
He was sent by them TO work at the boiler, and he
took his son with him, thinking that he could not
manage both the holster and the boiler; ne worked
one day, and finding 1t impossible to do so In
formed his employers. Counsel Tor the contractors
here asked the witness whether ne was positive
that Johnson referred to the boiler which exploded
or the one at l3oth street. He SAID that he could
not positively swear that he did.
OFFICER A'KEoN EXPLAINS
0ffcer McKeon OF the Twelfth precinct being
sworn, stated that he had never held any conver-
saton with the man Martin respecting the boiler.
Martin testified yesterday that the officer had
spoken with HIM regarding the condition OF the
boiler.
PATRICK INQUIRE EXPLAINS.
Patrick McGuire, OF 1l6th street and Fourth ave.
nue., was next called. The young man Moore yes
terday testified that McGuire, accompanied by him,
had, some time previous TO the accident. made
1t a dangerous affair. The witness. upon being IN
terrogated emohatlcay denied ever having the
conversation with Moore. lie stated that he had
seen the boiler several times, and the man
Daggett and his son working around the boiler
and always thought the man Daggett was en-
gineer.
The next witness called was the boy. William L.
naggett. son OF the man Daggett, who attended
the h0sting machine. He is an unusually inte-
gent looking boy, oil about I3 years of age. Being
sworn, he testified that he had been hired about
rands Tor tue engineer, Barnum; do not remem-
ber ever having seen my father iced The
fires, or otherwise attend to the boiler,
except TO look at the steam and water
gauges; DO not remember ever having been left
alone with the boiler; have opened the water
cocks when Mr. Barnum was absent at his drec.
tion: MIR. Barnum was generally in the vicinity Of
the boiler; was not present ut the time the accl-
dent occurred, having been sent on an errand to |
lett 1 saw Barnum examine the boiler; would
sometimes receive orders from Mr. Barnum and
my wages were paid by Mr.. Beemer to my father; |
do not know the amount which my latner received
for my services; / received no specific directions
from Mr.. Barnnm regarding what should do II
the cocks should get out OF order; Mr. Barnum
was nearly always around the boiler; when Mr..
the other boiler, which he also had charge OF;
think there 4 small crack in the boiler over the
door; did not see 1t ever covered with white lead
water over the crack; | do not remember ever
having called the attention OF any one to the
crack, and supposed they all knew about it.
TESTIMONY OF BARNUA, THE ENGINEER.
Jonn Barnum, who was the engineer in charge
OF the exploded boiler and who has been in Gus
todv since the accident, was called, and said II
live in Newark, n. j.; l am an engineer; have
been in that business fifteen years am licensed
engineer; was licensed about two months ago by
Mr. Uorton ar police Ueadnuartera. I nassad an
but have not the papers: Mr. Hor-
ton told me IL was all right: he did not send me
had legal paper to enable Inc to practise my pro-
iesson; have not 1t with me now; was in the
employ OF Messrs. Coyne Beemer when this ex-
plosion took place; ] was engaged as an engineer
they asked me If was a licensed en-
gineer and said 1 was; | was not re-
my word Tor it was put in charge of one boiler;
worked on 1t seven weeks; about three weeks
ago | took charge OF the boiler that exploded; l
received orders as 10 that engine from Mr.. Beemer,
and was told TO take charge OF the boIler when
took charge looked at the boiler and found IL in
charge OF two boilers at the boiler that exploded
sometimes stayed 10 or 15 minutes, and some
times an hour; MIR. Daggett had orders from me to
look after the fire; attended to the water myself;
Mr.. Daggett did not, TO my knowledge, attend to
the water; did not give the boy orders TO attend
to the boiler at times; L gave him orders TO throw |
in little coal; he liked to see the pump work.
and / showed it him; left nobody else in
charge OF the boiler but Daggett; Mr.. Beemer
to take care or the boiler; 1t exploded about
four O'Clock; was at l29th street when the eypo-
boiler; had seen 1t about twenty minutes before;
then found everything right: then pumped her
up; did not give any directions about moving the |
boiler; nad nothing TO do with the moving; the !
moving OF the boiler was perfectly safe II Ii was |
filed with water and everything was prepared for
there were about 80 lbs. Of steam on when
/ left her; at an extreme pressure II would 90 up
TO 50 lbs; the pump was IN good ORDER: there was
a good ire there was a ball, and when it was
moved to the end 0. the level 1t blew on at 120lbs
IL didn't slip on; nave not formed any idea as to
she OF the explosion the OF the boiler
was Mr.. John Balmore: there never was any |
trouble about the engine; Mr.. BalInore was not |
employed by the contractors the boiler was not |
inspected by the authorities, that am aware Of;
don't know that ~ was ever tested.
EVIDENCE OF Nh BEEAEB, THE coSTRACToR.
Mr.. Beemer OF the firm OF Coyne h Beemer,. !
said that he lived at No. East l2Tth street, / |
am railroad contractor, and engaged on this |
Fourth avenue Improvement: ain sub-contractor |
under Dillon clyde; we commenced the work on
the 2lst OF May, at 124th street, engage our |
by the day, and our engagements are YER
bal: we are careful 70 have good men the boiler |
which exploded was hired by the day from Mr..
John Balmore; don't know anything about boil |
crs myself; relied upon Mr.. Balmorc's Judgment:
think we hired 1t on the 5th day OF October; Mr..