The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-05
BROOKLYN BUILDING CATASTROPHE.
The Inquest Before Coro-
ner Whitehill.
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.

Yesterday afternoon Coroner whitehin resumed
the inquest, which was commenced last Monday
week, touc ching the causes that led TO the fall OF
the three story and attic frame building No. 1lo
Stockton street. on Friday, April II, burying
several men In the ruins and killing three me-
chantcs
President Frederick Massey, OF the Board or Fire
Commissioners and Inspector OF Buildings, Will
prosecute the owner and the builder OF the build
ing in question for erecting the structure without
permit. The penalty, in event OF conviction, Ia
$500 ane.
OPINION OF EXPERTS.
The first witness examined was John Hayse. who
resides in Stockton street, near Marcy avenue,
and Is carpenter OF thirty five years. experience.
He testified that he lived nearly opposite the house
that fell, but never n0rtced anything particular
about the alterations while the work was going on
he said he thought from what he saw after the
building fell that the accident was caused by the
moisture In the cellar; the ground being packed
very high on the west side 1t caused strain on
the brick Wall. which would have tendency to
SINK the building in the centre; the earth was
piled three or four feet above the brick wall
Of the foundation; witness had seen walls
other occasions; had the eighrinch 1 wan
been dry before the superstructure had been
lowered upon IT, the wall would have been strong
enough, IN his Judgments /. is always dangerous
to pack dirt against wall until the latter has be-
come perfectly dry il would not be safe to cut the
beams OF house and lower them into nicnes on
an eight-nch wall without nrst ancnoring the
wall; witness never saw such thing done, a. It
would certainly weaken the wall
Matthias Hulsehart testified that he Is Q carpenter
and builder and worked on the building In Stock
By Osborne. s1 VINO no "S Was smp sisd
In the building; witness was on the par
the %s Of sne scc,as s nolGne ao Occurred
to give any premonitlon Of danger before the ac-
cident, during the twelve days preceding that he
alterations in the structure we're concerned he
saw nothing done that was improper; think that
the stone wall foundation on the east side gave
way; the eight inch wall OF brick was sufficient in
ture. and that 1t was safe to cut out the beams on
the hrst moor and lower them on brick the walls
were anchored; the stills were secured to the
beams; did not tell Mr.. Brown that 1t was the
CUTTING OF THE SILL AND BEANS AWAY
that caused the house to all though It might have
had tendency that way; n the foundation gave
way OF course the anchors would pull loose wit
ness cut the sill himself, and the structure iell
George W. Woods, residing at No. 77e Gates
avenue, testified that he IL house mover, and
the timbers out about mont before It fell mad
to take out portions OF the brick wall 80 as TO get
in as soon as possible thereafter did not IKE I co
the owner 4 , would weaken the building, TO which
he rejotned, "He was going to anchor 1t good.n
: THR NEGLECTED WARMING
John p: Walker, 2 boy who was working a.
III
titled he was In the cellar with laboror, when the
latter said to him, "see that wall, there; it il
peeling on Ii looks az II 1t was in two ieeLn He
looked ana saw II as stated, and called Mr. Byrnes
the plumber, down stairs ne said he did not think
y dangerous, but would 60 up stairs and ask tho
boss, Mr.. Osborne; witness next heard something
swapping and cracking, that was about ave min-
utes after Byrnes eit and ran up 70 the Sec
ond door and told Osborne and Byrnes tbOth
deceased :iSca tina. the building was coming in;
business; there Is no such thing,n replied Mr..
Osborn, and witness went BACK to the cellar; about
attention and again he warned the two men who
were at that time on the parlor noor; "Come the
window way with me-" SAID the Witness as he
down the stairway and were about six feet from
the building when It fell upon them; the structure
seemed 70 break IN the centre and 60 over against
before the witness and escaped; the laoorer
thought the dirt In the alleyway was pushing the
William 4; hogan, who is . carpenter of forty
house iell, was next cai can "'1 The testimony
o. Levi Mcoarrsy as to the SIZE Of me ss,uc.
TO the chief points OF the evidence. witness said
he heard the testimony OF the boy as to the warn
given his evidence was on the third noor landing
OF the building wnen 1t fell; some alterations were
made In the plans from the original, upon orders
OF MIR. Osborne and Mr.. Brown; the changes
were In the alteration OF the positions OF the
rooms tine specifications were placed IN evF
dence the plans do not call for the cutting OF the
OF the building. In the opinion OF Mr.. Hogan the
building fell because OF the digging OF the plume.
er's laborer In the cellar, which may have under
testified that there was no digging done IN tue
cellar.
dav.