The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-04
The Third Day Of the Coroners In
vestigatiOn.
WHO IS TO BLAME ?
The West Wall "WaS Out
of Plumb"
Testimony Of the Carpenter, Framr and
Architect.


with having, through neglect or other instrumen-
Iaity caused the deaths OF the five poor beings
who were crushed Of life in ST. Andrews
church, was continued yesterday The witnesses
we're but three In number, and all OF them were
men who have had to do with the Shaw Building
since the fire which happend within 1t on the 18th
Of January. Judging from their emphatic declara.
lions there Is nobody to blame for the
disaster OF last Thursday night. Yet, in
telling their stories. before they had
opportunities TO declare their conclusions
as to the responsibility for falling OF the wall
of the Shaw Building they all uncovered the fact
that the wall at the locality where 1t gave way
was not hraced atall. Perhaps this fact Will do
something toward discovering the cuprit IN the
case.
FREDERICK KosTENTHALER
was the first witness called. He testlned:-I live
at No. 1854 Ludlow street; am Kramer; have
been working on the Shaw Building n the employ
OF Devoe & Coddington; have worked on the
building for about three weeks, putting In beams
and timoers; the beams and tImbers were only
temporary. meant TO strengthen the wall;
{ only put timbers where was d.
rected to put them-that Is, from wall
to wall about six feet apart on the fourth nth
and sixth stories; the tmbers were put into the
Old walls where there were anchors; I nailed
them IN with anchor naIls;r l made no new
holes TOR beams; the ends or the beams went into
the walls tour inches; finished tying" the walls
together last Thursday at dinner time; the
beams were then all completed, and we mad
hoisted part OF the scanodlng for TIE masons to
work upon in taxing down the walls the lower
beams we're to remain IN the building, but those
In the fifth and sixth stories were to be taken out,
as the masons ook down the walls TO where they
were from each OF the tmbers IN the upper story
WE PUT A BRACE
TO each OF the old timber holes IN the topmost
part OF the building; eacn brace was two inches
BY four and thirteen feet long: one end was nailed
TO the beam, and the other was wedged so that it
could not move; brace ran from each end OF
beam to the opposite wall; the upper ends OF
some OF the braces were fastened to the old tim
pers that were not burned; we nailed the upper
ends OF The other braces TO the wedges; there
were sometimes six or eight men at work IN the
used no anchors Tor the upper parts OF
the braces: know OF no way oy which
could not have braced the western wall from the
outside; 1t ran thirty leet above the church and
was straight wail ninety-two feet long; know
OF no way by whicn The walls could nave been
taken down except the one when we were pre-
30 erect scarolds; | do not think the roof OF the
church could have been sufficiently strong TO act
Rs a base for outside support TO the walls on last
SATURDAY went TO put The beams up again. at the
order Mr.. Snook; we had no timbers within
EIGHTEEN FEET FROM THE REAR WALL
before the side wall fell down; had no orders TO
put them within that space there were NJ braces
had no orders TO put toem there; there we're no
holes III mat part or the building, anu my orders
were 10 put in beams where could 'ten 10 the
old anchors; there was stair hight near the rear
wall: there were no beams IN the rear part oil the
west wall rom top TO bottom Indged tIas trere
wall from the last beam, because ~ l
w TWO nut nof n n M !a neadsrs a.e
nor did put in any tlmbers TO
strengthen that part OF The WALL do not know
the height OF the wall the last beam ! put IN was
the second from the rear wall, about twenty-four
feet distant; we mad no brace to THIS beam; while
rom the Department oil Buildings; he seemed
satisfied with the way the work was being done,
had bad no orders 70 put In rear headers" and do
not think thew would have strengthened the wall;
the ola headers were only fasteued 70 the beams
nv s.prIdle irons - 1t was not necessary put
the ear headers" IN order 10 enaole the masons
TO take the abs down: after the fire one beam
EXTENDED rom wall TO wall at the roof the part
OF the wall that fell represented about
EIGHT HUNDRED SQUARE FEET OF BRICK;
was not informed by any one representing the
owner, architects or the Depar ment OF Buildings
that the walls were not safe.
DANIEL CoDDINGToN TESTIFIED.
live at No Attorney street am carpenter
and buiIder; my partner, Mr.. Devoe, and myself
had charge OF tie SHAW Building from about three
DAYS amer the fire; received orders from Mr.
shaw TO enclose the 'front.' OF The building on
Duane street: on the next Saturday my partner
informed me that Mr.. shaw ordered some scatter
ea ao secure the n o ins ods
Dg Tuesday we put the trainers to work;
At ths Tune s, we s were gong :, some SOU eu w95S
every gay that tue trainers were there at work,
and when they were through asked Mr.. Devoe II
that vas all Mr. SnooK wanted he said ne thought
It was; ! examined the walls alter the fire, and
did not consider them unsafe; noticed tnat there
were several cracks IN the upper part OF the west
wall and that the east wall was out OF line: 1t
was out OF line about three or four inches at the
,entre, and nailed boards tnereat py direction or
Mr. shaw; | understood that parts OF the walls
were TO be taken down. J think they
out OF line; Mr. snook directed every thing: he
dereo mat the beams should be put 10 where the
old anchors were; he came TO the building while
the work was gong on, and expressed s9tisiac.
ton with il; notnine was said 10 me about the
DANGEROUS CONDITION or THE WALLS,
Of their oeing liable TO IAN In upon while we
were at work; tue temporary beams were put in
ny days WORK the carpenter work OF rebuilding
was done oy contract; we began work under the
contract few days after the 18th OF February, the
put some PEI manent beams INTO the thlrd and
lourih stories, 'front.', oy the tme the
wall Tell; we had only put down temporary
below; at the time the contract lor rebuilding
maze considered that the walls were safely
braced ana that they were IN the care OF compe-
tent persons who knew whether or not they were
secure; the trainers who were putting In the
temporary tinbers were In our employ, PAD by
Us. but working under the direction OF the arcnl-
tect; The beams that had put IN on the third aud
iourtn stories Uegan about SIX feet from the 'front.',
where some burned beams we're left, and ex-
tented about SIXTY ieet, stopping AZ point about
thirty feet from the rear wall think that the
way % nave taken down tue TOP stories would
have been to nave pulled them down; they could
PULLED Dows WITH GRAPPLEs
and thrown into the ruined building without en-
danneriug the adjoining bulldings; Otherwise
-canOlds could have been erected rom the outside
OF the walls; In pulng down the walls some
debris might have lallen upon the church; the
walls are now being taken down In a sale manner,
the scanulding beng placed the temporary
beams; Mr.. shaw was very careful; he gave me
orders one day 10 be very careful now the work
zone. as ne dd not want any one TO be nurt; ;
nothing was sad to US ABOUT securing the walls
alter the temporary beams were put IN.
b. SHOOK TESTIFIED.
i've IN Brooklyn and have my Office az No. IL
Chambers street, IN this city; ] am an architect
have Ueen an architect Tor tnlrty-twO years and
have had considerable experience with buildings
the DAY alter the fire Mr.. shaw asked what ne
should do In reference to ths building and the IN
surance companies; ! advised nm 10 get esti
mates TO compare with the estimates OF the In
snranCe companies as knew he wan Ell 70 take
the matter OF rebuilding INTO ms own hands; ne
told me 20 do Whatever was right ana 70 procure