The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-07
FIXING THE Responsibility.
The Inquest Into the Calamity in St.
Andrews Church
TESTIMONY OF BUILDING OFFICIALS.
How the Wall was Tied Up in
Red Tape.

The inquest to determine who is or are respon-
sible for the falling OF the west wall OF the shaw
building upon the roof OF st. Andrews church,
! and hence guilty 10 a certain degree OF causing
the death OF five poor beings has already filled
lar more time than was expected, ana II is likely
to continue several days beyond next Tuesday TO
which date IL was adjourned yesterday afternoon.
The examinations OF the officials OF the Depart
mont OF Buildings are scarcely more than begun,
and when they are ended there will be number
| OF experts In the construction OF houses aues-
| toned but what is expected to oe developed by
their testimony only Coroner Eickhor now knows.
The session OF yesterday was marked by some
Dri!liancy In the particular or questioning on the
part OF Jurors, several OF these gentlemen, even
though they do not subscribe to the doctrine OF
evolution, certainly are experts at involutlon.
They frame sentences half yard long, having a
wonderful variety OF clauses and succeed in
puZzling witnesses as well as II they had been
bred to the law, were opposed to the testimony or
the witnesses and were determined to coniound
them.
WILLIAM F. CROFT
was the first witness called 80 the stand. He tes
Tiled IL live At No. ,046 Third avenue; am an
inspector OF buildings; inspected the Shaw
| building Immediately after the fire the 18th OF
January; saw hat the walls were cracked and
badly sprung; reported 70 the Department or
Buildings that they were SO; did not consider
! that the west wall was In imminent danger of
falling; thought merely that 1t was unsafe ana
that measures should be taken to make it secure
| until 1t could be taken down; think the wind
had considerable to do with overthrowing the
wall.
To the Coroner, drect-I 90 not know that any
other buildings were damaged by the storm on
| the night OF the Goth ult
witness con.nued--Ny last report, as inspector
OF buildings for the Second district, in reference
| to the shaw building, made on February / at
that time was removed TO an uptown district in
that report tated that men were at work in the
shaw building bracing its walls, and that 1
thought they we're making them sale; saw some
| loose bricks on tle top OF the west wall which
| thought were dangerous; on the morning OF the
! fire thought that the walls were unsafe. but
as they did not tall then l concluded
that they would stand until the precautions taken
| against their fall were completed; do not think
the walls ought to have been thrown down; in
case they were they would have damaged sur
rounding buildings the easterly wall judged to
he more likely to fall at the time OF the IRE than
the westerly, but alterward considered 1t only as
unsafe; recommended that portions OF II should
| be taken down and then rebuilt according to the
| regulations OF the Building Department; 70 throw
| down the walls would have been dangerous, but
they could have been taken down plecemeal In
almost perfect safety to the men employed never
thought that the lives OF people residing in
n uses adjoining the shaw building were IN
danger after the fire ; believed however, that the
taking down Of the walls might have been at.
tended with some risk my duty was simply to
make an examination OF the condition OF the wall
and then 70 make report to the Superlnt endenJ
OF Buldngs; At the same time, as an inspector,
was to recommend what should be done to secure
the walls OF the building; aiterward mad TO see
/ that the orders oil Inc Department OF Buildings
! In reference 10 the ouiding were obey ed; had
/ no consultation with Mr.. Snook nor with any
| one else IN reference to the building; never saw
/ the superintendent OF Buildings at tue Shaw
building; think have heard from oflicer of the
department. that he mad been there, however.
superintendent Adam3-WnO was that oillciN {?
Witness-Mr. Dudley, believe.
superintendent Adams-Do you know how
legal actions are taken by the Department Of
tons OF the building laws are based upon the re-
ports OF inspectors
Witness-I 40 not certainly know.
Juror-ls II not the duty Oh al Inspector to know
these things
lations OF the Department OF Buildings IN respect
lolts employees DO you know that inspectors
have to be at the department. offices everv morn.
ing 10 present their reports receive ''shps," and
each to consult with the general inspector over
! HIN
| Witness-Yes, SIR, know those things.
superintendent AdaDs-Do you NOT know that
the general Inspectors and myself hold q daily
wltness--No, Sir, 90 not know 1t, but sup
| pose SO.
Superin tendent Adams-How many unsafe build
lngs were there IN your district Ut the Time OF
fire In the Shaw buildngY
Witness-AbOut ten or 1lteen as well as l can
remember
superintendent Adams--How many cases OF VIC.
| latiOn OF the building laws were there?
| Wituess-About B. venty-tve.
diagram OF snaw's buildlng was pow produced,
and the witness was asked to point out upon
1t the places wnereat the walls were braced aud
those where there were no braces. The witness
having done TINS task, his examination was again
! a y
derfuliy long and complicated question: which was
IN substance ~ 40 you think IT was proper Tor you
stand even though attempts were made to brace
| and secure them ~
witness REPLIED vas not within nv power
| to throw the wall down; my duties are only TO
inspect The building and TO report the result OF my
discover the walls Of building 10 be very unsafe
should call the immediate attention OF the Build
duties of an inspector nave force with reference
to burning building; In my Judgment my con-
not begin until after that Of the FIRE Department
has ceased; do not think that IL was my duty to
e 1ae ,o Une s 10 throw The walls down
the walls down at tnat time he had.
In response 10 juror:-l have never read the
CODE OF building laws through when q case oc-
Cured which my experience did not teach me
how TO deal with looked into the code Tor IN
formation.
WALTER ". ADAMS
testifed:-1 live at No. 1913 Spring street; am
ally from inspectors that the walls OF NJ. rs Duane
street were dangerous and likely to fall after the
! fire; heard about them only through the reports
OF the inspectors. The above statements were
made In response 10 the CorOners questions Mr..
Adams now asked to be permitted to tell his story
! cOnsecutively, and the coroner having granted
| his request, he said Il was in the office on the
18th OF January, when an oficer OF the department.
came in anu said there was large IRE IN
: Duane street; the official thought 1t was
Shaw's building; told him to send some one to
watch the progress OF the fire and to note II any
thing should happen that would demand the &C.
,on OF my department; 1t was my custom to DO
this in the cases OF large fires; heard nothing
more about the building until clerk informed
me that the walls were condemned; the next IN
formation received was from Mr.. Sn0oks letter,
to the effect that the Shaw building would be put
into state OF security. Mr.. Adams went on to
describe the legal method Of proceeding that con-
tros the action OF his department in reference to
! the walls OF dangerous buildings. he recited the
substance OF articles 80 and 81 OF the building
| laws and showed that they nampcred him IN hts
action as superintendent Of Buildings. He then
| said:-l have no more right to enter any mans
| bui N IN re