The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-10
End Of the Inquest Into the st. Ar
drew'S Church Catastrophe.
N O We r. d &c L Y f T
How and for What Shaw'S Build
ing was "ShOred Up"


Tne inquiry TO discover the cause OF the Qeatn
OF the five persons who were killed in ST. An
DIRE WIS church, on the night OF Thursday. Febru-
airy rs, was resumed yesterday morning before
Coroner Eickhotr. and after continuing from ten
O'Clock until twelve It was ended so far as the
taking OF testimony is concerned.
The first witness put upon the stand was
NICHOLAS MURPHY,
the Inspector OF Buildings, whose eNamin alton
was discontinued on Saturday afternoon. Mr..
Murphy desired earnestly to overthrow the idea
which, he said, the newspapers have dssemi-
mated. that lie specially detailed to look after
Mr.. Shaw's building aud that he neglected his
duty In response to remark made by
Mr.. Eugene Kelly. he said that his i'm
preston was that most OF the beams
which had been put into the building were meant
to be temporary, and that he mad no opinion as to
whether it was; or was not, intended to put in all
the necessary beams, and then complete the
building without taking down parts of the walls.
WALTER W. ADAMS SUPERINTENDENT or PUBLIC
BUILDINGS,
being recalled, presented to the jury the reports
made to the Department OF Buildings by the In
spectors OF the Second District. He then explained
the meaning OF the "cant" words used by the in
spectors in MAKING their reports, and also under
what circumstances each word was made use OF.
Mr.. Lynch, member OF the Jury then said to Mr..
pOSf>
having reference to the manner in which the doors
OF public buildings shall be hung-that is, COM
nanding that the doors shall swing outward, and
not inward ?"
Witness-No, sir
Mr.. Lynch-Is there any corporation ordinance
with reference to the matter2
Witness-No, sir.
Mr.. Lyncn-.is there any regulation or rule in
the Department OF thing enforced
by the calamity in the Greenwich avenue school
some years ago-wlth reference TO itf
wltness-Yes, sir; rule that has particular ref
erence TO schoolhouses; the inspectors are In
structed 10 see that the doors opening out OF the
vestibules OF churches and other public places
shall, II possible open toward the street,
Mr.. Lynch said that he had asked these ques.
lions with the intention Of referring the answers
he received TO the Coroner, that that of1cial,
II the information had from the answers was I'M
satisfactory, should bring the matter or the neces.
slty Tor law to regulate the action Of doors
OF public places to the attention OF the Legisla-
Jure
Mr.. Meade-Mr. Adams, on the 18th OF January
you were notified that the Shaw building was in
a dangerous condition; that the west wall was
badly sprung and bulged. Did you not feel 1t to
be your duty to notify the people OF the adjacent
houses that they We're In danger from the walls OF
that building
Wltness-I did not receive the report you speak
Of clerk IN the office received It, an referred it
TO the superintendent OF the Department Of
Mr. Meade-would you, If You had received that
report personally, have considered 1t your DUTY
to notify those people OF their danger
Wtness-I do not think would. on account OF
my know ledge OF tue meaning OF the terms used
in the reports OF inspectors.
Juror Meade-The language used IN the report
Juror Lyncl-You should modify the English
which is used in the Department of Buildings. 1t
would seem that YOU nave GOV so used to the cry
OF "wOii, - tnaJ you cannot tell when the ''woll'
has really come into the lold.
Coroner-Could not a. scanolding built on
"horses," have been made for the workmen TO
stand Upon IN taking down the wall OF the Shaw
building
wtness-l suppose you mean what we call
'pole scaffold; !" that is the most dicult kind OF
scarolding to erect; 1t was the intention 10 Sc
cure the building by the same means that would
aid in the construction of a scafiod; what was
believed TO be the safest method OF working in
the building was adopted; OF course there are
adopted If there mad been no confidence IN the
method chosen.
that the west wall OF the shaw building could not
have been braced rom the root OF the church. On
beams mad been run up from the ROOF OF the church
TO tue upper part Oh the wall. | should like TO
know why sucn bpaces could not have been put up
Witness-Part OF the wall has been taken down;
1t would have been difficult to find beams long
enough to reach from the ROOF OF the church to the
upper part OF the wall II snort ones had been
used before the wall was ''tiedr to the east wall
by beams, they would have eXerted o pressure
wnlcn would PROBABLY have pushed the lower part
OF the wall In and have thrown the upper part
outward upon the ROOF OF the church.
THOMAS W. ADAMS TESTIFIED -
/ live at No. 302 Adelphi street, Brooklyn; am
member OF the firm OF Brown Adams l ex-
amined that part Of the Shaw building which was
called TO work upon (Mr. Adams here asked 10 be
permitted to give a story In detail without being
proper Tor me to make an explanation, inasmuch
as the firm oil Brown Adams mas been referred
to numerous times during this INVESTIGATION; |
the shaw building, and under whose direction we
did our work in II; on the morning alter the Are
ms stns ana wanted ms ME o s so. 70 'sa s
wen w him to the rear end of Mr. shsA,
Chatham street store, where met Mr.. Shook;
M Ne wanted ins, aske9
want you 10 bring your men and beams and shore
up the building, so that the insurance people can
work; they are AFRAID to work now.n l followed
his directions in regard TO the work; put In
beams where he told me to put them in, and was
at work from the l4h TO the 10th OF January; after
the walls tell was again put at work in the build
ing and was given unlimited authority as TO
JuroreYou Say that you were not told the first
time you were brought TO the building to Z" shore'
IT wherever you thought supports were needed 10
Witness-The FIRST time worked under tie
direction Of MI. Shook and did just what he told
me TO do IT seemed that the nam object Of
Snoring the building was to assure the insurance
people that they could go on taking out the CHINA
and britannia ware from the ruips In safety; the
walls could have been pulled down without dam
aging adjacent buildings; the best evidence OF
this TACT is found in the TACT that Inc wall which
fell did not strike Sweeny's Hotel; a wall will not
fall OUT like beam 1t VIII crumble.
Mr.. Adams seemed to be under the impression
that Mr.. Snook had tried to throw the responsl.
btty for the falling OF the walls from his own
shoulders to those OF the ''sborers,n and conse-
quenty gave his testimony as II he were making q
direct Onslaught upon tne architect.
MR. TITUS, THE BUILDER,
whose testimony was taken last week, now took
the witness seat, and asked TO be permitted to
change his testimony. de made some answers
without clear understanding OF the questions
addressed 10 aim. He said he had discovered his
errors rom the newspaper reports y ct when he
wa asked what changes he wished 10 have made
In his testimony ne seemed merely to confirm what
he had SAID before and what was published In the
newspapers.
CHARLES DEvER TESTIFIED.
reside at No. Attorney street; myself ana my
partner had contract Tor the carpenter work IN
the Shaw building; the first WORK we dld was TO
secure the walls with beams; we began this work