The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-09
THE GRAND JURY ON THE DISASTER.


In tho United States Circuit Court yesterday tho
Grand Jury came before Judge Benedict ana, after
hunding in batch OF indictments to the clerk, pre-
scented the following special proscntment:--
To the Hon. CHARLES j.. BESEDIcr:-
This Grand Jary had hardly commenced ts sessions when
a Se n Of pG a 81 ,G rSG Of ae
sponsbity for the loss Of life thus occasoncd
prately the subject OF inquiry BY another body
material employed tho construction Of the building and
Designed ana Il also possible Ia ns
courts aud psrsisasy tina: to which We are an adjunct.
while exposed TO actual and imminent peril and that this
Obviously questions openly discussed the charges
Of % whom a. sy sS ns
q upon whom u had conferred trusts author
Within I'll, limits permitted us this examination has been
It's results we summarize in this presen.ment as fol-
some months was believed that tho safety of this
court room demanded the removal Of brick wall which
crossed tho noor in ths story Immediately over and
required to sustain the wesht the root and suc
b 1n q Ga
him accepted his action being sabsausnty approved ey
agreement were vague and indefinite The
WAS WAS one and ws
was maintained in position at Its northern extremity both
RI ss With
Ss ras rus. 81 the s.
ported neither by rater by rivets the
ROOF BY these dedccncies dincult 10
determine whether IL derelicton the
tho aud failure comply with their agree
ment 10 have the truss without the attachments that
would have rendered. II secure.
o..,.,. rllh DEFECT p an ArrA PARK, oss.
apparent one II the attention OF competent cxpe-
rienced had been drawn TO IT, As of
root while truss Was n susS we're BY hS
ward H. paaghery the foreman OF mechanics and no
Immediately upon removing the props tho failure of ~
Tuesday which the disaster occurred the pleon of
supervising Inspector Win A. Injunction 20 avoid any
sudden shock lar 70 the truss in removing tho tho
ton was made TO tue supervising inspector from Mr. Haven
OF the hrm OF contractors that the roof beams owing
the support Of still another be placed midway DO
that furnished by them and the wall OF
Monday tho supervising architect supervising In.
spector passed through th story Of the building and
truss. lie expressed criticism and subjected
20 no examination In brief the accident may be said to
have rcuulted from the adoption 81 defective without
previous inspection or approval by any qnahcd person
MISTAKEN coSrfDKScE
Neither Dougherty Oakshot professional archi.
tect engineer and neither OF them could aim did
cheney Of the truss 1t that The supervising
architect cannot personally superntend all the structures
vsng Inspector should be filled Of professional
ntainnents superior to those OF its present Incumbent
confidence In the supervising which his
skin and Judgment he entitled and the supervising
Inspector IN turn TO have been similarly confident in
his foreman IL may at least be suggested govern
ment has either shown Of condolences per.
imposed upon him duties are willing 20
selsys The LATER to os The case Il = prope,
by the present supervising architect. whom he
esedea 20 the position n the exercise Of the du
task ~ view the csiamitous result Of the imperfect
S u .ssss. are o a. oersy ss q
not enab cd us TO make an exhaustive examination Of the