New-York tribune., 1877-05-02
DEATHFROM A-BROKENTRUSS

A PART OF THE POST-OFFICE ROOF FALLS.
THREE woRKMEN KILLED AND TWO INJURED-DT-
FERFNT VIEWS AS To TIE CAUs EOF TlIR ACCI-
DENT-NR. MULLETTs OPINION.
Persons passing through Park-row, near the
Post Ofce and occupants of the offices the upper
floors OF building, startled about o'clock yes
terday afternoon by heavy crash Of falling wall
cloud dust by persons outside rising ABOVE
the northeast corner and il discovered that the
slates Of the mansard roof had fallen in, leaving large
creviccs visible II at surmised that the roof
had given way and the widest prevailed to the
eff Ct that the dome and entire roof OF the building hai
fallen and that Of people had been killed Inside
the building the greatest confusion existed and II was
some time before the nature OF the accident could DC
learned Inspector Thome, with large police force,
AND the frecngnes reached the spot II was found
when some degree OF order restored that the extent
of the disaster was the falling In OF portion OF the
northeast corner OF the roof about 20 by 30 feet in cx
tent and the burial Of four aborer two OF whom were
killed outright, in the ruins.
About fifty men were engaged on the unfinished fifth
hoor at the time OF the accident and it feared that
many more lives lost uut the rocal showed tnat
all except four present These men, with the fore
man. Hansel had been at work removing temporary
wooden support the roof which had been replaced by
a wrought iron truss manufactured by Hebernan "
Haven OF Trenton As the lost timber was removed the
weight of the roof full upon the iron support
which under the strain and buried four OF the men
In the debris Two others, Henry Jones and Frederick
Coopcr were standing window, and as the crash
came sprang out the stone coping aud escaped TIE
foreman Max Hanse was a ladder at the time and
fell with the ruins, but escaped being struck by the
truss and received only slight injuries large force OF
men was set at work removing the debris, and the miss
ing men were reached Two were found to he dead
one was fatally and one slightly injured They were all
taken TO the Chambers Street Hospital Tne names OF
the killed were Charles a. Robinson of No 2l4 West
Tventicl-st and Patrick Johnson, who lived IN GraudS
Both leave families Johnson had been ont OF employ
ment all Winter and began work on the building ycStcr
dav morning The injured were John Collisier OF
No. 2O5 GIand-st and Denis Fleming OF No Isl El!za-
beth-st Colister had scalp wound, bad con-
fusion OF his back and suffering greatly from shock
The surgeons at the hospital believe that he will recover
Fleming uad cOmminuted fracture OF the left upper
arm involving the ebOw,iOnt, compound fracture OF
the right upper arm large scalp wound on the rsht
side Of the head, and suffered greatly from shock The
surgeons pronounced his injuries fatal He died about
O'Clock last evening
Tie loss to the Government will not amount to more
than II 900 or 81 800, as there furniture or
property OF any kind in tie The ceiling Of tue
United states Circuit Court room tnc third floor is
badly cracked and it will have to be removed Several
ucccs oI heavy corncc mOldiuG fell with sufficient force
10 break the floor of the room IN places. CJ, was not
ia session at the time. Custodian VI 'A.c hdd thc 0pu-
in iu the roofryercl with trpduln last night TO pre-
vent any damage by storm.
DIAGRAM or The ROOM.