, 1879-08-11
THE MUSIC-HALL.

Inquest on tho Victims OF tho Recent Acct-
dent.
Tic Coroner hcld an inquest Saturday in the
Grand Jury room upon the bodies Of Fritz 3fsll.
CT md Christian Al Christensen, otherwise
known as Christ,an "Tatt," or "Toft," who
died from injuries rceeivcd by the falling Of a
AcafIold las. Wednesday ut the new Music-Eiail,
on tho southeast corner of State aut1 Randolph
streets.
The first witness examined Was
Mn. WILLIAM a. HAH1oN,
who testified that he was the tnason and con-
tractor OF the building Known Us tho new Music
Hall. lie was not At tue building rlIcn the nc
c!ucut happened. 1t hatl been raining, aud he
dtd not expect TO ilna tie me men 1t wotk, AZ
the wall, mid had 1'ccn placed tllcro from the
scafTollfng In use bF the masuns mud the labor
era. The lal,oring men tint fcl! we're employed
In making 6catlolds. They werc selected on ac-
clatomcd to doing that kind .! work. Tic
foreman WIS Instructed to mike everything safe
ami secure; to leave nothing unloDe that ought
10 10 lone; to risk nothing anl taKc no chances.
Thu llen were repeatedly caut!ol'ed when maxi
Ink the seaffu!ds n1ll when WORKING ,ipon them.
II the men we're questioned hc thought there
would nut bc nan working upon The building
who would not say SO. The lumber that WAS
used Tor sraiIoldng for the mason-wor1s was
uEHEly GEHt dGlEckeA ~ III VAt4A ttkk VI QE
FREQ from knnts. The seairolda were built twice
the usual width, so that men could pnss each
other safely. lie lad been ntead u tne from tho
commencement Of tho work. No Part of the
work had been aublet. The name Of the fore.
man was Christa.n Taft IL Is now dead, md
the witness understood that hts leuih resulted
from tile IutuEies received In the INCIDENT. Fritz
Miller VAS atso Injured ut the salne time. Wit
ness found upon going to the place vi the atci-
dent ihat 3otst live BY twelve inches ant! e1-
,Itr1r11f IN fttt hrif 1r.ll nf thiI
building, was brokuu. aud. tn hls opinion, It was
the breaking Of tllat 0st thut caused the fHll Of
The scaffotd. lie had given no instruction about
the moving Ct tic iron pinte which was being
think there WIS weight enough OIL the acaEold
to break It loyn ii 1t had not been for the sud-
den jar caused BY tho fall Of the Iron plate. It
was part ot his bnslness to set the Iron plates
management Ut the foreman Mr. Taft. Tic WIS
regarded rs competent and careful tnan. He
Ind been foreman on other large buildings. lie
nut the men to work or stopped tirtn when ln
his judgment II wns beat. The ncallola before
Ind held Hlorc than tie weight OF tnn iron plato
thnt fell, musona, !aborcrs, brick, and mortar.
OTHER WITNESSES.
Fred Rchmnck, Fred Litetcdt, aud William
aIgkuoHn, bricklnycTg and laborers employed
I'll thr work, testified as totlle good quality ol
thu material used In tue bealfola and thu care
fu]ness shown BY Mr.. Barton. It appeared thai
OF tho construction. and TINT everything n0ssltle
th1t could bo donu 10 insure their safety was
done. Mr.. D. Adler, architect Of the hail, Sub
mIttcd a very lengthy written report, by whiet
It appeared that thu scntIuldng was OF thu best
| and tint what error there waB arose fr0n tht
action Of tho foreman himself In raising the irut
| plates.
| the IuRY
being compoacd entirely Of architects and butid
ers, maby Of the qncstiuns asked were purely