New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-28
PROCEEDINGS AT THE INQUEST.

11leston Mrs. w. A. Ogden Hegeman, Mre. Annie Will
let's and Mary An Connolly, among those present
Salem II. Wales, tho president Of the Hahnemann Hos
paI and treasurer Of the Fair Association George H.
Story, the artist Albert Mckay, the superintendent
OF the fair and Clark Bell who acted counsel for the
association. The New-York and Harlem Railroad Com
pany was not represented by counsel but Mr. Skt the
superintendent Of the Madison Avenue Garden building
and s. Curtis the Of the railroad COM
pany, present AS the Investigations proceeded
questions put to the witnesses by Mr.. Bell.
At IL O'clock the jurors took their seats They were
b. w, Berger architects Theodore A. Triut, architect;
samuel Clark plumber; James Stuart, plumber; Hor-
ace Doty. painter; W. f. Blauvet. caFpetceaner; A.
Could fancy goods Isaac Subway, ranges; John J.
OBrien, printer A. L. Citing, shoes; John Morgan.
builder; J. L. Murtha, builder; and Nj. Gehegan The
| first witness examined was ROundsman Nathan Page
Coleman, Of the Twentysixth Precinct. He testified
| follows:
On the day Of the accident had charge OF the police
force detailed for duty at the Garden In the afternoon
had to go into the art gallery, and then no.
tced picking up pieces OF plaster that
had cracked OF the wall. There was crack about ST
or eight feet long in the ceiling the GENRE
of the made report Of It, as 1t did not APP
pear to TO be important, and knew nothing more
about 1t until the crash at that time was stand
lug the centre Of the building When discovered
that there fire made every effort TO keep down
panic, and with the officers in my CHARGE the officers
of the Fair and Others, succeeded"
A POLICEMAN WARNED OF THE DANGER
officer Patrick Lynch testified: ION that night" he
said, II placed In charge Of the main entrance
opening in MadisOn.aye. AT about half-past
o'clock q gentleman and lady passed out
of the building through the door, The gentle
| man asked me II 1 had been up IN tho art
gallery and said that he considered 1t in unsafe
dton. Pieces OF the plasterng had fallen off, he said,
large mans hand and the wall had shifted to the
Of three four inches. The gentleman concluded
|
somebody else. WHAT the man had said made such
impression my mlnd-though had not heard anything
and told him what the gentleman had said. Mr.. Mckay
assured mo that the plastering had fallen down ac
had examined the building that day had pronounced
end OF the building and was about half way back wnen
the crash fastened to the spot TO what had
happened. several ladies carried down the stairs
but could tell whether they dead or alive"
EXCOllectOr OF the Port Henry A. Smytbe, with whom
Mrs. Wletts was staying at the time OF the accident
"A little ar;er O'clock" he said in testifyng MRS
e,t ir the house No S6 East Thirty Grst-st in high
Spirits, attend the iar About quarter Of 10 gen
Ieman OR. Anthony Called anu Inqulredh Mrs. Viii
hits bad ielulned lie said he had been az the Union
League Cub few moments before, when Mr. Lehman
bad Drcn brought In injured aud be had requested him
to If Mrs. WaitS mad reached home Some OF my
family Went immediately in search OF Mrs. " etts. Mr.:
The body Of woman, answering TO the description
Hospital accompanied my wife TO the hospital, where
se iented ths body win great i, dicnby no mo.
Of the fair and was present at the Garen on
,oorn'g and eye1Iug" he continued, after the open.
ing On tue morning Of the 2ls received note from
MI Mckay IN which he stated that there trouble
lie mr. cncry and that there was crack in the wall
lie added that he having attended to. AT o'clock
h I room for mysS Along lie eoTce line Of the west
wall saw crack seven or eight feet In length but it
md to could discover any detection the wall
on MndisOnaye. sIde, any settling In the ceiling
But 1 saw notbnE mat suggested danger N any of
these particulars Mr. Mckay informed me that tnr rep,
M examination, and pronounced the building safe.
/ heard nothing moro OF tho matter until about
me thnt he did not like the looks of the art
gallery We started together for the gallery, but on
reaching door found the had been parity turned
cd, Iucn immediately tlcre was loud craeElnH ana
tn fs @ oCT at @GS Time "oFT was sT EnCceS
by the conclusion aud the pressure oil the people Upon
ra@ w ny engaged every day at the fair up to
In" morning of tho lay OF the accident had NOT re-
dangerous as rcasuror the Fair Association paid
portion of the rent OF the building to tue New-Eork and
Harlem Railroad Company
now THE CRASH CAME.
The next witness examined was Officer William Reed
of the Twenty-sxtn Precinct. He said ~ was sta
oned IL the north side Of the Garden and was standing
Mt tho time Of the accident within ten or twelve feet
the north stairs Ny frat impression that 1t was
explosion But before could ascertain what 1t WAS
began to tell people that there was no danger Then
Istarted up the stairs but down Immediately TO
assist "A stout old lady who was unable, even with the
assistance OF Il gentleman accompanying her. to get
down stairs, on account OF her fright As soon as
cSnd release yse tbr TC tbe door wien led po
the dancng-room met two persons coming out with
iy means OF his watch, which put In my care, that
II was Leonard Dater lie taken TO tue office below
ri iirst he didn't seem broItbe all, but one
held medicine 10 his nose ana he resumed breath
ing. On going ont into the main building, saw two
Young ladies' carried Gowndhe south stairs. Afterward
saw the body OF S S pg ~ he ccars IF hs fair
Where Mr. D,ter taken; but did not see the body
carried in. There was force Of hremen on duiy IN the
building ut the tlm0 OF the acoidonl.'
GEORGE H. sToRY'S TESTIMONY.
George H. Story was then called to the stand. He
stated his connection with tie fair was as vcechalr-
man Of the Art Committee.
On tie evening Of the 12th," he continued, the
night the fair opened, man, who represented himself
ma an officer If the Fro Department, said the would
better DO purity turned OIL in the art gallery as the room
was very warm and there might be danger OF setting
m. ceiling on fire. He added that he didn't think there
was any danger butiwould advise 1t precautionary
measure, lie suggested tIAt q VeniIlatOr should
hr mt I'm, There ut that time two WIN
d1ws in lie room open both at the top and bot
I'm and there was an opeu space above the par
iitIon which separated the room from the aplrl;
mrnt used M tho restaurant This partition extended
cght or nine feet the ioOr the ceiling was a2out
cirhieen feet high. The Art Committee Thought that
with the windows open and the space above IL. he
paIti0n ventilation enough To carry on the
neat generated by the me 0nSef % & suxgSs
apartment. l requested ChaIncey NJ DepeW to speak
% or the DullunB ana nave IHem put Jul
yrutllnor Tho EeXt morning wOrki1en came and put
ventilaOr In, but disappoDtedi IN Hiding that ~
ourued ulO the space above the ceiling ana not through
the roof Then l directed two OF the windows
on the MadisOnave. sIde 10 DO built out 30 that they
could be opened After this was done they See~eu 10
work well. . ., ,,. , , |
%On the morning OF the day the accident occurred
,yas toI that the plastcrng was falling down, Ialso
saw the crack in the WALL My instructions to Mr. Bra
zlor tho WaolInan that he should not open the
Gallery again until authorities assured him that tue
binding MAS cafe. Aterward he told me that the meu
SAINT by tho railroad company TO Inspect the building
hnJ sto ed that there danger that the plaster
inc hnd been cracked by the heat from the gas aud that
the wall had been apparently uraW- out w tho same