New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-09
THE POTTER BUILDING FIRE INQUIRT

J. II. Clarke was the first witness yesterday be-
fore The CGroners jury investigating the Potter
BuildinC fire. He in the building at the time
of the fire. and told of his eSca 10 the street In
reply to the questions OF the Coroner Mr.. Clarke
sad:
NV room was divided by line OF shelving. on the
side nearest the wall were kept my magazines soon
alter the new fine put in noticed that it was hot
,n s adn I f. and he rpae TO Mr. Wer worhmcn we're
sent and tine woodwork adjoining the tuc was removed
it's place several days elapsed and again called Mr.
Potcre attention to the matter. lie examined II ana
said BE would take steps to have al the Woo1wOrS so
ting on the ue removed. Later III the day went down
the endnccr TO learn Why there was no steam I'D
teuGng the work OF the masOns who were altering the
fue arrangements. never saw any IRE eAuhgulsnei7
in the building.
This witness subsequently denied that he had
SAID he removed book from the iluc lie introduced
i'm his evidence several touching little tributes to
Mir Potter and told what thOughlfu and kind
hearted landlord he was. in regard 10 the engineer
he said that lie was a model OF Temperance ana
sobriety, whoncvcr "fo'ered passion Tor alcohol
He had heard him reply to an invitation to drink,
" never touch IT" -
George W Milne q compostor IN the office of
Tie Scottish AmcycQR. testified that the wall IN the
hallway az the head Of the stairs the fourth floor
for some weeks previous to the fire. was so hot that
the WOrkmcn carrying the forms up could not resi-
their hands Oh ii any length of time Charles +.
Harris cOmposItoT on Tie Acr- Crk Ob8errD, next
took the stand. His face and right hand were
banlaCod. he WAS the last 10 leave the composing
room. and received severe burns. lie Is about sew
cnteen years old. Mr. Potter, who sat beside his
ms counsel looked at the boys face ana bandagcd
hand occasionally with an expression almost ap-
preaching r,morse. Harris gave graphic account
OF his escape, and said that tha wall in the
hall on The PaIk-row side WAS always hot.
"Ah yci.' said Mr.. Pottcr's counsel, smiling, to
the jury. 1.-THE wall next The Times iiue.' And
Mr. Potter leaning over. said, in stage whisper,
"All the complaint ever had IN regard to heat
from ucs has been in regard ~ heat from he IimtS
fiucs'
L, was not The Times fuc," quickly replied the
boy: il was a lue III the partition wall on the south
side of the entry"
Harris said lie had seen fire cxtnguisherS in
closet, on the lower floors. Anthony COmStock gave
an account OF hIs discovery OF the fire and the CIV
ing OF the alarm His testimony was ubStantlally
at the time of the ire John u. thceycr, Ol the
NcW-lurA Bcitlng aud Packing Company, testified
to the discovery OF the fire. HIS sOrf has already
been published ~ The tribune. After some other
testimony Lad been taken the inquest was adj
joumcd.
testimony, but not much of IT was important. lie
recalled John Dempsey. the engineer Dempsey $
new statements were rs follows:
banked my firas Monday afternoon, the day he
fore the lire, give the mason chance To work IN the
hue. lie opened the old huc aud shut of the furnace
brcas-dly brlcks. lie did not lay them III nor
tar. They only L. be- there tenn
porariy. damper WAS 10 be put in next day.
Mr. Potter stand there until the job was
finished and then told NE To gc mp steam. td 80. Il
was thcu about o'clock About 7lj banked my fires
and / lett the building about $40 ] got there about
pounds of steam The draft that morning was not as
coed mad from the old hue.
There was no digging for bodies in the ruins yes
terday, bun the thry-iive men employed there by
Mr. Potter were engaged Ill removing the Obstruc-
tons from Nassau-st