The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1883-02-17
CULPABLE NEGLIGENCE.
The verdict of the Coroner's Jury i'm the
NeWhah inquest-Antisdel Guilty OF
Cuipable Negligence in His Manage
ment = The Proprietors Scored A
Sweeping Verdict.

At late hour on the 9th the New
hall jury returned the following verdict:
We, the jury, find that the said Alien John
son came to his death by leaping or falling
from the upper story windows of the Newhall
Hotel IN hls endeaYors to escape the rapidly
approaching ire, and thereby received such IL
lurles as caused death. We further find that
sad ire commenced at or near the base of the
elevator shaft, and rose rapidly to the upper
stories, spreading through the corridors, stair
ways and roof thereby shutting off nearly all
communication of inmates with corridors aud
nfe-escapes, forcing them to the windows as
lhe only means OF saving themselves We fur
thCr ind that the SAID Newhau House was set
on IRE and burned on the l. orning of January
the lUth, 1888, at the hour of o'clock and 80
minutes, by person or persons to this iurv
unknown. We further find that only one night
Watchman was employed by the proprietor
winch was insufficient, and that he had other
dulleS 10 perform, at which time he could not
properly attend TO his duties as q watchman
Aad that large hotel such as the Newhall
House should have had two or three watch
men TO attend TO that only and awaken the in
mates IL case of fire. We further find
that the night watchman and night
Clerk, by obeylng tie previous instructions
OF the proprietoTs. lost valuable time IN useless
efforts to extngQish the fire and neglecting to
arouse the inmates, and when the attempt was
mace they found the upper corridors filed with
btack' hot, sitting smoke that obliged them to
retreat, ana seek their own safety Therefore.
We lind that the proprietors were guilty of
caipable negligence IN not having employed a
sufficient number of watchmen to guard the
house against fire and awaken the inmates In
time to save all the lives possible. We also
md that the NeWnall House was easy of egress
and devoid Of intricate passage. with two
outside escapes ladders on the northeast and
southeast corners ami q bridge in the south
west corner leading across the allev from each
floor to the opposite building. Aud on the
northwest corner there was an inside servants
stairway from the fifth story to the basement
Also, two large, open staiTWsys in the front
corridors leading from the office floor to lhe
sixth story and al open ladder on the roof.
Nevertheless, We find that the owners Of the
NeTh2l House. knowing that many fires had
taken place at various times in the hotel. are
guilty OF cuipable negligence IL not having
provided more outside escapes in case OF fire.
we beileVe that many lives sacrificed in said
tire could have been saved had the chief Of
the fire department not been absent al another
hTe, two miles distant, at which ne had nearly
Tie half or the force, but that he res Dunded
to The alarm as soon as possible. That the
misfortune WGs further enhanced By the alb
sence Of the assistant chief of the fire depart
ment, who unfortunately was absent on leave,
but who responded to tho alarm promptly, az
TYug at the fire too late to prevent the de-
struction OF the hotel and the serious loss Of
hIe that took place That the fire department
did their duty as Vel as could be ex-
pected; and could have done much more
had the ladder trucks been fully
manned and equipped with the best ex-
tension ladders and the men wei drilled 10
handle them. That had the so-called Buestrin
fire escape extension ladder been manned and
equipped ready for use on the first alarm ct
tire instead of lying useless in the shed, it
he ~ g.
the unfortunate persons who were vainly call
ing for help from the upper stories of the
Newhall House. And we hnd that the tele-
graph poles aud wires caused serious obstruc-
ton 10 the fire department by preventing them
from using their ladders in a speedy and eff
cient manner at the time they were go much
needed. DANIEL WAITE, Foreman.
j. Q. CORRIGAN,
J. p. THOMPSON,
IHOs J. FRANEY,
JOHN OCONNoR,
ROBERT DAVIES,
CHAs. KUEPPER. Coroner.