Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-08-05
A DEATH TRAP.
Victims of the Hotel Disaster.

VI tue kTOteI D1S0SteHe
THE coRoNERs INQUEST OVER THEIR REMAINS To-
DAY-TESTTMoNY As TO TEE CRuaBLISG WALLS OF
THE BUILpISG-IN A TorTERING CONDITION FOR
SOME TINE PAST.
coroner Patterson began an inquest at Mr.. ]. C.
Lees undertaking establishment at ten O'Clock
thlS morning, In the case of Addie Fletcher and
Henry Hall. the victims OF the disaster at the
United States hotel Sunday evening. The follow
ing gentlemen composed the jury: W. c. Harper
Lephaniah Jones, David T. Cissel, T. A. Nc
Laughl1n, George C. Burchard and James McDer-
mott.
TESTIMONY OF ONE OF THE OWNERS OF TIE BUILD
ING.
Mr. l. T. FOlansbee one of the owners of the build
| Ing, was the first witness. He said that a week
ago last Monday Mr.. Beldlng, lessee called his
attention TO break or bulge in the side OF the
MOTEL witness got a bricklayer, Mr.. Collins. and
gave niIl Instructions TO make repairs. On the
west Side OF tue building witness and Mr.. Bedding
discovered that The wall near the partition was In
very bad condition, the wall being Wet Mt
Belding remarked that IT like mud MI. Belding
toid The bf!chiayer TO repair this side and he would
pay for IL il Judge Cox who owned that side OF
the building, would not. Witness owned the east
part oL the building; The bricks on the west side
were crumbling The building fell over from the
northwest. The witness said that the interior OF
.he 6ack building was constructed as If 1t one
room which was 81 or 40 feet. was not divided The
witness gave some particulars OF the construction
OF the building. which was erected when he was
DoS Inc upper noOf was land OH as bed rooms
The witness theory was that the accident was
caused by the walls being dampened by excessive
ralnS- The foundations were ali right 1t was the
giving way OF the piers OF the wall that caused the
accident The bulge 10 which Mr.. Beldng called
witness attention was about four inches. The
witness repeated that the wall gave way first at
the northwest corner. The walls on the first floor
we're, the witness thought fourteen inches thick
had not sprung four or Eve inches. He said he did
not think SO. He had told Mir. Bedding several
weeks ago that ne wished the building was down
The witness exhibited Mr. Belongs lease and said
mat according 10 its provisions he thought MI
BeIdtng was Required to keep 1t In repair The wit
hess said the guttering On the east side needed re-
pair and was la such condition that the water
washed down against the wall Ii was In that
e3n hls year ago when MI Geary, the livery
hess attention TO IL. Mr.. Belding, witness under
stood, said he had made good many repairs and
ulu no, think he was called upon 10 fix the broken
guttering Witness called Judge Cox's attention
To the matter.
THE LEASE
coroner Patterson read Il section of the five wears
lease under which Mr.. Bedding took possession Of
the hotel IN December 1881. This said: "ue {Belding
VIII at his own expense put said premises in repair
anu nj them UP Tor the aforesaid and keep them
III such repair during he tern; aforesaid natural
wear and tear and accident by fire excepted The
witness Was questioned at some length by the
jurors, as 10 the construction OF the building.
Juror Jones said that he was sent TO the building
Ifee or loar years ago 10 examine it for insurance
Tue Walls So badly sprung by the pressure Of the
rooms above that he recommended the company
not 10 Insure II.
Mr. Follansbee stated that his part of the build
Ing was now insured in the Firenen's company.
THE JURY INSPECT THE RUINS
The members OF the jury, with the coroner and
Mr. Follansbee, then paid visit to the ruined
building TO inspect the walls for themselves The
members OF the jury made their way with some
difficulty through the heap OF ruins. Mr. FOllans-
bee, standing upon the line OF the west wall
pointed out where pier had bulged out on ac-
COUNT Il, he claimed, OF the crumbing caused by
water. the guttering on the caves above being
DrOhen down. He pointed cut also the way the
fooi tlmoefs were twisted and the general direc-
tloh I'D winch The heap had fallen in support OF his
theory, that the building had been preclpitated by
the west wall giving way. The bulge ON the east
sue, ne SAID, was small affair and not danger
Gus. IL was caused by cutting hole In the wall
for the range.
HEALTH OFFICER TowNsHEND's TESTIMONY
Health Officer TOwnShend was next sworn He
stated that about three years ago he Inspected the
building as TO Its sanitary condition. He thought
e aenl NOTICES 10 owners or the building to abate
EuisanceS there Witness opinion at the time was
thtt Tue building was unsafe. but Officially witness
mad nothing to do with any thing except the SAM
tiry features. Since then other examinations had
been made by inspectors OF the health Office
MI. toiianSbee, VINO was present, stated that he
had received no notice from the health office
Dr. IOWnShend said he made no particular ex-
animation OF The walls, and supposed his opinion
may nave been formed partly from the reputation
That the building was unsafe
THE LESSEE EXAMINED AS TO THE cRCMBLING WALLS
Mt. " ailace j. Bedding, the lessee, was next ex-
amlned The witness said he had always consid-
ereo lhe building unsafe After he began to repair
the building he had considered it unsafe They had
10 scrape the walls before they could put DaDer
upon them. lie observed bricks dropping out on
Judge CoXS side. Witness noticed also a 6ulpe On
MI. foiliinsDeeS SIDE. He cOrrobOrated MIR. Fol-
lalloDee as 10 The interview they had last week On
Judge Coxs side, witness thought 1t would be
necessary TO build In about twenty feet square OF
new wall to strengthen IL. There were about sly
feet or wall which had already crumbied out The
west wall was wet. The gutter had been yery bad
lot year he defect on Mr.. FOIlansbee's side was
q bulge about four or tive feet square four or
I'VE Let from the ground That was about thirty
ltet from the rear Wall. The detective places on
t Gas. anu west side were nearly opposite each
olner. Al the northeast corner Of the building some
Dicks Were out gu The inside which the Witness
aot,ceo over year ago The water came into the
The witness thought it was the owners
duty TO put on new CUTTERS. Witness was
10 90 the repairs. but he did not consider that he
was 10 feheW portions OF the building Witness
htd put nearly every dollar he had made In reDatrs
10 the building. He had told Judge Cox about the
gutter, ana Thought Judge Cox said he had spent
30 Mucn money ON the building he was sick OF it,
Nhen witness Inst took The building the gutter did
not leak. Judge Cox had not authorized the wit
mss 10 MAKE me repairs at his Judge Cox's) ex-
pehse Inc roof, the witness said, had been in
very BAD shape. and leaked, but the witness did
no, .nnA he was required under the lease, to put
some time regarded the building as unsafe but
that some work on r. would secure It.
II should hardly Think" said the coroner 0thaf
you would have risked your own life IL it,
Wei, Mr. FOllansbee was preparing to make re-
pairs, SAID Mr. Bedding. "and was arranring as
slated To make repairs on Judge Cox's slden
The witness said be had never noticed a crack in
the celilng ot The dining room. There was crack
In the wall OF the frunt building eight or ten feet
!oig, when hdd been growing larger, witness
Thought. during the past fve or six wceAS
Juror Jones asked If the ceiling OF the dining
room had not sagged towards the center and the
Witness answered not TO his KNOWLEDGE irD-stairs
some or The uO0rs had TO be fixed 50 they couId h
opened and shut. Such work was being done con
slantiy. Witness did not recolIect that ann MAS.
Ter had faiien IN the dning-rOOin. 1t mad fallen in
other rooms and IN the Office In the main hail
leading 10 the dining loom large piece of plaster
Eel u lew days ago.
TESTIMONY OF 4 BUILDER.
Mr.. Richard Collins, builder and bricklayer said
ne had examined the building a week ago He
found the walls In fearful condition On the west
wall Tor some space. the bricks had fallen out He
LOOK some or the brick and crumbled IL into his
hahda tie notified the lessee that the building
was dangerous TO life. The outside four inches II
an entire pier had fallen out and the inside bricks
were crlinb!ins. Witness did not think the east
sue was ~ immediate danger He had building
not make the repairs for four or five DAYS The
Witness would nave "ShOredn the wall IN :, nd nm
derpnned IL. The condition OF the wall was 80
critical that witness could not send man to do
.ie WORK, Tor IL was dangerous He expected to
take personal charge Of 1t.
BUILDING INSPECTOR ENTwIsLE wIrNEss
Building Inspector Entwisle was the next wit
ness, and being asked what lie knew about the
building said Il know very little about 1t. My at