Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-08-06
THE WRECKED HOTEL.
Responsibility for the Disaster.

TIE coRoSERs JURY DECIDE THAT THE OWNERS AND
LESSEE OF THE UNITED STATES HOTEL WERE TO
BLAME-coNTINUArIoy oP THE INQUEST YEsTER-
DAY AFTERNOON
The inquest In the case Of the United States hotel
disaster sunday evening was resumed at four
o'clock yesterday afternoon. Mir. Fowler was pres
ent, as the legal representative of Judge Cox. one
OF the owners, and M. John a. Clarke appeared as
attorney for Mr.. l. T. Follansbee.
Mr. ThoS Geary, the keeper Of the livery stable
in the alley back Of the ruined building, testified
that for two years the gutter ana spout on the
building had been In a very bad condition. over
year ago witness called Mr. Follanspee's attention
Judge Cox about II. Whenever 1t rained the water
washed Down upon the walls as II 1t were being
when it fell II fell on the west side witness was
IN the alley about fifty feet from the building. He
une n IG nf1 ana looking up saw the wall
Dees attention to spout on his side-the side
81 the ouilding-and Mr. Fo!lansbee hadt repaired.
thought the east wall fen in towards the west
ANAN WHO EXPECTED DISASTER.
VIM L. Browning, barkeeper at the United States
hotel, testified that when he first came to the
building, when Mr.. Bedding took charge of it, he
found that the rear wall OF the building was
Cracked from the ground up A great many vi the
Ioouls had cracks In them The floor or the dining
room was six inches lower at the north than the
south, and Ia room 81, the last room in the hall
over tn. dining room, the wall was bulged. In
room ~, at the northeast corner, the wall Was So
plugged That tnere was gap between the wash
ness, Who Was formerly night Clerk put in there
year ago, refused " sleep there, saying that the
dining room was sunk in the middle. The doors
and the windows did not lit we'll Ia the room
back or the baTroom the walls Were cracked. Wit
ness was alarmed about the building He never
spoke to Air. Bedding about the matter because he
was afraid Mr. Bedding would think he was inter-
1ering with his business. but he told Mrs. Bedding
NJ IN no h1iI1 n
IN A BAD CONDITION FOR TEN YEARS.
John K Mansfield, grocer, who was employed at
the hotel some years ago. testified that the building
had b-en in bad condition for ten years. MIR. Fol-
lansbee spoke TO witness some days before the ac-
eidsnt about repairing the building. The guttering
had been in bad cOIdition ever since witness mad
known anything about the building.
ESCAPED FROM THE DINING ROOM.
William Smith, head waiter OF the hotel, testified
that he was In the dining room when the accident
occurred 1t began to fall in at the northeast
ner. The wall began to fall in the kitchen in the
rear, and the noise alarmed the witness and he ran
out OF the door into the front part OF the building.
MR.. FLENING'S OPINIONS.
Mr.. Robert ]. Fleming, builder, testified that he
examined the building for Judge COX prior to the
leasing OF the building To John w. Gray, three or
four years ago. He made thorough examination
OF the building from the foundation to the roof. lie
found the building in pretty good repair except in
the rear part. There was some gutLerng 10 BE- put
The Dack building were pretty good, except one or
TWO piers on tue west side, where the mortar had
DteD washed away. Witness regarded the build
Ing as perfectly sale at that time. 1t was intended
that witness should go ahead and make repairs,
out Judge COX made lease to John W. Gray,
which provided that Gray should make all repairs.
IAe floors We're settled, but no more than usual in
building or that age. The settling was caused
Dy the Sagglng Oh the timbers. The guttering was
not In good condition When witness made his in
spectiOh; afterwards they were put In good condi-
tlon illness saw the ruins soon after the building
fell The building seemed tO have fallen out in
the alley, towards the north. The witness said
that the surface drainage OF the entire square came
towards pennsylvania avenue. A great quantity
OF water came from springs III the sQIare. In the
building adjOiDing the hotel it had been necessary
TO MI up the cellar. Witness thought this water
had so undermined the foundations or the hotel as
TO cause II TO collapse.
THE VERDICT.
This concluded the testimony, and the Jury, after
half an hours elaboration, rendered verdict
that "From the evidence aiduced we believe that
the building has been unsafe for a long time and
that its condition was we'll known to both the
ers ana lessee, and that they, particularly the
owners, should be he'd responsible, and to that
end we respectfully call the attention of the dis
trct attorney to the latter Tor legal proceed
ingS as The case demands"
lhe owners OF the building are Judge Walter s.
COX, OF the District Supreme Court, now spending
his vacation In Europe, and Mes5rs L. r. James
NJ, JOSHUA and Joseph V. FOllansbee. The lessee
IS MIR. Wallace j. Bedding The testimony taken in
the case will be submitted to the district attorney,
To be presented by him TO the grand jury, he
deems 1t proper.