Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1888-11-15
FINDING OF THE JURY.

The finding of the coroner's jury is
made part of the complaint to which
the warrant of arrest is attached After
preliminaries of no general public in
ttrest the finding states that the jury
viewed the bodies of c. N. Thompson
and Jacob Lee and upon inspection of
the east wing Of the insane hospital
found that the walls and arches had
fallen, carrying the two men down in
the wreck of brick and mortar, sub
stantialIy rs has been published.
AS result of its Investigations the
jury found that the fallen arches had
been constructed only from two and Il
half to four days prior to the accident;
that the centers or supports to the
arches wore prematurely removed, in
| direct violation of the specifications;
| that the partition walls between the
cells on which the arches rested were
not properly bonded into the outer
| walls, according to the plans and 5peci-
| fications; that inexperienced workmen
and boys were employed upon the
work; that the arches were built with
turn or spring Of from eleven to cigh-
teen inches, in direct violation of the
plans. which call for sprirg of from
twenty-five to twenty-four inches; that
no tie rods or anchors were put in the
second and third stories north and
south through the east wing to proper
ly tie and support the arches and bind
the outer walls, in direct violation of
the plans and Speci ticatlons; that tho
building was rendered unsafe and liable
to fall at any time; that the mortar
used was not of the proportions requir-
ed by the specifications, though of fair
quality; that the brick were not hard
burned, as required by the specilica-
tions.
The jury finds that J. b. Pattec, of
Canton. Dakota IS the contractor under
whose direction the building was being
constructed, that Mr.. Pattce failed to
provide and put in the rods and an
chors; that he allowed the removal of
centers from under the arches before
the roof was closed IN. in violation of
the plans; that he failed to give the
arches the required spring; that he
failed to properly bond the walls; that
he failed to construct the building in a
substantial manner; that he proceeded
carelessly and seemingly without re-
, gard to the plans and specifications.
The Jury finds that D. H. Kean, OF
Canton, Dakota, was duly appointed
, superintendent of construction that il
was his duty to see that the building
| was constructed in a good and work.
, manlike manner, as required by the
plans and specifcations-to see that al
+ the rods and anchors were placed in the
walls and arches and that no centers
were removed until their removal was
3 allowable under the plans and specifi
, cations-that the material be of goot
quality and properly placed. 1t i!
found that Mr.. Kean changed, or allow
, ed to be changed, the spring of th,
arches; that he allowed the removal O.
!, centers from under the arches; that h
allowed the omission OF tie rods ant
anchors; that he permitted careless
construction of the building, especial,
in the omission of north and south ii,
rods through the arches and walls.
In conclusion the jury says: "W
: find that G. N. Thompson and Jaco
Lee came to their death by the culpabl
negligence of j. B. Pattee, contractor
ami d. II. kean, superintendent ir
constructing the east wing GncludinI
: the walls and arches that fell Octobc
> %, 1889 of the Dakota hospitl for tn
\ insane near YanEton, Dakota. in viola
: tion Of the contract and contrary to tn
= plans and specifications"
From the finding Of the jury we hav
given only extracts, quoting only tn
L last paragraph verbatim. The conclt
l. sions of the jury were drawn from
It mass of testimony that it would tax
l. days to read.