The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-02-20
THE HARTFORD DISASTER.
Careful Search of the Ruins Shows that Twen-
.ty-One Persons Lost Their Lives.

HARTFORD, Conn, Feb. 19-Work on the
ruins of the Park Central Hotel stopped at
1870 o'clock this morning, having reached
rather inefficient conditions at that hour
and the opinion prevailing that no one
could longer be alive in the debris. This
morning at o'clock it was resumed. 1t was
conducted under, or very near the remain
ing portion of the structure, and is at con-
siderable risk. The foundation wall of
what remains is crumbling, and the wind
is knocking down bits of brick from the
different stories. The whole is certain to
fall unless pulled down. The pulling down
is deferred until more bodies are found.
Meanwhile the rooms split in two are open
to inspection and suggestive picture of
the fiimsy construction is shown in the
walls. The building has long been
under suspicion. No Hartford insurance
company would touch it, and the local in
surance officers have personally denounced
1t to the city government. Work went on
this morning for several hours without
finding any bodies, but about IL o'clock the
news spread that two had been found and
in half an hour they were taken out and
covered with blankets and carried to the
.. w.
vim as the Rev. DR.. Perrin, of Terringtou,
wldely-known Congregational minister.
The other Is his wife. A third body has
just been brought in, and proves to be Will
lam Bohle, of this city, who had a room In
the hotel Work has been temporarily sus-
pended to allow the removal of that por-
tion of the hotel still standing, which is
constanG menance to those working In the
ruins. large fragment of the boiler has
been found seventy-tive feet from where
hnI nr.sor ,all
back of 1T, and weighs 240 pound.
= At P. NJ, the corner of the north wall,
with one of the chimneys. was successfully
pulled down, greatly lessening the danger
somewhat to the debris to be removed.
Body No. IL, the only one remaining un-
known, has been partially identified as s.
b. IllOway, of Cincinnati.
Alex. Thuyer, the engineer, who was ar
rested yesterday. charged with man
slaughter, was in court this morning. At
the time of opening of court, Amos Risley,
the assistant engineer, had not been found.
He was in charge of the boiler at the time
of banking the fire atmidnight. Soon after
the opening of court Risley was brought in,
and the two men, on a charge of man
slaughter, pleaded not guilty, and their
cases were adjourned for one week. Bail
has not been obtained. The men assert
that they are in no way responsible for the
horror. Thuyer was arrested five months
ago, charged with attempting to shoot a
man. The case will be before the Superior
Court.
The following is the list of the dead:
Buell., jeweler, Hartford; George Engler,
drug clerk. Hartford; j. w. Houslann, Bos-
ton; j. {. Hill, Buffalo; Louis III. Bronson,
wife and child, Hartford; Geo. j. Ketcham,
Hartford; Edward Ketchum, Hartford;
known; A. F. Tiliotson, of Cincinnati;
Thomas F. McCue, of No. 44O West Thirty
fourth street, New York, commercial trav-
eier; Mr.. Galody and wife, Hartford:
charred remains, presumed to be those of
wife; VIM. Boyle, of Hartford.
The ten. patients at the hospital are all
doing well to-day, and will recover. They
are:
"A. Lepont, New Britain, Conn.,; Jos. b.
Gorrigan. of Unionville: Enos James,
n. j.; Henry Stiffie, Philadelphia; Yelling
ton Ketchum. proprietor; Mrs. w. Ketchum;
Rachael Cramer, Avon, Conn.
The report that Mrs. Frank Wesson, of
this city, was with her children in the
Park Central Hotel at Hartford, at the
time of its collapse, is entirely erroneous.
The lady and her family are safe in Spring
field, and were there when the disaster Oc-
Cured, not having been at Hartford at all.
The remaining portion of the hotel proper
has been pulled down, leaving only the
fOur-stOry annex. This has filled the ex-
cavation already made. with an immense
accumulation of masonry, lathes and tim
ber. and at the present time it is very
doubtful whether any more bodies can be
recovered for many hours, if any are buried
in the rear part. Mr.. Pendleton, having
appeared alive the body of the night clerk,
Perry, and of Mr.. Whiting, are the only ones
believed to be in the ruins. 1t was thought
that Mr.. Writings remains were recovered
last night. but there is no reliable identifi-
cation. No bodies have been recovered
since noon.
At P. NJ. the military were relieved by
force of special police, and the work of
searching the ruins, which had been sus-
pended for an hour to allow the tired men
to procure supper and little rest, was
again actively resumed. The last body
taken from the ruins, at about noon, re-
ported as that of a tramp named Boyle. is
now believed to be that of William Sey-
mour, of this city, who, some time since
assumed the name of Boyle, and who has a
brother and sister residing here. The
chief of police has received a description
of Mr.. Illoway, of Cincinnati. by tele-
graph. which identifies the unknown body
beyond a doubt. The excitement has
greatly decreased, and only comparative
" small number of spectators are watch.
ing the workmen.
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