New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-14
CRUSHED TO DEATH.
TWO MEN KILLED AND A THIRD INJURED
oARELEssNEss THE CAUSE

cARELESSNESS THE CAUSE.
Two laborers were crushed to death by fall
ing wall in Spring-st. yesterday, and the fore
man who had been directing their work was
mangieo IN such manner that he was believed
10 De dylng when an ambulance took him TO
hoSpitaL There was no room for doubt THAI
tne accident was natural result of carelessness.
The old three-story building No. 15l Spring
81. changed hands a few weeks ago, and tho
new owner decided TO erect a larger building on
the lot j. II. Parker, a building contractor of
west IWenty-fourth-st., got the contract for the
work, and he engaged MscGregor Il Donaldson,
OF No. $50 West Twenty-sixth-St, TO tear down
the old building Eight men were taking down
the old walls last week, and yesterday morning
when they resumed work they had got the front
and rear walls down as far as the ground. The
west wall was down as far as the first floor, but
part Of the east wall still remained standing
ana was not braced properly. Building inspector
John j. McArdle looked at the standing wall half
an hour before noon, when Its top was about
twelve feet above the fioor-bcams Two pieces OF
lumber were leaning against IT, Twenty minutes
later the wall fell.
Five men were working on the first floor when
the wall fell, and they went down to the base
ment under the avalanche Of bricks. Among
them was George Thomas, of No. 534 West
Ihirty-hfth-st, the foreman in charge OF the work
He was partly buried under the rubbish, and
Martin llealy, Of No. 337 West Twenty
ST., and Thomas Crow, Of No. AIS West Fifty
third-st., escaped with slight bruises and they
helped to carry Thomas out of the ruins
For few minutes a cloud of dust obscured
the wreck. Foreman Lawlor and several hremen
ran from the englne-hOuse in Wooster-st., and
Lawlor sent a call for ambulances. The hremen
cuErled out the body CT James Joseph, German,
Of No. 4S2 West Forty-second.st He had been
killed outright His corpse was carried to the
Prince-st. station. Foreman Lawlor found Thomas
in a shop opposite the ruins The injured man
was in great agony, but still conscious. When
asked about the number of men at work at the
time Of the accident he feebly drew from his pocket
a book In which the names Of the men were
written. Daniel Gillon, young iaborcr Of No.
lO4 Bayard-st was missing, and little later
his body was found in the ruins. He had been
killed by the load of bricks, which had covered
him. his body also was carried TO the police
station TO await the arrival of coroner. An
ambulance carried Thomas TO st. Vincents Hos.
pital, and late in the afternoon the surgeons said
that there was some hope for his recovery. The
men who were killed were said to have families
Inspector McArdle said that the wall fell be-
cause the workmen had left il without proper
supports. Mr.. MacGregor said he had warned the
men 10 brace up the wall Some Of the work.
men who escaped declared that the fault was
with tn: wall, which was too rotten TO stand.
One of them said 1t is a wonder the wall didn't
fall while people were living in the house" No
arrests were made