Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-09-18
nowAaD roULn,s rnAaIo DHArH.

HHe Fats d5 Feet rrom Near the Top
of Ihe Delaware Truck Ladder.
Howard II. Foulk, member OF the Della
ware Fire Company, was killed Saturday
evening last by falling from the COM
pRny's truck ladder during an inspection
which was being held OF the engine
house. A committee comprising j. o.
Williams, James p. Kerrigan, Elias b.
Windsor, Joseph Cannon and James
Cannon had been specially appointed to
inspect the truck and give it a thorough
examination. This had been completed
and while the big ladder was still ex-
tended upward Foulk started to climb it.
He was warned and demonstrated with,
but still persisted. When within dozen
or SO feet from the top, to the horror Of
the onlookers, the ladder cracked near
the base. Almost at the same moment
one of the sidea gave way and with
sudden lurch the ladder swung around
with its il fated burden dropping the un-
fortunate man from height Of over 60
feet to the ground.
Foulk was picked up bleeding and I'M
conscious and carried into the engine
house. Drs. H. o. Patterson and u.
Hertel were summoned whom 1t was dis
covered that the unfortunate man had
experienced the severest internal injuries.
One OF his legs was shattered and his
head badly gashed. Upon recovering
consciousness the physicians suggested
the patients being sent to the Delaware
Hospital. Wilson's ambulance was sum-
moned and the unfortunate man was care
fully removed. There were some hopes
of his recovery but he showed danger
GUS turn about s O'Clock and in half an
hour afterwards died.
In regard to the responsibilities in con-
ncction with the sad incident j. O. Will
| liAms, chairman of the inspection COM
mittee, makes tie following plain state
ment: "Wht we took the truck out we
decided TO test the extension ladder to
make sure that IL wH5 perfectly safe. To
prevent the possibility of an accident,
| we fastened a rope to the ladder and then
raised about go feet at an angle Of Is
degtee4. One committeeman then swung
his weight on the dangling rope, and we
discovered weak spot on one side of the
ladder near the truck. We at once con.
demned that side, and l ordered
the ladder to be lowered. Be.
fore my order could be obeyed
Howard, who was on the truck, an
nounced that he was going to the top be-
fore he was lowered AS soon as we saw
him on the ladder we called to hiIa to &C
bRck, that the ladder was unsafe. But
he kept on going, aud again we urged
him 10 go back. be would not heed oul
warning, though, and you know the re.
suit. He was in no way connected will
the test, aud his experiment was not {
psrt OF the inspection programme. The
committee had finished that, condemned
the ladder and ordered it to be lowered
when he made his unlucky venture. w,
are mortified OF the fatal accident, bu
consider we are in no way responsible
for the sad result"
Monday AFTERNOON Coroner Nevin O
Gamble summoned jury comprising
Peter a. Pagan, w. d. Belts, II. L. Price
John Wagner, George W. Quinn, JOIN
Thompson, Harley Prior, Joseph II. Cor
nish and Joseph j. Dugan, to inquire
into the cause of the death ofbFoulk.
The evidence of the members Of thu
committee OF the Delaware Fire Com
pRny, John O. Williams, Elias b. Windsor
James p. Kerrigan, John e. Henderson
and George Hartman, who were presen
when the accident happened showed thai
the ladder had been condemned before
Foulk had commenced his effort to oliml
it. ALSO that he was warned plainly no
TO do 80, and in face of the members' re
monstrance the unfortunate man per
sisted and asserted that he was going t,
the top. This he did. The facts of tn
accident including the manner of tn
breaking of the ladder WAS described b.
the witnesseE.
The jury rendered the following yer
dict:
ResOlogd, That Howard Foulk came &
his death from the etfe It's Of u fall, cause,
by the accidental breaking of ladder Of
the truck OF the Delaware Fire Company
and that the said company Is exoneratel
from all blame.