New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-02
BEGINNING THE INQUEST.
A SEARCH FOR THE CAUSE OF THE PARK
PLACE DISASTER.
SEVENTEEN WITNESSES EXAMINED BY THE
CORONER AND ASSISTANT DISTRICT
ATTORNEYS

ATTORNEYS
Inquiry Into the causes which led to the destruction
Of the building in Park Place and the death u Sixty
two persons who buried in the ruins was begun
yesterday in Part | Of General Sessions before
Coroner Hanly and Jury composed Of the folo"lng'
John p Leo. architect Pntrick Looney, preSsmah ;
William 2. Clifford, chemist; Joseph Lamb. ehurch
furniture Timothy Hayes, printer; Patrick Hail. rai
estate: Theodore L. DE vinne printer; James W. NC
Barron. machinist; Charles II. Pleasant, druggist
Langstaf y. Crow, builder; Walter Dickson, architect
and Albert r. LedOux, chemist. Assistant DStr'cV
Attorney Bedford suggested tho line OF e&sminahon'
which was conducted by Assistant District-AttorneF
Townsend. The trend of the examination OF the VIII
TO get at the facts about what caused te
building 10 fall. Efforts made to prove that inc
building overloaded, and that the tenants were
aware of the unsafe condition Of the structure
Seventeen witnesses were examined and each one was
most closely questioned, not only by the Assistant
District Attorney. but by the Coroner and the jury
II was drawn out that the fourth and fifth stories OF
the ilI-faed building held the presses Of Lebler d
Mass and also photographic stones and large guam
tty OF paper.
II was proved that the motion of the presses caused
no apparent vibration of the building. There were
eight presses, weighing about 1000 pounds each. on
the two floors II was proved that one end Of each
press rested on the girder each floor. The only VI
braton ever noticed by the tenants in the building
WAS when "A heavy case Of paper, weighing between
500 and 600 pounds was moved around or tipped
over The violent conclusion OF the heavy weight on
the floor invariably caused heavy strain. and in some
instances was so severe to shake the chandeliers
and globes in the restaurant on the first noor'
However no complaints were ever made concerning
the unsafe condition OF the building. MI LieDler
testified that he considered the building safe and as
eod m rock and took pride in its general appearance
II was definitely proved that all the lthographc
,rosses except one had stopped running from ten 10
dfteen minutes before the building fell quantity OF
naper had been received about IL m on the day OF
tbe accident 1t weighed about 540O pounds and was
evenly distributed on the fifth floor
Andrew Petersen who was the proprietor OF the
restaurant had been tenant of the building for over
eight years He testified that he thought the building
had been unsafe for three years, but still he had never
made complaint to the other tenants or to his land
lord Louis Ferlleman and John Wiihof' employees OF
Petersen were in the basement when the building fell
They escaped through hole which they aug bo1h
testify that they saw paper flying the street and
heard slight explosion. They both turned BACK llo
the Kitchen and the crash came almost instantly
They got into the icebOX. and later succeeded In org
cling their way ont Just as the fire broke out Inc
boiler attached TO the range, they testified, dd not
explode
charles lea a commission merchant, whose oihce was
on the other side OF tine street. a posuNeB 20 NJ
Iiebler gave as an estimate that there were on Dou
floors about $4,000 pounds. rms amount lhcluueu
stones naper and presses. The last press was put III
three wears ago The rate OF insurance he had TO pay
Varied from 10 10 per cent The high rate was due
TO the fact that there were many tenants IN te
The Inquest will be continued to-day at 10 ~ Il. H.