St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-10
SHOULD Be INSPECTED
Coroner's Jury Recommends
a Cleaning Up of Cheap
Lodging Houses.
A Morning Newspaper Repor-
tor at Last Creates a
Sensation.
The Telegraph Wires to Go
Under Ground Without
Fertilizer Higgling.

coroner's jury spent yesterday
afternoon investigating the circum-
stances surrounding the death of Will
lam Tudor. He was the man suffocated
in the fire in the Liverpool lodging
house Wednesday morning. 1t came
ont during the inquest that Tudor lett
a wife and two daughters IN Hereford
Shire, England. six years ago.
This coroner's jury had a purpose in
view. 1t was to inquire into the man
ner in which lodging houses are con-
Quoted. Among the witnesses sum-
mOned were Chiefs Runge and Kenney,
Of the fire department, Police Officer
MorriSSey. Health Commissioner Kelley.
Building Inspector HaZen, Mrs. George
Wood, who managed the Liverpool, and
her son. and William NOlfOrd. manager
of the building. Tudor died of SutfOca-
ton. He had been dragged out of his
room and started down stairs by Officer
MorriSsey. 1t seems that he turned
back up stairs. He was partially in
t0Xlcated and did not realize his
danger. Chiefs Runge and Kenney and
Building Inspector HaZen testified 10 the
condition of the third floor of the build
ing at 24446 Henuepin. 1t was fire
trap of the worst sort. Building In
spectOr HaZen told about his efforts to
have the small wood partitions in the
building removed. But his hands were
tied. He could do nothing. After the
December fire in the same place, he re-
fused a permit Tor repairs. That did
not prevent the insurance people from
repairing the burned walls. William
WOlfOrd, manager of the building, said
he knew the third floor was in bad con-
dition. He said he had tried to GUST the
lodging house. But he didn't explain
why he gave Wood a new lease of the
third floor last fall. if ne was so anxious
TO be rid OF such an undesirable tenant.
DR.. Kelley said he never saw building
in worse condition from the sanitary
standpoint. The floors were old and
rotten ana covered with filth, the ac-
emulation Of years. The water closets
crowded in there. Altogether, the
lodging house was a place totally unfit
for human habitation.
All these facts were fully considered
by the jury in agreeing upon a verdict.
NOOHe was, they thought, crimlnally
liable for Tudor'S death. He was
started out of the building and re-
turned of his own volition. But several
persons we're anSwerable because of
the existence of such places, dangerous
alike to the dodgers and to the fiIemen
called upon to battle with flames there,
and all the parties concerned were Gems
SUred in the jury'S verdict: Wood. be-
cause he cond ucted such place; w i
ford, because he allowed, knowingly.
his building to be converted into such a
death trap, and maintained as such; the
insurance companies. because they
made repairs on the building without
the sanction of the building Inspector,
which Increased the liability to fire and
loss of life. The verdict closes with a
recommendation to the council. Neither
the building inspectors, nor the health
department. has the power to look after
these places. The jury recommends
that the council pass an ordinance con-
ferring upon some proper officer
the authority to inspect these
the Encouragement and TemOdeling
OF them, as prudence and regard for
human lite may dictate. The jury
found that there are other lodging
houses i'll the city in nearly as bad con-
ditiOn as was the Liverpool. This rec
OmmendatiOn is made that steps can be
taken toward preventing another fire
like the one of Wednesday morning, or
one even worse. That more lives were
not lost there was due solely to rare
good fortune. Seldom, indeed, is fire
in such place and at such an hour at
tended by so little Joss OF life.
The council will be asked to take some
action III line with the recommends
tons OF the cOrOner's jury. Three city
departments, fire health and building
Inspector. are behind the movement.
Mr.. HaZen's opinion has been frequently
expressed. DR.. Kelley went around to
some of them yesterday, and this is what
he said:
You can't imagine what pest holes they
are. 1t is enough to make person deathly
sick TO look at them. But the filth IS not the
worst feature about these places. The truth
is most of them are nothing but designation
houses. DIssOlute women entice men TO
them. Anybody can hire a room Tor any
length of time. No questions are asked.
The price Is all that is necessary. The prices
range from 10 cents TO - cents for nights
lodging You can imagine how much dis
ease is developed under these conditions
Then men and bOps are thrown pTOmlscOus
II together The cheap beds are about five
feet wide. 4 board about a foot high di-
vides them in the middle. They are arranged
like hunks When l visited some OF these
places at II clock this morning MANY of
the 1odgers'-sots and tramps for the most
part-were still snoring away in their beds.
Ii was a disgusting sight. We propose 10
clean these places ,Out. They are a menace
to health and life. They are all fire traps
Officer Morrissey testified yesterday
that probably 90 per cent of the people
WHO patrOniZe these lodging houses are
more or less under the influence of
liquor The fact that Tudor come from
HerefOrdShire was elected by Reporter
Graham, of the Evening Tribune, also
a HerefOrdman.