Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-16
CRUSHED BY A FALLING STONE.
One Man Killed and Two Persons Injured IN
Building Accident.

Six men were sworn this aftern Don by Cor
oner Patterson to inquire into and determine
the cause of Thomas Payne's death, and the in
vestigation was begun at 2 o'clock at the sixth
precinct station.
The deceased was killed in an accident at the
McGill building on G street near the corner Of
9th street northwest, two other persons being in
jured at the same time. They were MorrisWright,
a colored man. and Lille Webster, thirteen
year-old school girl The building, which is not
yetcompleted, is being built Of brick and brown
stone. A rough board fence erected in front
of the new building prevents pedestrians from
walking near the unfinished structure and
leaves space OF four o. five feet for the foot
passengers.
The accident happened just about 4 o'clock
In the afternoon and was caused by the falling
of large stone which had been hoisted to the
top of the fifth story. The heavy piece Of
brownstone fell through the scaffolding
taking to the pavement everything in its
path. 1t had been raised by an inch rope and
something gave away just as the top story was
reached. The falling of the derrick hurled
to almost every part of his body. The men
who were at work below heard the
crash and they managed to get
piece of the scaffolding caught him, knock
ing him senseless. He was badly injured about
the body.
Lille Webster, the little school girl, was pain
fully but not seriously hurt. piece of the
falling timber broke two of her teeth, cut her
arm and inflicted scalp wound.
Payne and Wright were put in the first pre-
cinct patrol wagon and driven to the Emer-
gency Hospital. but Payne died before the
physicians could examine his injuries and his
body was removed to the morSue. He lived at
No. 939 25th street.
Wright was attended by the physicians and
was soon after removed to Freedman's Hos
pital- The Physicians found that he was suf-
fering from conclusion of the brain.
DIR. Atkinson put several stitches in the
scalp on the girls head and she was taken to
her home, No. Ills l4th street.
THE TESTIMONY.
The first witness called to tell how Thomas
Payne. colored, came to his death was George
W. Bradley, the foreman in charge of
the stone work ON the McGill build
ing. He testified that he present when
the accident occurred. The stone, he said,
was raised to the top of the building.
sixty feet, and the men were getting ready
to land the stone when he heard a
noise like; something giving way. He
he said it than the stone fell. He missed
Payne from the men who were working on top
and some one told him that Payne had fallen.
The coroner said what the jury wanted to
know was what caused the accident and
witness said that the eye bolt pulled
out the derrick. The stone, he said,
was hoisted inside the wall, blu;
when the accident happened i, struck
the wall and toppled over. If the stone had
been landed he said it would have been safe
One side of the derrick wGs broken by the fall
WAS there any defect in the derrick the
coroner asked.
None whatever" he responded. THAT was
the fifteenth stone hoisted and each one
weighed two tons light"
The coroner spoke OF other accidents in which
derricks figured. and he thought there was too
much slant to them.
Witness assured the coroner that such was
not the cause in this case.