Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-28
THE RESULT or THE INQUEST.
PyrOtechnist Wilson ExOner-
ated From ALI Blame.
Result Of the Inquiry Into the
Columbus Day Tragedy.
Very Little New Evidence Brought
Out-The Jury Blames the Commit-
tee in Charge for Not
Asking For Police.

Out-The j ury Blames the Commit-
toe in Charge for Not
Asking For Police.
The coroner's inquest into the causes
Of the Columbian night calamity in
this city finally came to an end yester
day morning.
Improved to be one of the most ex'
tensive investigations of that character
ever held in the county, over go wit
nesses having been examined. Coroner
Weldon devoted himself to procuring
every man. woman and child who could
possibly throw any light upon the tragic
affair, and great many of Them proved
that they could not throw light On a
four-foot lot If they had the handling Of
1000 power electric light.
As the real facts in the events leading
up to the explosion became manifest,
the rabid feelings against w. III. Wilson,
the manager of the fireworks, died
away, and after deliberation lasting
over two hours, the coroner's jury
framed verdict exonerating him from
blame.
The inquest was reconvened yesterday
morning at 8 9'o'clock in Justice Stanton's g
court room, the coroner having an
nounced few more witnesses. They
did not throw any new light on the ac-
cident.
Clinton Mitchell was sworn and testi-
fed that he lives at 1923 South Olive
street. His father is employed by Mr..
Shook in Mott alley. He did not tell
his father that he saw boy pour pow
der in the mortar. He was outside the
rope at the time of the explosion. His
father ent to look for him after the
accident and he was home and in bed
when his father returned. He told his
father it seemed to him like a cannon
had exploded instead of mortar, but
nothing was said about powder.
Bernard Berg, resideing at the corner of
Main and Fifth streets, testified that on
Saturday morning there was a crowd on
Second and Spring streets, and he heard
some men say that there must have
been double charge of powder in the
mortar or it never could have happened.
He never told Mr.. Mann or any one that
he saw any boys pour powder in a
mortar.
Mrs. Eliza Pedgriff, residing on East
Eighth street, testified that che and her
daughter and children were at the fire.
works. She stood in front of the ship,
and three boys went by her, and one of
them said, I'VE will now go back to
our gang" She said the crowd was very
boisterous and seemed to be rushing
along towards the man who was manag-
ing the fireworks.
This closed the testimony, and the
jury were taken into an adjoining room
to deliberate on their verdict. They
finally rendered it, copy being at
tached to the documents in the case of
each of the seven victims of the BURST
ing mortars. The following is the lam
guage Of the verdict, after recitiDg the
names OF the dead:
"They came to their death from in
juries received from the explosion of two
mortars at the fireworks display at the
Columbian celebration Friday night,
October 21, 1892. And it is the opinion
of this jury:
First-That the mortars used for the
purpose of firing bombs had been tam
pered with by some person or persons
unknown to this jury.
Second-That w. II. Wilson, the man.
ager OF the display of fireworks, did all
in his power to preserve order and to
protect the public from accident, and in
the judgment of this jury he is exoner-
ated from all blame of the accident.
Third-That in the judgment of this
jury if proper police protection had
been furnished by the committee in
charge of the Columbian celebration the
accident would not have happened"
Mr.. Wilson, who had voluntarily re-
mained in the city prison until after the
inquest, left that establishment in the
afternoon. The verdict has set at rest
any attempt at bringing a criminal
charge against him.
The managers of the Columbus day
celebration felt very sore over the criti-
cism of their remissness in not provid.
ing police protection, and claim that the
police authorities should have done so
without any prompting on their part.
The verdict was quite generally com
mented upon during the afternoon on
the streets, and while there was very
little bitterness displayed towards Mr.
Wilson, it was generally regretted that
nobody should seem to be responsible
for one of the most terrible accidents in
connection with the use of fireworks
which has ever taken place in the coun
| try.
Mrs. B. Bunkers has sent to this of
| fee an acknowledgement of the kind
ness of friends and neighbors in th'
time of her need, consequent on TIM
death of her husband from injuries re
ceived at the accident. She expresses
Der gratitude in particular to the Italian
| eOiOuv