Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-17
JOHN BURL TESTIFIES
He Tells the Grand Jury About the Ford'a
Theater Disaster.
He Also Talks 10 . Star Reporter and Gives
His Personal Experience on the DAY
Of the Frightful Accident,

John Burl, the colored laborer whose testi-
mony. as heretofore stated in The STAR, the
grand jury were anxious to hear before con-
cluding their investigation Of the Ford's The.
ater building disaster, on the 9th Of last month,
was well enough to appear before the grand
jury this afternoon. Burl is the man who dug
the earth from beneath the pier, which ia gem
orally supposed to have been the immediate
cause Of the accident.
After the presentment Of the Indictment tho
dicted parties. This done the case goes
on the docket Of the Criminal Court
to be called for trial at the pleas
ure Of the district attorney. No trial
ID. possible much before October next, although
it is the intention of District Attorney Birney
to call the case for trial at the
case comes up for trial it is more
than probable that fierce legal battle will take
place over the Indictment For, however care
fully 1t may be drawn, it will hardly meet the
approval Of the attorneys for the indicted par
ties This legal battle may be begun
when the parties are called on to plead to the
indictment, or they may plead then, waving
the right to subsequently, withdraw their pleas
and demur. The latter course, as 1t springs
the objections Of the defendants to the indict-
ment upon the prosecution at the last moment,
will probably be the one pursued.
Talk With Burl.
In conversation with q STAR reporter Burl,
who is quite an Intelligent man, stated that he
went to work in the excavation at the
& rord's Thssssr as building the Wednesday pre-,
l was shy Of the work, he explained, ''and told
the other men digging there and the brioklsy-
ers, too, that I didn't like the looks Of things
there.
1.-The first noticed, and noticed it the very
d., A. ~ -
arches was cracked. But the other men and the
old crack, and said there warn't no
danger. But, ~ say, didn't like the looks
Of things, no matter what they say, and, to tell
you the truth, sir, ! thought that 1t wasn't SO
lot Of dust and dirt came down from the arch. y
referring particularly to the morning Of the
disaster. Burl said: "a short time before the
crash came I had gotten through dig
gine the earth from underneath
the pier that fell, and one Of
1t by putting bats under it. 1 just turned
around with my pick and shovel, looking out
on 10th street, when the bricklayer, I dOe.n't
know his name, says: believe
this arch is giving way With that sir,
turned round quick to look at the arch, the
turned round the arch opened and the floor Le-
hard ss could, ITS falling, it's falling, and
started down one Of the archways to the
back Of the building. But. Lord bless
you, sir, hadn't got the words out Of
crash and the biggest kind of dust
Of the archway, and ono brick hit me in the
chest and another one hit me in the back,
knocking me to my knees.
But through all the dust could see at the
md NJ xhn hue h. A,,~n H~hx 49,
from the alley in the resr Of the building,
and for that I made my way on
As I could, sir. And, thank
the Lord, got there. But tell you, sir. it
was only through the miraculous care Of the
only way can explain It
Whom 1 got to the end Of the archway.' "
continued Burl, Il climbed up the ladder
to the alley. Then see the folks
at the windows trying to get down:
So / pulled the ladder up and helped
como down. But didn't stay round there
very long, for I began to feel the effects
Of the bricks what struck me, and
had lost my hat. SO the sun
and the blows Of the bricks began to sicken me.
l went right home, but went down to the build
ing the next day. didn't see much, however,
for they wouldn't let me In the building"
Burl said that at the time Of the accident
he was working for Mr.. Pullman, the exca-
vator, and had been working for him since
then, excepting the ten days he had lost
by sickness. He said he did not tell Mr.. Pull
at the Fords Theater building, but was
certain that all the bricklayers and
laborers there knew Of his fears. On the morn
ing of the accident he did not see Mr.. Dant
there, but he did zee him about there the day
before.