Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-06-13
A WILD SCENE
At Coroner's Inquest Over
Ford's Theatre Victims.
"Hang Him, Hang Him." Shouted the
Clerks at Col. Ainsworth.


Inquest Adissrsss in tAs Tuasis- -cisrks
| Held Indisaatiea nsstins.
| WAsHIS6ToN, June l2.-The inlness
over the bodies of the victims of the Ford 5
thes,er disaster commenced today in Will
ARDS hall. Col. Ainswofth, chief of the
record and pension division, who has been
placed on the defensive by the implied ac-
cusatons that he was responsible for the
presence of the clerks in the old building,
ent. most of them clerks in the record and
pension division.
Dr. Shaffer, deputy coroner of the dis
trct, conducted the inquest. which WAS held
over the remains of J. A. Chaplin, whose
body was selected for the purpose. Ben
jamin Reiss, clerk of class l, record and
pension division, war department, employ ed
in the old theatre building, was the first
witness. He had been excused, he said
at O'Clock on the morning of the disaster,
and was not present when the building fell
lie had not seen any area roped of
as dangerous inside the old theatre.
For several years he had heard it rumored
that the building, particularly the rear wall
(which did not fall, was unsafe. He
heard no talk about the dangerous condition
of the building within month. day or
two before the accident he had seen Col.
Ainsworth at the building; he was there
while the excavation was going on.
Charles Troutman, clerk in the old thea
tire, whose desk was on the first floor.
described the fall of the floors. and his
escape. He said he new instinctively that
the excavation caused the accidents. The
witness knew Of no protest being sent by
employees in the building to the authorities
about the dangerous condition of the build
ing. To his knowledge no orders had been
issued about the insecurity of the
building, except an unofficial
warning not to walk over the roped of
space. He saw no underpinning Of the first
floor. Had heard the roped-Off space called
the dead line" The day before the acci-
dent he saw Col Ainsworth examining the
rOped-off space minutely, and thought he
went down stairs to see the excavation.
Col. Ainsworth came nearly every day
while the excavation was going on. The
old employees of the building had told him
that it was a shell and .'death trap"
Smith Thompson, clerk in the theatre
building, who made bitter speech, de-
nouncing Col. Ainsworth, at the relief
meeting last Friday, testified that when the
accident occurred he was at his desk at work
on the second floor, to the rear Of the light
wall. part of the building which did not
fall. lie said there was no fire escape on
the building and only one door for entrance
and exit lie hooked an umbrella to- the
window sill and lowered himself by it to
ladder which some one below him held thus
escaped from the building.
The witness said Servants and mes
sengers of Col. Ainsworth were stationed
on the stairways and notified us with bated
breath that it was Col. Ainsworth's orders
that employees should 20 easily on tiptoe up
and down stairs. The building was known
to all the clerks as a death trap; but ones
bread and butter depended on working
there SO what could we do?"
Mr.. Warner, juror, asked the witness
what was the feeling of the clerks in the
theatre building toward their superior Off
Ger, Col. Ainsworth.
That of abject fear" answered Mr..
Thompson impressively.
A burst of hand-clapping followed. 1t
cane from the portion of the room where
most of the clerks were sitting. DIR.
Sheaffer looked ast0nished and Col. Aims
worth grew red. DIR. Shaeffer lectured the
offenders, after which the hearing pro-
ceeacd.
Mr.. Warner asked if there was such
feeling of fear that the clerks were afraid
to make suggestions as to the dangerous
condition of the building.
sEmphatically there was was the
answer.
Mr.. Thompson said the feeling of fear
extended to Jacob Frech, 'Col. Aims
worth's right bower" and q. b Brown,
chief clerk of the building.
A letter to the coroner from Secretary
Lamont was read. 1t stated that no en-
ployee of the department will en1anger his
position in any way on account of any testi-
mony give before the coroners jury in
this case.
Jefferson W. Carter, clerk on the third
floor of the wrecked building, said it had
been a common rumOr among the clerks
that the building was insecure.
David II. 2. Brown. third floor clerk,
testified that since Jan. 6, 1888, he had
heard the building was unsafe. He had
been instructed to go carefully up and down
the stairway in the theatre building nearly
every day bg messenger called "Saf-
gent" Mr. Brown said there was much
feeling about the insecurity of the building
and great many clerks would have pro-
tested, if they had the courage to do so,
against being kept in the old theatre.
What had the clerks to appprehend?" 2"
was asked.
discharge" said Mr.. Brown.
The witness said that ever since the work
r l. H. xrlI .C
the unsafe condition of the Office. lie
thought the building overcrowded.
J. J. Smith first floor clerk said he had
heard the clerks say they had protested to
Col. Ainsworth against the escape of gas
while some repairs were going on. He was
aske if he knew of any clerk being dis
miss ed for making protest on account of
the gas. The witness said Mr.. Sayer. one
of the gentlemen who protested had not
been disturbed. He contradicted other
witnesses in saying that everybody in the
building had confidence in Col. Ainsworth.
Any feeling tina, might have been developed
was not directed to Col. Ainsworth, but
other officials, particularly Jacob Frech.
| Albert U. Crosby, third floor clerk was
called.
While he was being examined a man
walked slowly to the place behind Col.
| Ainsworths chair and said something in
such loud voice that it brought the warn
ing ..sh-h' from some of those present.
The man stepped forward, and standing
behind and directly over Col. Ainsworth,
cri-d in voice trembling with passion:
"You murdered my brother. III like TO
know what right you have to sit here and
| intimitlate Witnesses
| There was a moments silence after this
outburst, then a wild shout of approval
Col Ainsworth sat calmly in his chair.
Police Lieutenant Amiss pushed the dis
turber towards the doorway.
| Who is he2" asked some one CHARLES
| T.. Banes, whose brother was killed, was tho
reply from dozen clerks. Shouts of clerks
continued. That's right" ''He did it,
s'Put him out" were the endorsements OF
the accusation made by Banes. Words
from the police lieutenant finally brough
quiet.
Juror Warner suggested te the coroner tha
the episode showed that the existence Of the
feeling could best be silence,l by the with
drawal Of the party against whom it va,
directed.
There is the belief" said Mr.. Warner
among many Of those here that his pres
ence serves As intimidation to the witnesses
I 7 atsSct IN ffts. prpsorra If any fpprxf,7 ~ bs