Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1893-06-17
STARTLING SCENE.

A Sensation ut the Inquest Over the VIC
Tins OF tho Washington Caiamity-Csi-
oncl Ainsworth Threatened.
WASHINGTON, jane 13.-There was
startling and senan tional scene at the
inquest in the Fcrd's theater disaster
after the recess Mr.. Charles +. Banes
denounced Col Ainsworth as intimi-
dating witnesses and immediately there
was most threatening demonstration
against the colonel.
The testimony was proceeding quiet
ly, when the dramatic scene occurred
suddenly and without warning.
Mr.. Banes walked forward and when
close to Col. Ainsworth shook his fist
in his face and in a voice trembling
with passion, cried out: You muir
dered my brother, and You have no
right to sit here and intimidate wit
nesses."
There was dead pause. Then Mr.
Warner, one OF the jurors, said that
owing to the evident feeling displayed,
lie thought it only right that anyone
who might be implicated in this matter
should be asked to withdraw. Intense
excitement followed.
Mr.. Perry, counsel for Col. Ainsworth,
got on his feet, but bowls and shouts
from all sides drowned his voice. In
vain he appealed to be heard.
Excited men were shaking their fists
and cries of murderer" etc, arose.
Mr. Warner sprang on chair and APP
pealed for quiet and peace.
One man yelled: Kill him" and
"hang him." and general movement
was made toward Col Ainsworth, who
remained calm but pale.
Mr.. Warner, standing on chair APP
pealed again and again for peace, while
Lieut.. Amiss, of the police force. took
his station by Col. Ainsworth's chair
Finally Mr.. Warner made himself
heard and succeeded in quoting the
storm which threatened to add another
chapter to the horror, and Coroner
Schaeffer Immediately adjourned the
hearing until to-day.
AS soon as the inquest adjourned Col.
Ainsworth went out and got into car
riage and drove away. He was fol-
lowed by angry cries and imprecations.
THE INQUEST.
The .nquest began yesterday in
Wizards hall, room capable of &C
commodating about 500 people. DIR.
Schaeffer, the deputy coroner, was in
charge.
Smith Thompson. the clerk who had
denounced Col. Ainsworth at the relief
meeting Friday, said he had been n
civil engineer Every day he wept
below stairs and watched the progress
of the excavation. He saw no
pillars or props used in holding mp
the first floor while the excavation
was going on. The one stairway was
not sufficient for the rapid exit of one
half the clerks in safety. In going
down the stairway he had heard clerks
call out: Take care, the stairs are I'M
safe"
Messengers of Col. Ainsworth told the
clerks with bated breath that it was
the colonel's orders that the clerks walk
softly and go up and down stairs on
tiptoe. The building was known to all
of the clerks as the death Trap" but
their bread and butter depended on
their work there, so they could do moth
ing.
At this stage in Mr.. Thompson's tes-
timony there was strange scene illus
trating the bitter feeling against Col.
Ainsworth. A majority of the specta-
tors were clerks who had been en-
ployed in the old theater building. Mr..
Warner, one of the jurors, asked the
witness what was the feeling Of the
clerks in the theater building toward
their superior officer, Col. Ainsworth.
THAT of abject fear" answered
Thompson, while slight buzz and
shifting of chairs followed and there
was even some handclapping. The APP
plause came from the portion OF the
room where most of the clerks were
sitting.
Col. Ainsworth grew red and the
coroner lectured the offenders.
A letter from Secretary Lamont was
read giving assurance that no clerk
need fear dismissal on account of his
testimony.