New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-14
TESTIMONY At TIE INQUEST.
NO REPETITION OF MONDAYS EXCITING SCENES
MORE CLERKS SAY THEY KNEW THE
BUILDING WAS UNSAFE

Washington, June I3.-By direction Of the Commits
sioners for the District Of Columbia the inquest
the victims % the Ford Theatre disaster
tinued publicly this morning In Wizards Hail. i'll
privately in the First Precinct police station.
Yesterdays exciting proceedings, when Colonel
Ainsworth besct by several hundred of his subord
mates and threats OF hanging him made. wer"
conducive TO the presence of the large crowd that
gathered in hall long before the hour for the
inquest TO begin. Tie 200 chairs Oh the floor were
filled by halfpast 10 O'clock and the gallery had to
be- opened for the accommodation Of the incoming
spectators. When the inquest began clerks and
others were crowded IN nearly every part Of the hail.
In order 10 prevent a repetition Of the trouble Of
yesterday, Lieutenant Amlss OF the police force, was
on hard with a squad OF officers. Many prominent
persons were also IL attendance. They included
Major Darse " Ransdell Marshal for the District Of
Columbia Representative Moses. of Georgia;
Brieadler- General Swain, the suspended Judge-.M-
,ocate General Of the Army, and John Tweedalc. CHEF
clerk of the War Department. Just before the In
quest Logan Judge jeremiah Wilson. wcll-known
Washington lawyer, entered the hall with Smith
Thompson. the elderly clerk who presided over the
Indignation meeting yesterday. Judge Wilson had
volunteered his services yesterday in the interest Of
the employees Of the records ana pension DIVISION and
his alreaIance the signal for an outburst OF
applause from the clerks OF that Office. hugh NJ
Taggar,, Assistant DisirctAttorney; .. NJ Thomas,
Attorney for the District Of Columbia, and John Is.
Iarrcr, representing the Board Of Trade and the
Builders Exchange, were also present. Colonel
Answorth and his attorney. II. Ross Perry, did not
appear.
Deputy Coroner shaeffer called the jury 20 order
a few minutes after IL O'Clock, and directed william
H. Mellack, a clerk who employed on the second
floor OF the old theatre luildng, to take the stand
Mr. MeIlsek described bis escape from the collapsed
building humorousy. He had he said, mapped out
a route of escape from the old theatre in the event
OF fire. He had heard the building described as an
cid rattc-trap and be had this statement confirmed
by seeing the or east WALL which bulged TO
considerable extent. There was a private staircase
In the annex the structure, but 1t was used only
BIZ Colonel Ainsworth and his chief clerk, Mr.. Brown
Dr. shaefer interrupted the witness TO state 10 the
,ury that he had received "A communication from the
secretary of War stating that the commission Of army
officers appointed 10 select quarters for the clerks
who were In the theatre building had selected
the Union Building, and he wished 10 know
n the Jury had any objection TO the removal OF The
furniture at once from the feminist structure 10 the
new Office. No objection was offered and the per
mission given.
Juror Warner. who stopped the outbreak against
Colonel Ainsworth yesterday said that after confer
ence with his colleagues he desired in the interest Of
getting at the facts quickly TO request that the Ques
lions be confined to several points, follows
-first-To prove the death Of the party In regard
10 which the jury was sitting
~second-Testimony TO the condition Of the build
ing before the recent work begun.
Thlrd-whether the recent work added 10 the
safe condition Of the building.
"Fourth-Who Is responsible for the disaster and
the death Of the party we ale now inqulnng into.
-rfth-wheiher such condition OF feeling exists
between the employees OF the building and their
superior officers between any other parties
results In suppression Of testimony. We the jury
shink this about the Material points involved
In this case"
TIE Deputy Coroner decided that although there
were eghty-six persons DESTROYS Of being heard,
only witnesses who could testify directly to the
points named should be questioned.
Continuing his testimony, Mr.. Meiack said he
hAisvsd the building dangerous but The did not
enrs to complain because he felt that II he
nasinsl his position vsud not be secure. He did