Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-06-17
THE WASHINGTON INQUEST.
A Rumor That the Excavating Contractor
IsGoing Crazy.
Try telegraph to tho Dispatch.

WASHINGTON. ID. c., June l6.-COntractOr
Dant. who was dong the work which re-
suited in the collapse of the Ford Then
tre building. ls IN q serious condition and
II Is feared that his mind will be affected
bv the disaster. Ever since the disaster
he has been a sick man, his malady beng
ofthe BRAIN rather than of the body. Once
or twice be lott his residence with plans Of
work he had under way, but was compelled
to return to his home. Whenever spoken
10 about the calamity he would break
down completely and cry like a chlld. His
condition the past three or four days has
been so serious that the doctor has pro.
hibited his leaving the house and denied
the presence of all save the members OF his
family. The subject of the accident IS
positively prohibited. Mrs. Dsnt said this
morning that her husband was very de
spoudent and that the accident preyed
upon his mind TO such an extent that she
feared permanent injury would result.
The report upon the street was that MIR.
Dant had gone crazy.
Augustus DAVIS. builder. and an nm
successful bidder for the electric-llgh
plant work said be thought the plans Tor
the work were such that no man could
form from them au intelligent idea OF
what was wanted He had told Captain
Thorpe. Chief Of tho Supply DIVISION OF
the War Department, that the work was
dangerous. Nothing was contained IN the
sueclhcations that provided for support
INC the upper floors during the excavation
work In his opinion no reasonably-lntcl-
Goent man would have attempted To DO
the work without snoring. He said he had
told Contractor Sims before Captain IhOrp
that If the contract were let TO some -
| fool he mlght pull down the building.
A STIR was -aused among the spectators
when the name Of William q. Covert,
| g a.. old
iug, was called Testimony given at the
inquest had pointed him out "a having
something to do with the work OF putting
IL the olectric-hPht plant.
Attorney Thomas told Mr.. Covert that
he had been called TO see II he wished 10
make statement, and Mr.. Covert declined
the offer. He had nothing TO do with me
work, he said. and, IN fact. knew nothing
about such matters. tie added that Coi-
onel Ainsworth had cautioned hlm par
ticularly not TO give any instructions 20 the
contractor but TO 60 down INTO the cellar
a. much Us possible and If he saw anything
wrong. or that, III his opinion, was calcu-
Lated TO eudanger the building, 10 notify
hlm (Ainsworth). The witness did not
know whether snoring was necessary or
not As Colonel Answorth observed the
work himself lie did not make any report
on 10 20 hun.
After James II. McGill. an architect. bad
testified that any man III his right senses
would not have done such work a. that
beneath the theatre without shorirg ;
that a competent draughtsman should
have drawn the plans. and that an expert
should have superntended the work, ac'
cording TO custom, the jury adjourned at
4;2O o'clock until tomorrow, when 1t IS ex-
pected the INQUIRY will be concluded.
ANOTHER DEATH FROM THE DISASTER.
WASHINGTON. ID. G.. June 16.-A. L.
Ames. who was injured IN the Fords 8;
Theatre building disaster last Friday, dled
at the Emergency Hospital to-nlght. Mr.
fractured leg. and injuries to the back.
lie rad been improving during the week.
but was taken with diarrh1a, and death
crs,,ed from exhaustion.