Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-06-22
Finding of the Jury Over tho
Theatre Victims.
FOUR MEN HELD RESPONSIBLE
Ainsworth, Sasse, Covert and
Dant Held to Answer.
The Accused Voluntarily Surrender and
Their Cases Sent to the Grand jury
on the Charge of What
the Coroner's Jury Declared.

There was u smaller attendance Than on |
, previous days at Wizards Hall, where the
Inquest was held, because luuSt Of Colonel |
Ainsworth's uninjurcd snbortnatCS were
at their desks, in the new quarters secured |
for them.
Interest in the session this morning cen
tered in the belief that Colonel AiuswOrlh |
would be present TO insist that lie had Il |
right to appear but the crowd was di5ap |
! pointed.
r. Ross Perry Colonel AinsworI's at-
torney, was in the hall lew minutes |
before the inquest began, but he with |
drew before Coroner Patterson called the |
Jury to order. Lieutenant Anliss and
r; squad Of policemen were present to nrc-
serve order.
As decided yesterday by Dr. Patcr-
SON, the old Jury was resuinmoned
for the new inquest and this morn
ing the coroner and the six jury
men went to tilcuwoud cemetery and
viewed the body of Frederick i. Lotus,
one Of the victims whose body Hes in
,'receiving vault there. The proceedings
were devoid of sensational character. the
evidence being directed exclusively TO the
ascertainment ofthe cause Of the building
collapse.
/, WisHISGToY, June l6.-ln the con
tinued inquest on the victims Of the
4 Ford's Theatre disaster, to-day ]. {, En-
twistle, the building Inspector oil the Dis
, trict, testified that the mortar used in the
l ulItTullOIS Was ndNl anu liz VI I'm N''l IA
y badly done. II lie had had authority IL
prevent it he would not have permitted the
work to be done in the way il WAS, Tor
there was too much risk.
Architect CLARK, Oi the Capitol, testified
that the weight on the floors was consider
ably less than the safety limit,
rumor prevailed III the jury room that
Contractor Daniel, who performed the
work, was nearly crazy over the excitement
caused by the disaster.
A. |. Ames of Iowa, who was injured in tho
FOrl's Theatre disaster in Washington, died
at the Emergency Hospital In tliat rty last
Friday night
WAsHINGToN, June l9.--Coroner Patter-
son this morning declined Ia summon
Colonel Ainswurth as witness before the
jury Investigating the Furd's Theatre dis
aster. Four of the Jury requested his
presence and two were Indifferent.
WAsHlNGroN. June l1---Coloncl Aims
worth, chief Of the Record aud Pension
Division Of the War Department, and III
charge of the Furd's Theatre building
Contractor Daut, Engineer Suysc IuC
Superintendent Covert were This afternoon
found guilty Of criminal negligence and re
spOnsible for the ltuSi's Theatre disaster
by the cornner's jury. They We're bel,
by the coroner for indictment for man
slaughter by the grand jury, The penalty
upon conviction for the crime is ~ year
i'll the penitentiary.
The courts having adjourned for til,
day, Coroner Patterson did not issuc thu
commitments, but will do So to,morrny
morning, so that the accused need no
spend the hot night III stuly polio
station.
When the arrests are made to.morrovtll
probability is that all. the accused Will b
released ON bail. The coroner jury ais
condemned the cheap contract methods g
the government.
APPROVAL OF THE VERDICT
The verdict of the Jury is approved b
every one who has followed the te,;itnun
taken by the coroner. except the person,
friends of the accused Every lair-mlllr
man who knows what the witncssrs at III
inquest have testified to realizes that tn
verdict of the Jury WAS the inevitable rul
Clusion from inc evidence. The rc-puus
bIlity for the disaster was clearly an
plainly fastened upon the four men vii
have been held for The grand lur. actIo
by the evidence, sOthat there Was nuthlu
TO do but TO give them tie consequences
this responsibility. Colonel AinsWOFt
and his friends charge the Jury With preil
dice, and also the coroner with unfalrncs
because he woHld not let Colonel Ain
worth aud his counsel take par Iu the ii
quest hy calling, examining and cruS
examining witnesses.
The members of TIE jury wheth
preiudlced or unpfej JUDGED, would have
ignore the facts brought uut in the ties
mony ii they had brought in any 9th
verdict, and the coroner could not la
granted Colonel AinswortL's request wL
ont abdcating his own authority and iW
tons. The members Of the Jury were ,e
anxious to have Colonel Alnswurth Sui
moned AS witness and made another a
peal to the coroner to-day, hu, thr UUrun
said that he was Informed ny CpIOnpl NiI
wOrths counsel that he did not want
appear unless accompanied by counsel u
with power To take part " the inquest, a