Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-06-20
FOUR OF THEM HELD
LEAVES NO DOUBT WHATEVER
Ahsuorh. sa~se. Cussvs asA oAss
wssp t's.sA Cssnh.aiay N<sik-
ar~s-wtu ~ Ass~sssn Isdny.

WAnntSsgos. Juns l9s--(,oroner Pat
tes~oa deeiticd 70 sumusoa ColonsI
Ainsvosth - vitness brfnsv ths jury
ins~stsasting ths fori's tks&ter disns
sss. Your u the iazy requested hh
presrnce. and tso vero ipdinerett
Aittough the taking of t<ssinouy - nos
6slshsd. Il - definitely ststsd that the
jay. In IN verdict. ~lIl hold Col ". g.
Ainswcstb and Contrartor GeoWe w
Dsns responsible for this disaster. aud
ps~ssbly incIusies Covert aud Sasse. sup
sriuiendent and enginees respectively of
the fnined building. in its f,ndinSH II
the sufdset h brought In after ocls-rk
ehis afternoon. and this seens probable.
Coroner Patterson will not issue the
commifmenfs to jail II the parties nc.
eus~~i until Tomorrow. in ovdcr nor b,
compel them 10 spend night in the
poliee station Al I'D the jury rctir~i
20 eonsisler the verdict =
Finding or the Jury.
The jury were out nearly two hounk
Tbs versflct rocstcs the death II Fred II.
Lotus. upon whose body the inquest
MAS held. fron SQUADS by him received
oa his body aud head. bs reason u the
falling a a portion II the floors u thr
nr~t. -~-ssond and third story of the build-
nx known ~ ford's theatre. being used
by the Unitci Stsfe~ government for the
record aud pension division of the war
department.. anil While said building
sa- 80 occupied tho cellar thereof WITS
bcing sxeavatcd and enlarged by George
W. Dsnt for the purposes II accorilno-
dxtiag an electric light plant for nee in
szid building. The finding further re-
fef.s a. the ABSENCE u shoring. oe other
means a. protect the building during
the pFa-,~ss a excavation. by reason u
which oae of the piers fell causing the
fall % the fioors and tho consequent
crushing and killing.
Csiby OF iAssus' Death.
The jury further find that Fred q.
Ainsworth vas the officer In charge Of
said building and the said clerks. and
that William C. Covert was superinten-
Sa<ss yan the mechanical engineer and
fireman of szid building. and the latter.
although not an architect or civil en-
gineeF. prepared the plans and spcciiica
fiors fo< the enlargement ~ said cellar.
ert each of thrIn knew or ought 10
have known that the said Danf Was en-
gAgcsi In ~xravating said cellar and un-
certsnninS SAID piers. and that he
had npf shorcd the columns and
hsauS - ssivt bu<ksiug or taken
Any other prccaution b, prevent
the fall thcreof or ~ said flnors. nor siid
they. the said Ainsworth. Sxsse. Covert.
or either u them. tax. any precaution
10 prevent ths fall u raid floors while
the said Dante sss engaged In under.
plnElnx sasd piers or columns. 50 a. IL
protest the said clerks FROM ioss of life
or linsb by reason thereof: but tho said
Fred &. Ains~osfh. William a. Covert.
Francis sasss. George W. Dnnt were
and each Il them sss guilty q criminal
ncgii.yeac- in respect 10 the said escava.
tion and enlargement of sand cellar aud
the unficrptnntng ~ said piers. and are
Responsible for tho killing Il said Fred
Il. LOTUS.
Will H. Arrested Today.
The Jurors further say that the failure
cf the government to psosisie ior skilled
surefiutendence of work Il repairing It's
builfing ia charge of the war depart
ment II snku-incsslii<e and responsible.
They believe such -uperintesidencs
rsight have aver,ed tho catastrophe.
An opprrssvs siience followed the
reading ~ the verdict. after which the
s-Seushlage filcd out quietly. The coro-
ner wili not i-rns warrants Tor the com
mifmenf 20 Ains~ortb. Danf. Covert
and Ssasss until tomorrow I'm order Ia
give thea an opportunity u obtaining
hail.