The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-20
FORD'S THEATER VERDICT.
AinSWOTth, DaRt, Covert and SaSSe
Held Responsible.

The Coroner's Jury Brings in It's Find
ing After Deliberating Two Hours.
Criminal Negligence on the Part of
the Men Named A1leged-No Arrests
Made Yet.
Washington, June 19.--It was decided
by Coroner Patterson to-day not to sum
mon Col Ainsworth as witness before
the coroner's jury investigating the cause
of the FOrd's theatsr disaster Col
Ainsworth was willing to appear as chief
Of the record and pension division and an
army officer, but not as an ordinary wit
ness. The coroner believed that nothing
could be gained by summoning him in his
his official capacity, and as Col. Aims
worth was not willing to appear as an or
binary citizen he thought nothing could
be gained by calling him.
The testimony this morning was prin-
cipally In reference to the character Of
material used by Contractor Dant in do
ing the work beneath the old theater
building.
The coroner's jury brought in verdict
holding Col. r. O. Ainsworth, Contractor
George w. Dant, Supt. Covert and Engi-
neer Sasse responsible for the deaths of
the victims, by reason of criminal negli-
nearly two hours. The verdict with much
surplus yerbiage, says that Dant exca-
waited The earth beneath one of the brick
pillars which supported the floors above
without in any way snoring or protecting
the pillar, and this caused the pillar to
fall, bringing down the floors above with
the results known. 'That Frederick G.
Ainsworth was the officer in charge
Of said building and the said
hot
Covert was superintendent of said build
ing and that Francis Sasse was the me-
chanical engineer and fireman of said
building, and the latter, although not an
architect or civil engineer, prepared the
plans and specification for the enlarge
ment of the said cellar, and said Aims
worth, Sasse and Covert, and each of
them knew, or ought to have known, that
said Dant was engaged in excaVating said
cellar and underpinning said piers, and
that he had not shered the columns and
beams of said building, or taken any
other precaution to prevent the fall there
OF or of said floors; nor did said Aims
worth, Sasse, Covert or either of them
take any precaution to prevent the fall of
said floors while the said Dant was en-
gagged in underpinning said piers or col
umns so as to protect the said clerks from
loss of life or limb by reason thereof;
but said Ainsworth, Covert, Sasse Dant
were and each of them was guilty OF
criminal negligence in respect of said ex-
cavation and the enlargement of said cell
lar, and the underpinning of said piers.
then being and about to be done therein,
we, the jurors aforesaid, say that the said
Ainsworth, Covert, Sasse and Dant, and
each of them, is guilty of criminal negli-
gnce, and we further find that Frederick
G. Ainsworth, William G.. Covert, Francis
Sasse and George w. Dant are RESPONSE
Bile for the killing of said Frederick B.
LOTUS. And we the jurors aforesaid
do further say that the failure of the
government of the United States to pro-
vide for skilled superintendent of the
work of repair and alteration of its build
ings in charge Of the war department is
most unbusiness like and reprehensible.
and we are of the opinion that if such
superintendent had been provided in the
case of the work on the Ford's theater
building the awful tragedy might have
been averted.n
At the request of the coroner,
Mr.. Thomas, district attorney, read
the verdict aloud. Not sound
disturbed him. 1t was supposed the an
nouncement would be followed bya scene,
but when District Attorney Thomas fin
ished reading and laid down the paper not
man In the room spoke. There was an
oppressive silence for moment and then
the voice Of Mr. Amiss requesting the as
semblage to file out quietly was beard
His instructions were obeyed to the let
ter.
Coroner Patterson decided not to issue
warrants for the commitment of Messrs.
Ainsworth, Dant, Covert and Sasse until
tomorrow morning in order to give them
an opportunity of obtaining bail.
Col, Ainsworth has already secured
bondsmen.
Contractor Dant is very i'll at his resi-
dence suffering from nervous attack
brought on through the accusations made
against him in connection with the dis
aster.
Bondsmen for Col. Ainsworth and Con-
tractor Dant had been procured in ad-
vance, discounting the verdict As soon
as Col Ainsworth learned the nature of
the verdict he went to the court house
with bondsmen to surrender, but there
was then nobody to receive him and no
warrant awaiting him.