The sun., 1893-06-13
RITTER AGAINST AINSWORTH.
-,o SCENES AT THE INQUEST OYER
THE FoRD,S THEATRE VICTIMS.

z-.rrmeut Clerks Place the Responsibility
mr. the Disaster on Col. Ainsworth-The
e.ou,ed .Hnne Him. Hang Him" and
x.a. N Mad Hush Toward Where He
s,,-Tuo OF Them Testified that They
p,a Not Protest Against Remaining In
,,. RuIIdinr, which Was Known To He
r,.,,e, Recau-e They Feared Discharge.
v,sprxsToy June 1.-THE inquest over tho
N.a,os Of tie victims OF tho Ford's Theatre
s,,s,er was begun to-day at IL o'clock in
WIZARDS Hall. adjoining Wllard's Hotel.
.oom capable OF accommodating about 500
n.rsons. Just at IL Col Ainsworth. Chief OF
mo Record and Pension Division. who has
Nam placed on tho defensive by implied accu-
cations that lie was responsible for tho pres
.rso of clerks in tho old building, entered the
h.ll and on gagged in short consultation with
hls attorney. Mr.. II. Ross Perry OF this city.
About hundred persons were present. most
o,them the clerks OF the Record and Pension
Division. with sprinkling Of War Department
ofacials. builders. contractors and policemen.
Dr. ShaeiIor. the Deputy Coroner OF the Dis
triet, conducted the inquest
The Deputy Coroner called the jury to order
and preiaced the investigation by q statement
vas something OF an experiment. and he nd
mopished tho public present to keep perfect
ouiet There was nobody on trial. he said.
The Jury would simply endeavor to get at the
i.ets in the case. He said that tho inquest was
TO be held over the remains Of ]. A. Chaplin.
whose body had been selected for that purpose.
BENJAMIN Reiss. n clerk OF class l. Record aud
Pension Division. War Departme ent. employed
IN the old theatre building. WAS the first wit
ness called. He had been excused, lie said. nt
po'cock on the morning of the disaster on ac-
count OF business. and was not present when
the building fell. He had not seen any area
roped of as dangerous inside the old theatre.
For several years he had heard it rumored
that the building, particularly the rear wall.
which did not fall. was unsafe.
Charles Troutman, n clerk in the old theatre.
whose desk was on the first floor described
the fall OF the floors and his escape. He said
he knew instnctively that the excavation had
caused the accident. He knew OF no protest
having been sent by EN- mpoycs in the building
the authorities about the dangerous con-
dtion OF the building. He had been warned
gJ. W. Webb. in charge Of the first floor. not
toapproach an area on that floor which had
been roped off while the excavation was going
on Mr. Webb had given him this warning
knowledge no orders had been issued about
the insecurity of the building. except an un-
official warning not to walk over the roped- Off
srace. He saw no underpinning of the first
floor. He had heard the roped of space call ed
"the dead line" Tho day before the accident
he had seen Col. Ainsworth examining tho
roped- of space minutely, and no thought he
went down stairs to sec the excavation. Col.
Ainsworth came nearly every day while the
excavation was going on. The old employees
Of the building had told him 1t was shell and
a death trap"
Smith Thompson. o clerk In the theatre
building. who made bitter speech denouncing
COL Ainsworth at the relief ID Getting on Friday.
testified that when the accident occurred he
was at his desk at work, on tho second floor to
The rear OF the light wall the part Of the build
ingyhich did not fall In describing his ex-
psnsnce ne said that there was no fire escape
onthe building and only one door for entrance
and exit. He had hooked an umbrella to
window sill and lowered himself by it to lad lad.
escaped from the building.
Q.Had you ever heard any warning about the stair.
@ I I fqas6ny M6a xers Or hs
r.iiwsy notified US with Sated breath .hat It wasCoi
un sS s Sa
2, hsss or one was
trap but and
,ns mornns @ eosed e,ser from
friend lady. in which she said she ected dis.
ad.aih trap.
Just at this stage in Mr.. Thompson's testi-
mony there was strange scene; illustrating
majority OF the spectators were clerks who
were employed In the old theatre building.
sss wRa bs o saa ssk m T be
tGsatrG building toward their superior officer,
~, That y Of a6iect tear." answered Mr.. Thomp-
"A slight buzz and shifting Of chairs fol-
Swfa sStanant then n sIight eHppipg 9f hands
ne attempt at applause. but he was too late;
snast aTusst OF thandcinpping followed that lasted
we're we're sitting. DR.. Shaeirer looked astonishea;
osa so1 Ainsworth ns grew red. Dr. ShaeIer then
aver which the hearing proceeded;
Mr, Warner said he had asked the question
isejns isfnse saere seemed to te telie that the
every man in the Office was such. that had
fnsy made suggestion as to the safety OF the
uons Mr. Warner asked il there was such a
,ssIlng Of fear that the clerks were afraid to
Gon e,sh ,ss9sGtesIns rs to tho dangerous condi.
vt .it was. Nj. Warner: emphatically it was"
was the answer
&4s 4ie feeling, and he said it extended to JACOB
thhrensh. Col Ainsworths right bower, and
Wo enronic pessimst OF Washington" and to
~. ~ h Brown. chief clerk OF the building.
sSSeuusrson " Carter. n clerk on the third floor
me wrecked building took the stand, hut
Se.Sfo S.So ne began his testimony DR.. Shaeffer
UNar. as follows
me matter q the investigation now in progress.
In,S S"rnhti Jury In regard the loss OF life on
60 t,lo. at The Tenth street build ny which wns
b,,lpeu ol HE Record md Pension Otce OF the war
S,b.theht the department Is Informed tuat annra.
iSs1 eAlsts among the department .mploy,ss tnnt
IeopaIIlk" Their positions by tcstifylng he.
me Jury II seems hard necessary Tor IN. "a az
anch apprehension Is entirely groinIess' I'M ~,
n,Eo 10 employee OF tho department viii ,nunIrn-'I,
EI0h IN any way on acc0unt Of amy such s,tt,,ns s
wv" oeioro 'he 'urohtrs lnTy IN tins case ''
.Mr; Carter was asked by Mr.. Warnor aho,.
Heri Me iiee''nG pe'wecn Col Ainsworth and lis
,t, hotks, ,tt Gat nr; shaeiIer Interrupted. sHyine
,at saas she inVestgntinn must be confined to ths
Mr. Cartor said that there had been n coro-
hon. Iumor among the clerks that the
building was insecure. He had heard cn,un1
tomments about the insecurity OF the huiiaH'
hg Wl!le the excavation Was hoinc mnje ana
Snly tho other day. June 3 or 4. Wiilinm
ThieiDer. who was killed In tho disaster sn il
.ohlin, pointing to the ONravat lon, Garter
eetheyro digging your grave" Both ScLrel
Ser S ana Muledy, who also was killed had ire-
suently spoken to him about tho dangerous
condition OF tho build dng '"'
INC ilrst witness q! the afternoon session
vas va, David II. +. Brown. third floor clerk, who
luD II nal a