New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-25
COL. AINSWORTH INDICTED. D.
CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER By THE
GRAND JURY
THE SUPERINTENDENT, ENGINEER AND CON
TRACTOR OF THE FoRD's THEATRE BUILD
ING ALSO HELD-A SEVERE
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBcSE.1
ARRANGEMENT.

Washington July 2i-Colonel +. c. Ainsworth'
George W. Dant. William f.. Covert ana FRANCES
Sasse whom a coroners jury held Responsible lot
the disaster at the Fords Theatre Building "here-
by more than score OF Government cierhs ioH'
their lives and many others were injured and
MANNED have been indicted for manslaughter oy
tho Grand Jury and will be held for trial under
bail Of $4,000 each. The report OF the Granh jury
which was submitted to the Court to-day - the
result of "A long and most thorough ana paihStak-
ing investigation. during which "A great many VII
nesses were examined. 1t shows that no care
whatever was exercised to provide for the SAFETY
or the hundreds of clerks employed In the build
ing oven the most obvious and necessary prccan-
t,ons having been neglected b.: the officials or
the War Department. by whose orders ana under
whose directions the building was uh iefinlnci-
The Indictment will not be pleasant reading Tor
anv Of the persons who directly or indirectly
concerned II sets forth that the persons indicted
had ..the entire care charge, control. management
and SUPERVISION OF the excavations ana other
work which caused the disaster. that II was the'r
duty to so regulate and conduct the work az
not to endanger the stability Of the building ana
to do everything and use every precautoh ]"
their power ito make the performance of the
work safe and secure. and free from danger 10 the
ljves Of the persons In the said building The
iury finds that the persons indicted were wholly
unmindful, negectful and regardless of ther uuty
in that behalf" and that they did "wilfully ana
feoniously neglect to perform said duty, ana 10
use and exercise every care and precaution IN
their power necessary to render and make the per-
formance of the work safe and secure and free
from danger to the lives of the persons In the
building" The falling OF the floors. which caused
the loss of so many lives, is charged to the cul'
pabl negligence acts and omissions OF the several
parties before mentioned
The indictment concludes as follows:
and so the Grand Jurors aforesaid upon their
aol1 EraI ing-
worth. the said George w. Dant the said Will
lam F.. Covert and the said Francis Sasse on the
dav and year last aforesaid and at the district
aforesaid and in manner and form aforesaid, hirn'
the said Frederick B. LOTUS. wilfully and felo-
niously did kill and slay, against the form OF the
statute in such made and provided and
against the peace and government os the said
United States"
The indicted men will be arragned to plead
probably on Friday, but II IL not expected that
the trial will take place until October or Novem-
Der. The penalty on conviction for manslaughter
is Imprisonment for period not exceeding ten
years and fine OF $Ov
Colonel Ainsworth. being an officer of the Army
will be subject to trial by a court-martal. what
ever may be the result Of the proceeding in the
civil court, but In case OF his conviction in the
latter court the loss of his commission would be
inevitable. No military proceedings in the case
will be taken until after the civil court has dis
posed Of IT, The question has been raised to
whether Colonel Ainsworth ought to be permitted
to remain duty in charge Of the Record and
Pension Bureau of the War Department pending
his trial. That Is matter wholly within the
discretion Of the President and the Secretary Of
War There is doubt that in time of
officer Of the Army or Navy under Indictment In
a civil court for criminal offence would be
promptly relieved suspended from military duty
by his superors. IL is presumed. however, In
view OF statements which have heretofore en-
anated from the War Department In regard to
this that Colonel Ainsworth will De allowed
to retain his place and discharge it's dntes pend
ing his trial Ii may seem strange To good
many people that this course should be pursued.
but they ought to remember that Answorth Is
colonel In the Army whose Commander In Chief
is the President of the United States and that
the men who were murdered in the Ford's The
atre building were Government clerks. II is true
that among the twenty-five victims were
who by their galantry and devotion during the
war earned the right to wear shoulder-straps az
honorable as those which Colonel Ainsworth who
never saw a battlefield. Is entitled to sport by
virtue OF special act OF Congress.