Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-16
PRO AND CON.
Criticisms Of Col. Ainswortb's manganese
and Words in HE Defense

and Words in His Defense.
That feeling in regard TO the recent disaster AZ
Ford's Theater. and also the general treatment
of,the clerks who were engaged in the Office, 10
shown by communications received by The
STAR from many sources Clerks and their
friends write severely condemnine the officials
Immediately in charge of the building. There
are. however, writers on the other side who de-.
fend Col. Ainsworth. not only on the charges
made against him in connection with the fall Of
the building but also from the general criti-
cismsas to his management Of the Office ana
treatment Of the clerks.
"fAIR PLAY" FOR TEE cIERKa
One correspondent saws:
The little piece in last nights Sr.n as tothe
fears Of the clerks is well put Mr.. Louis Bag
ger puts in his plea for Col Aims worth Ne
wants flair play" Yes. that is what bundre5s
Of poor bread-earning American citizens in
that Botany bay Of the government employ
have wanted these many years. even before Col
Ainsworth appeared on the scene. He found .
man there in charge as chief clerk who was .
petty tyrant from the word go" All who
could and all who were fortunate enough 10 get
transferred to the adjutant generals Office
prior TO the formation OF the II. and p division
| did so. Why? For the simple reason thai
there they were treated little more like
| American citizens. Col Ainsworth either from
Il
his man Friday" They were so near alike
| that they reminded one of the old darkey's de.
scrption Of the two twins: '.Dey be berry
much alike-especially" (either one you likel.
Had Mr.. Dagger TO earn his bread for himself
and family under such chiefs he would the more
readily understand the present position. An
employer who has more regard for the fear THAI
he instills IN his employees than for their love
ana esteem cannot expect much sympathy fog
| the results OF his tyrannical behavior.
MANLY Dealing" heads his letter with tho
question given above and SAYS: Some Of your
readers would like an answer TO this question:
IL may enable them TO understand WHY this
| furore, why these anathemas and above all t.
whv the shameful and cowardly cries of Hang
MIN! Lynch him.-cries which have done much
| 70 in1ure the good name OF Washington and OF
the clerks in the various departments. though
perhaps none OF them were SO unnianly and
foolish as TO join in such cries.
What has Col Ainsworth done? He had
nothing to do with selecting that dark and
noisome BLACK Hole" He found it there and
| the clerks crowded into il when be came here In
1856. ard he had no power TO change their
quarters. On his superiors and Congress not
on him, must rest the responsibility OF the
selection OF that gloomy and unhealthful build
ing. de removed the lateral book cases and
| 80 added quite a little to the needed light he
removed tons Of files and documents and so
lessened what danger attached TO the building
He suggested or approved the introduction Of
an electric plant into the building. the excava.
tion for which would add TO the ventilation
thereof. All the clerks rejoiced over the pros-
pect OF more light and purer air. The War
Department, In Its usual way, advertised for
proposals TO do the needed excavation and gave
the contract to Mr.. Dnnt, an experienced and
skillful man. During the progress OF the work
Col Ainsworth repeatedly went into the exca-
walton, showing clearly that he apprebeneed no
danger, which fact thoroughly refutes the senn-s
tional story that he had ordered the mcs- /.
sengers to notify the clerks that they must walk
very carefully up and down the stairs for fear
OF bringing the building down upon their
heads.
NCol Ainsworth is no engineer. and IL any 1
danger was probable the War Department 4
should have depu'ed an engineer to note the 4
progress OF the work. That department knew
that Ainsworth was not an engineer and there-.
fore would scout the idea that his inspection Of
the work was al that was necessary. Either
upon the contractor or the engineer branch Of
the War Department, not Ainsworth, rests the !
responsibility.
The coroner may, in his Judgment. exclude
him from the coming inquest but il will be .
shameful confession Of cowerdice IL he does 90,
for the jury may find Ainsworth guilty Of :.
murder, an unbailable offense. and he has !
rights which should be respected. Clerks, in ,
view Of protection at the hands OF Presidents !.
Cleveland aud Secretary Lamont, OF which :
they have been assured. put themselves in Q :
Illuminating position when they assert that they
have not the courage TO tell the truth, under :
oath. before Ainsworth. II is time that the !.
high minded members OF that Jury, while seek :
ing to ascertain all the facts connected with the )
sad deaths at Forcs Tneater, should remember Z
that they have no right to bring odium upon Q
respected citizen upon ex pGrte testimony. for /.
men have testified that they were afraid Of
Ainsworth's revengefuness who would IL Crosse:
examined have further testified that they havs
no personal knowledge Of him whatever. Cross
examined, and the bitterest of them would
have said that they knew nothing against him
but that he rushed his work too hard Not one
Of them could testify TO any evidence Of inhu-'
manity on his part.
Let us have manliness enough to do justice to
all and give 10 every man open. square
chance to meet all accusations against him.
THINGS THE PUBLIC WANT TO KNOW.
Zone OF the Sufferer writes: Some Of the
things the public want to know are: II. as Mr..
Covert says, the clerks we're cautioned to 20
down the stairs carefully for fear they might
hurt themselves in their school boy haste. why
the men stationed on the stairs told them il was
by order Of Col Ainsworth who feared foI the
building?
Why was there no competent engineer In
charge Of the work?
Why was the building which had been de-
clared unsafe in the eighties. with q recon-
mendation that half Of the force then there
should be removed. not only kept but an addi-
ment and that building left with only three OF
four clerks in many of the rooms?
Why was it that IL, as Mr.. Covert says, 20
much care was taken to make the work safe.
that none Of the clerks saw any evidence Of this
care?
Why. IL Ainsworth was q proper person to
be over men, so many tried 10 get away rom
the Office after he was placed in charge that
Mr.. Frech told them that Col Ainsworth did .
not wish any one TO ask for transfer; that If
they wanted to go TO any other Office they
might resign, which some OF them did suisse
quently rather than stay under HIM!
Why. il Col Ainsworth had done what hs
knew 70 be right. should he place himself on
the defensive before being sccused2 Was 10
conscience. that doth make towards of us all?
How was il that Col Ainsworth never heard
that the building unsafe. when il was COM
mon talk among the clerks and had been fro
quently mentioned in the daily newspapers?
1t is a well-known fact that many Of the
clerks fear to testify 10 what they know simply
for the reason that they have families TO sup
port and no other way TO do it, They reason
that, though there may be no doabt of Secre-
tary Lannon'S good intention to protect them
while here. that is less than four wears at the
longest. and also that il is easy to trump Q
charge against any one. such incompetent,
insubordinate offensive partisanship or any
other excuse they might make; and how is the
Secretary to know? This feeling has had the