Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-19
CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE.
-Four Persons Held by the Coroner's Jury
for the Cold Storage Building Disaster.


-Four Persons Held by the Coroner's Jury
Tor the Cold Storage Building Disaster.
After prolonged investigation the coroner's
jury investigating the GOLD storage building
calamity on the Chicago fair grounds reached
averdict late yesterday afternoon The jury
held for the grand jury the following persons,
u. d. burnham, director Of works at the worlds
fair; Fire Marshal Edward Murphy Of the
worlds fair fire department.; J. b. Skinner.
president OF the Hercules Iron COMPANY. snd
Charles A Mcdonald, secretary and treasurer
Of the Hercules Iron Company.
The verdict was the same in all the cases,
and read as follows: 1--WE, the Jury, find that
the deceased came to their deaths from in-
turies and burns received At q fire in tho cold
storage building at the worlds fair grounds
on July 10, 1888, and We End, from the evil
dence presented, that Charles A Mcdonald,
John B. skinner, ID. II. Durham and Edward
w: Murphy be held TO the grand jury for
criminal negligence, and there held uus1 dis
charged by the course Of hw."
director Of Works Burnham said last night,
This is great surprise TO me. 1 was never
ofbcisIy notified Of the unsafe condition ~ the
cold storage tower, and Engineer Shsnkliu
never reported the tower as dangerous"
Some of the Evidence.
The evidence given before the jury yesterday
included the statement Of Samuel A Rsther-
mel, assistant secretary Of the Traders' Insur-
anoe Company. He testified that In . conver-
sation with Marshal Murphy on the evening OF
June IL the latter told him that the cold stor-
| age warehouse was one Of the most dangerous
buildings, as regards fire. on the grounds, and
that the tower was especially dangerous. Among
insurance men the cold storage warehouse Was
| regarded rs q bad risk, and insurance COM
psnies had cancelled their policies on the build
Ing because Of the large number OF fires that
| had already taken place there. In reply 20
| Marshal Murphy, the witness stated that fires
IN the cold storage buildings usually resulted
| from explosions.
T. C. Shanklin, chief engineer OF the worlds
fair, next took the stand and testified shat 10
| was under his supervision that the changes ia
the construction of the building from the orig
insl plans were made on account Of the in-
stability Of the ground which the world
lair buildings were erected and the high wind
pressure 10 which they were subjected The
architect OF the building and the owners we're
responsible for the omission of the thimble on
the tower.
The coroner here began a series OF QUESTIONS
that completely bafaed Mr.. ShanklIn, who was
finally cornered rs to whose duty II was 10 see
that the concessiouaires carried out the plans
first shown the construction department. Of the
exposition.
The coroner asked Mr.. shsnllin IL hss men
had ever stopped the construction Of any
worlds fair buildings. and Mr.. ShAnkliD said.
The GuatemAlan building was stopped aud one
or two cafes were made to quit when In the
midst Of building"
In reply TO Marshal Murphy, Engineer
Shankliu said he had heard Mr.. Bur3hAm ask
Mr.. Alsup Immediately after the fire for plans
Of the building, and In the course Of the talk
with Mr.. Durham Mr.. Alsup said he had, on
several occasions, warned the warehouse people
about the building and had called the attention
Of the officers OF the warehouse people 20 the
4arff has fha In "A e.-l<
them to put il there, but they did not do 60.
Hans hehefeldt, O member Of truck No. g.
at the worlds fair, testified, corroborating Mar.
shal Murphy's story Of the rescue OF Capt Fitz
patrick. Continuing. he said he heard u M
one giving any orders to 20 mp the tower. Ths
men went Of their own accord, thinking u tn,
best way to put out the fra.
Chief Swenie was the next witness he teeti
fed that he had received report Of the ere o,
June IL In the cold storage building from Mar
shal Murphy. There was q diagram accompany
ing the report, showing the unsafe condition o.
the chimney at the time OF the fire. hshovet
that there wood exposed near the sop O
! the stack. 81 Endorsed the report and sent 4
back to be transmitted TO the proper aufhori
ties. / do not know whether the alterstioni
, were made. II was not my business 70 see tina
, IL was done. should think il was the business
, Of the worlds fair authorities"
do you think q fireman would be justified II
sending men mp into that tower under the cir
cumstsnces2" asked the coroner.
81 could not pass upon that without beint
present at the time. did not get there unti
the tower had fallen"
President Skinner Of the Cold Storage Com
, pauy then tried to get the chief te %,
) that the fire was not properly handled. bu
: failed
Chief swenie finally admitted, however
, that he would probably have chopped int
. the base Of the tower had he been there snS
! known - much about the character q tn