Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-06-12
Victims of the Ford Theatre Disaster
Nearly All Disposed OF.
WASHINGTON ACITY FUNERALS
The Streets Yesterday Filled With
Professions Of Mourners Fol-
lowing Loved Ones to Their
Graves-Rehef Measures Now
the Topic of Discussion-Pre-
pairing to Resume the Inquest
To-Day-The District Attor-
ney's Statement.

WASHINGTON, D. c., June 1.-THE
remains of the dead victims Of the hor-
rble wreck at Ford's Theater, Friday
have nearly all been disposed OF.
Washington was to-day a city OF
funerals, and all day long mourners
have gone about the streets. Every
one knew what the sad procession
meant, and the sympathy OF all was ex-
tended, albeit unexpressed in many
cases to the sorrowing stricken ones.
Inquiry confirms the statement that
none Of the victims were men OF pro-
perty. Most of them lived on their
salaries which furnished means OF live
lihood but left little for day like this.
Most Of them were married and some
left large families who are now left II
not entirely dependent upon friends or
relatives, at least lacking in funds Tor
immediate use.
Much OF the talk upon the disaster
is now of relief measures, and the cir
culalOrs of subscription papers In the
departments and the Washington news
papers In their efforts TO get their funds
for the relief of the victims and their
families are meeting with success TO
degree that does credit to the benevo-
lence of the city. The government
clerks are not generally well TO do, and
expenses of living here absorb most OF
their salaries, but few indeed were too
poor to contribute sum that appeared
TO be generous In view Of their means
for the relief Of the widows and or
phans.
The injured in Fridays catastrophe
now il the hospitals are, with the eX-
ception of two, in fair way to recover.
The serious cases are those OF j. I. NC
Cormack, Of Wisconsin, and FRANK
Metcalf, Of Massachusetts.
THE INQUEST.
Deputy Coroner Shager was engaged
to-day in making preparations for the
INQUEST which will be resumed to-mor-
row. He has subpGnaed several wit
nesses, and II is his intention 10 secure
all the eve witnesses to the affair be
can. Patrick Doyle, a contractor for
forty years in Washington, says that
five months ago he was sent for by the
officials of the record and pension di-
vision OF the War Department.
"They wanted me, said Mr.. Doyle,
'to take the job of undermining the
old structure for the purpose Of putting
in an electric plant. told them that l
would not touch the job. ! had severgl
reasons for this refusal The first was
that it was a risky and dangerous un-
dertaking; secondly, they did not have
any plans or specifications for the
work; thirdly, there was no civil engi-
neer or expert TO supervise the opera
tions aud the contractor was
supposed to go ahead at random
or in haphaZard manner; fourthly, tney
were niggardly about the amount they
wanted to pay for the work, and evil
IDENTITY desired TO have IL done In
CHEAP John fashion. For these very
good reasons l kept my hands oil the
work, and in tho light OF recent events
| am glad that / did, or to-day, per-
haps. | would feel like an assassin"
"If the coroner's jury finds a verdict
INVOLVING CRMINALITY
1t will be my duty TO report the matter
to the grand jury for investigation and
action" said District Attorney Brnie.
Indictments will probably follow unless
il is found that the blame is so much
distributed as TO make such course
impossible. This might be the case II
It was the belief Of the jury that Con-
gress. for instance, is the blameworthy
party. l have taken no action in this
unfortunate matter as yet, con-
tinued Mr.. Birnie, land cannot do
so until after the inquest. shall
however, send one Of my assistants to
attend the Coroner's inquiry and make
such suggestions as appear necessary as
to the course of the investigation and
the witnesses to be examined. You may
be sure that we shall follow the case
closely. / see that the War Department
is to have an investigation OF its own.
The result Of this, taken with the find
ings Of the Coroner's inquest, will be OF
value to me in case OF criminality being
established against any one. Between
the two Investigations it ought to be
prossible TO fix the blame, ii there Is
any"
The Kellogg Company Assigns
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