New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-18
CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE SHOWN.
STRONG EVIDENCE AGAINST TINE CoNrRN'Ioh
AND TIE GOVERNMENT PRESENTED
At THE INQUEST

woeiinc,on u e. June l7.-i;eorgc w. Daht'
a.. controctor was severely condemned by the evil
aopc. given to-day mt the coroners Inquest over 'h'
bodies Of the Fori's Theatre victims ai'h"np SOM
NJ those who gave testimony against his m''h"uS
spoke highly Of lis ability ~ prntuch rl''h'i"
and lricklayer. The United staios "0V'fhih'h' "'"
,nc I'm for rs share Of condemnation for IL methods
Of doing construction work. Several expert VII
ncsscs testified that tn" best contractors did NOT
coro ia do work for the Government Thomas j.
Kane a contractor and builder, said that III" ""''
eminent did not want skilled men TO execute HS 'o"
tracts, ana +, would not pay fair prices Tor e"ou
work The Government. said Mr. Kane. WIN" II
posted Itself u 10 tie financial s'"hnlhg oi "
buildcr or contractor cared I" know nothing about
his skill or ability. An architect testified ''"' 'h'
cement used in undcrpinnng the piers supporting th"
old lnilding was little better than mud
| huId.r said that the manner OF the work was
suicidal
one contractor, a friend Of Dnnt said be was not
I'm good health Iii, witness. Robert GARRISON. t"si
fled Tint the accident was caused by criminal hegll-
gcncc in doing the und'rpinning work.
During Tho morning session Mr. IianN"y. one Of
fine inror, lcuu,tcd the Coroner TO oommunicai" with
Colonel Ainsworth, o. H. Brown, chief clerk In the old
| theatre binding: Mr.. Dant and ID. Il. Pullman th"
su contractor t. ascertain If they wished to make
any statement to the jury. Mr.. iIanycy and the
other Jurors insisted that this did not mean that
! Colonel AnswOrth nccua'd or that the Jury had
determined to hold him responsible in any way. TIA"
Coroner TOOK the request under considerations
The attendance al the afternoon session was greater
| than at any previous Sitng. Expectation That The
| examination Of witnesses would b. concluded and n
verdict reached by the Jury caused the Increase but
the crowd was disappointed, for the Jury adjourned
At o'clock until Monday morning. 1t Is almost
certain that the testimony Will end that day.
A full hour was consumed IN the examination Of
J. r. ImbIic who was charge Of the second floor
I'm the old theatre building. matters affecting the
conduct Of business IN the Record and Pension Olcc
and Colonel An,wOrhs relations Ia his clerks. Mr..
! ln,hr, requested that he be- allowed testify to
correct statements tending to show that Colonel Aims
| worth knew Of the dangerous condition Of the old
building. TO his knowledge he said, the clerks gen
| cssllv were apprclrnsly" of danger AMI no
plant, had been made 10 him In this connection. Scl
complaints would 20 through him 10 Colonel AiSwOrth
Mr. Imbri" SID that ..olonel AinswDith was strict
disciplinaran ANA Chief FTrch but III" clerk
'rc,tcd harshly except through the operation
Of the strict discipline when prevailed In the Wir
Department. Colonel AinrWOrth not different
in his ratmcnt Of clerks from other War Depart
nIcut off ias. II true that there not that
that might have existed. bat that shodl not have
prevented the clerks from making their wants known
He knew Of only one cast where complained
1t about defect In the gas pipe, and 1T has
been rCancdied.
The man who made the excavation beneath IN,
building r.. Il. Pullman, testified that Dant employ 81
him 10 do the work. lie had Inspected the worn
frequently. but apprclcnded no danger. ID was Mr.
Pullman's opinion that either superintendent Covert
A Young electrician named swan said he had In
spcctcd the excavation before the accident and Il
struck him that the underpinnng n poor piece o
work.
COMMANDER LYON A VICTIM OF FATE.
wasbincton June II (Spccian IN luck eccms IN