Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-13

the wall bulging out. He did not
know then that there was another wall. Then
he saw that there was only one staircase. the
clerks not being permitted to use the one in
the annex. He noticed that when the clerks
went out at o'clock that the. staircases were
insufficient in case Of panic. so he had ex-
plored the route by way Of the wash room
WANT TO GET TO WORK.
At this point the coroner stated that he had
received letter from the Secretary OF War to
the effect that the commission which had been
looking for building for the record and pension
Office had decided on the Union building. He
wished to have the furniture moved from the
old building to the new as soon rs possible. He
wished to know what the wishes Of the jury
were as to the removal
After some discussion 1t was decided that the
furniture could be now removed without OBJ
structing the work of the jury.
TESTIMONY AS TO CERTAIN POINTS.
Mr.. Warner stated for the jury that after a
conference they had concluded that testimony
should be confined to certain points:
l. To prove the death.
2. Testimony a. to the condition Of the build
ing before the recent work was commenced.
8. Whether the recent work added to the un-
safe condition Of the building.
4. Who was responsible for the death.
5. Whether such condition Of feeling exists
between the employees of that building and
their superior officers, or between them and
any one else, as results in the suppression Of
testimony.
The coroner stated that he had received last
night the names OF persons who said they could
give important testimony. 1t had been impos-
slble to follow any fixed plan The theory the
coroner was proceeding on WAS that they should
take first the statements of the eye witnesses.
1t was the privilege Of the coroner Of course,
to select, and, in order to economic time, it
might be necessary to hear only two or three
witnesses on the same point and rule out cumu-
lativs testimony.
Mr. MELLACH REsUMEs.
The examination Of Mr.. Mellach was then re-
sumed.
The witness. in reply to questions by Mr..
Warner, said he knew J. H. Chaplin, whose death
they were investigating, but did not
One Of the clerks told him that the ropes that
were stretched over q section Of the first floor
were the dead line" The witness
knew that the excavation was going on
but never visited it. Witness had not been
cautioned about going up and down stairs softly
and down. He had been ordered Out
OF the hospital back to work before he should
have gone to work He made break that day,
however, and got out pretty quick.
WHY HE DIDN'T COMPLAIN.
Witness bad never complained to any Of his
superiors about the insecurity of the building
He felt that they would "have it In fol
him" IL he did. The witness was asked il be had
any knowledge Of clerks being discharged fol-
making such complaint and said he had not
The witness said he ha>. not gone down into the
excavation because he was afraid to 20 down
there. He said he had had two accidents
in three months and it had been pretty lively
year with him, and while he was not any more
afraid than other men, he wasn't taking
chances when he did not have to do it
The witness dld not carry any life or accident
insurance on account Of the supposed insecurity
of the building. He had q policy which hat
lapsed, but be had taken it out on general prin.
cipies. He remarked that he was a member
Of cavalry troop for two years, aud he though
that was insurance enough, as 1t was general,
understood that you cannot kill cavalryman.
ERNEST A. BoEGER.
Ernest A. Boeger Of 2l45 L street northwest
computer in the naval observatory, was tn,
next wisnesa He was mot present at the build