St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-11
THE JURY'S CENSURE.
IT IS DIRECTED At THE MANAGE
MERT or THE BETHEL.
NO MEANS TO ESCAPE FIRE.

The Coroner's Jury Holds 1t Quest
on the Death of the Unknown
Man-Gasoline Stove the Cause
of the Fire-Testimony Unfa-
vorabIe to the Boat.
The coroner's jury sitting on the
charred remains of an unknown man
found in the ruins of the burned Bethel
boat made up its findings last evening
and submitted them to Coroner Whit
comb. The substance of the findings is
as follows:
That said unknown male person came
to his death on the night of July 5,
1898, by reason of the burning of the
Bethel boat, located at the foot of Sib-
ley street, OH the levee; that said fire
originated in the kitchen from gaso-
line stove. We censure the manage
ment for want of proper precaution for
the preservation of life in case of fire
and lack of convenient means for es-
cape in the construction of the boat.
The coroner's jury, as summoned by
orOner f. H. Whitcomb, who presided
at the inquest, consisted of Frank
Robert, foreman; Jacob j. Esch, NJ. E.
Foley, Patrick Conley, Frank Erling
and Charles Friend Jr. These gentle
men had viewed the remains of the
unknown man found in the ruins on
Friday evening. and on Saturday the
bones were inferred in Oakland Gene
terry. An adjournment was then had
until last evening, when the coroner
and jury met at the undertaking rooms
of Johu A. Willwerscheid, 461 st. Peter
street.
The Investigation lasted from o'clock
until z, and several witnesses were ex-
amined. The testimony was to the effect
that the fire originated
From the Gasoline Stove
in tine kitchen, which exploded from
some unexplained reason. Rev. David
Morgan, the superintendent of the
Bethel, stated what he knew about the
origin of the fire and the number of peo-
pie OIL the boat. He stated further
that the boat was capable of accOmmo-
dating ninety persons. He also said
that two good means of going to and
from the boat had been provided. and
that Waterman was kept, whose duty
it was to be on the lookout until IL
O'Clock, by which time all on board
were expected to have retired.
Capt. Smith, of the Oracle Mower.
testified as to hearing the explosion and
the subsequent fire and escape of peo-
pie as already detailed in the GLOBE.
3. Alderman, the night Waterman,
testified that the fire broke out at 10
o'clock while he was putting man to
bed or soon after he had shown him TO
cabin room. He was not very direct in
the information he sought to impart.
He estimated that the boat could accom-
mOdate sixty people.
Chief Jackson, of the fire department,
told what he knew about the fire, and,
being asked as to the safety of the boat,
said that he would not like to have
slept thereon, as he had no confidence
IN its safety or fire protection.
Daisy Waiting, the chambermaid,
knew but little about the cause of the
fire, but told about the scenes of escap-
ing people.
Deputy Oil Inspector Foreman testi-
fled that the gasoline used in the stove
had been inspected and that it was
above standard.
The jury, in talking the matter over,
leaned to the opinion that it would be
wise for the city to prevent the housing
Of so many people i'll a boat constructed
as was the Bethel, but saw no way for
the city to Interfere with boats that are
on the river. 1t was said by one, how
ever, that the city might reach the case
by charging high wharfage to boats,so
as as to make it Improbable to maintain
one of this character within the city
limits. He would apply the rule to such
boats as take passengers or dodgers for
hire.