The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-06-16
TuE INDIANA DUILDING,
THE WARRINGTON INQUEST.
1t Begins AgnIn-A Petition from Colono
AinSworth Refused.

|
It Begins Agnin-A Petition from Colonel
Ainsworth Refused.
WASHINGTON, D. g., Juno 15.-The
new inquest has started. The decision
Of Judge Bingham yesterday OF course
necessitated an entirely new inquest,
Col. Ainsworth's attorney was in the
hall q few minutes before the inquest
began, but he withdrew before Coroner
Patterson raped the jury to order.
The only Jury was re.summonod for tho
new inquest, The first witness was
James L. Parsons, q contractor and
builder, who testified that he had ex-
aIniued tho old theatre last month with
q view to submitting bid to make the
proposed alteration. From an eXamin.
alton OF the work after tho catastrophe,
Mr.. Parsons said he did not consider
that 1t had been done properly.
Juror Hanvey asked him II ho would
have done it that way himself. "Most
Rsslgedly not" was tho reply.
Colonel Ainsworth submitted letter
TO the coroner, in which he says in
part:
40 The Coroner Of @e DltrtttoI Columbta'
SIN; learn that you have deter
mined to personally hold the inquest
concerning the cause OF the deaths OF
the victims OF the Ford's theatre catas-
trophe, and that you have impanelled
the same jury who listened to the tes'
timony lately taken by DR. Schaetter.
Tho riotous proceedings OF last Mon.
day before that Jury, aud the evidence
Of an uncomfortable minority (aud
those disaGectedl OF tho clerks In my
nliice as to alleged terrorism there, have,
l think, gravely prejudiCed Its mem.
bors against me. As the proceedings
must begin again, II would seem that it
would have been better to select Jury
men who have no testimony to forget,
and who could have come to the dis
charge Of thoir important duties with
no impression OF q former abortiVe
trial.
~ am virtually, although not tech.
nically, accused Of the responsibility
for disaster which deplore with the
deepest carnpstness. In that connec.
tlon am threatened with tho stigma OF
criminal charge. | am now past the
middle age, and have devoted tho best
years OF my life, and certainly my
strongest energies, 10 othepublic service.
| submit to you that to nftix that stigma
TO mo hastily, and In response to public
clamor for some victim, guilty or inno-
cent, is TO do an injustice, which the
reflection OF calmer moments will re'
gret.
The colonel donIes that his presence
tended TO intimidate witnesses, states
that falso evidence has been given
which he desires to have corrected, and
concludes thus:
II have no purpose Of embarrassing
in any way your inquiry, or OF having
my counsel conduct any examination
not strictly necessary for the fair pre-
sentation OF the whole case to the Jury.
But must insist that nothing less than
tho privilege Of the cross-eXamination
OF adverse witnesses and the introduc.
ton OF my own witnesses will be OF any
value to me-"
Coroner Patterson declined to accede
10 the request and the inquiry pro.
ceoded.
Thomas b. Entwlstle, inspector OF
buildings OF tho district, was asked II
tho work in progress at the building
when it collapsed could have been done
safely without snoring, and he replied
emphatiCally; mo sir, and in my
opinion that was the cause OF the dis
aster."
Francis Sasse, tho engineer OF the old
thoatro building, said ho considered
himself competent as a mechanical on.
gineer to draw the plans but did not
consider hlmsoli competent to say how
the work should DO done.
Juror Hauvoy showed some impa-
tienco with tho witness ut this point
"Do you mean TO say" he asked,
"that you considered yourself compe.
tent to draw the plans for this work
when you did not know how 1t should
bo done?"
"Yes," answered Mr.. sasse.
"You never knew how it was to be
done?"
n considered that the expert who
could be in charge Of the work would
know that"
"Dld you ever sec any undOrpin.
ning%
"Nover."
After recess g. W. Perkins, builder,
David L. Cissell, q broklayOr, and Col
umbus Thomas, u builder, were OK
Amined They all agreed that tho col.
lapse was caused by tho unskilled char.
actor Of the work. Mr., Cisscll said II
was about tho worst hO over saw.