The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-06-21
|YHH VERDICT LENGTHY.
Responsibility Placed Upon Col,
r. c. Ainsworth,
Contractor Dant Superintendent Co
vert and Engineer Sasse
For tho TheAter Disaster The 0asernment
cea.ared FOR Not Providing skillsd su-
perintendence- The Guilty Parties
WIN ~ Arrested and Held.

WAsHINorON, Juno 20, The inquest
into the canses Of tho recent disaster At
the old Ford theatcr building was tor
minated Monday afternoon when tho
eoroner'n Jury brought in verdict
holding Chi r. q Ainsworth, the chief
u the records and pension division Of
the war Department. Enpt. VIM. Q. Co
vert and Engineer eassn. Of tho
wrecked building. and Contractor ueo
w Dant who was making tho changes
under the building, guilty % criminal
negligence and consequently rrspon-
siblc for tho friEhtfni loss OF life that
resulted from the collapse Of the build
| ing
Tho verdict WINS lengthy ono and
goes minutciy into tho work performed
clarcs that Frederick @. Ainsworth
was the officer In charge Of said build
ing, and said clorlss, and that VIM G.
Covert was superintendent Of said
building, and that Francis Sasse was
tho mechanical engineer and fireman
Of said building, and the latter, al
though not an architect or civil engi-
neers prepared the plans and speclfica-
tions for the enlargement Of anid cell
Ter, and said Ainsworth. Hassc and Cow
ert and each Of them knew, or ought
TO have known, that the said Dant was
engaged In excaytinH said cellar and
under pinning said biers, and that he
had not shred the coIumna and beams
Of said building, or taken any other
preoaution TO prevent the fall thereof.
or Of said 1oora nor did they, the said
Sasse. Covert and Ainsworth. take any
precantion 70 prevent the fall Of said
Aoors while the said Dant was engaged
in underpinning said piers or columns
70 aa to protect the said clerks from
loss Of life or limb by reason thereof
but the said Frederick G. Ainsworth,
William O. Covert. Francis Sasse, t,eorge
w. Dant, were each and all Of them
guilty Of criminal negligence In respect
Of the said excavation and enlargement
Of said cellar and the nnderpinning
81 said piers, then being and about TO
done, we Jurors aforesaid. say, said
Frederick 9. Ainaworth, Vim. q Covert.
Francis Snsse, George w. Dant are
each Of them guilty Of criminal negif.
genee; and We further And that Fred.
erick G. Ainsworth, VIM Covert, Fran
CTS Sasse. peorReAN Dant. arc respon-
sible for tho killing OF the said Fred
ericlx d. LOTUS.
And we, the jurors aforesaid. do fur
ther say that the failure OF the govern
ment Of the United States 10 provides
for skilled superintendent Of the work
Of repair and alteration Of its buildings
In charge Of the war department Is
most unbusiness-like and reprehensiblc,
and we arc Of the opinion II the super
intendence provided in this case, the
work of tho Ford's building, the awful
tragedy might have been inverted. ow-
ing TO the fact that BY the time the YER
dict was rendered the courts adjourned.
Il wns decided to postpone tsic arrest
Of the four accused men until Tuesday.
50 they may have nm opportunity Of
giving bail for their appearance In
court. The testimony given Monday
before the conclusion Of the inquest
was merely corroborativc Of the state
ments made during the preceding days