New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-13


Attorneys Office also rcprestn nted
The deputy coroner called the jury TO oucr ana
prcfaced the investigation by statement that holdns
an investigation in public hall was something OF
an experiment, and he admonshed the public present
TO keep perfect quiet There nobody on trial,
he said. The jury would simply endeavor TO get AT
the facts In the lie stated that the inquest
was to be held over the body Of J. E. Chaplin
CLERKS WHO KNEW THE BUILDING WAS UNSAFE
benjamin Reiss, clerk of Class No L. record ana
pension division. War Department, employed In INC
old theatre building was the first witness called
lie had been excused, he said, at . O'Clock on the
morning Of the disaster on account OF business am
was not present when the building fell. lie had not
seen any area roped of as dangerous inside the oio
theatre. For several years he had heard II ruoied
that the building, particularly the rear wall (which
did not fall was unsafe. He heard no talk about the
dangerous condition Of the building within a month.
day or two before the accident he had seen Coonei
Ainsworth at the building, he was there While the
excavation going on.
Charles Troutman, a clerk In the old theatre, whose
desk was on the first HoOr described the fall OF the
floors and his escape. lie said he knew nstnctveiy
that the excavation had caused the accident Inc
witness knew OF no protest having been sent by
employes I'm the building to the authorities about
the dangerous condition OF the building. lie had cceh
warned by j. W. Webb, In charge OF the first hoor,
not to approach an area on that hoor WHICH hao
been rOpcd OIL while the excavation WIS so'"s Wis
Mr. Webb had given him this warning eight or ten
DAYS before the accident. 10 his knowledge no
orders had been issued about the insecurity Oi tue
building except an unofficial warning not to Walk
, over the ropedoir space He saw no underpihhhS
OF the first floor. He had heard the ropedoh space
called the dead line" The day before the acci-
dent he had seen Colonel .insLorth examining the
roped-oG space mlnutely. ard he Thought ne went
downstairs TO see the excavation Colonel Aihs~orth
came nearly every day while the excavation was
going on The old employees Of the building had told
him Il was a shell and dcath-trap'
CAUTIONED TO TREAD LIGHTLY ON THE STAIRS.
smith Thompson, n clerk in the theatre b'hldin-'
who made a bitter speech dcnouncng Colonel Aims
worth at the relief meeting Friday, hstihed that
when the accident occurred he was nj MS desk NJ
work. on the second floor to the rear OF the hght
we'll the part OF the building which did not fall.
In describing his experience he said there was no
frc.e.cape on the building. and only one door for
entrance and exit. lie had hooked an umbrella To
Il window sill and lowered himself by 1t to LADDER
which some one below him held, and thus escaped
from the building.
Had YOU ever heard any warning about the STAIR
way - aske the deputy coroner.
9. Frequently. frequently" said the witness. ser
wants or messengers OF Colonel Ainsworth, who were
stationed on the stairway, notified US with bated
breath tha, 1t Colonel Mnsworhs orders that
employees should go easily up-toe up and down
the stairs. / do not know the names of these ser
wants or messengers enc was called Henry, a
colored man. The building was known to all the
clerk, as the death-trap.' but Cne's bread ana
butter depended on working there. so what could
We do only this morning / received letter from
n friend. lady. in which she said she r'coiiec'eo
distinctly that | said years ago that WAS
going into a dcath-trap'
1ll. witness said mat he had been civil engineer
Fverv day he went below stairs and watched tie
J lI. saw
props used in holding up the first floor while the
/ excavation was going on. II a matter Of common
talk that this work dangerous and fellow
clerk had warned him not 10 go there. lie had hearo
tina, Mr. Gage one OF the victims. had applied fof
leave OF absence during the progress OF the worh IN
the basemcnt; but thar 1t bad been refused Mr
Gare. he understood. apprehensve OF danger
Concerning the one stairway In the theatre buildn
Mr.. Thompson said 1t was not sufficient Tor he fap'o
/ exit Of one half the clerks with safety. In gong
down the stairway he had heard clerks call out u
| e" take care the stairs unsafe
IN "ABJECT FEAR" OF CONoNEL AINswoRTH'
inst at this stage In Mr.. Thompsons testimony
there was a strange scene. Illustrating bitter ieelne
cg,inst Colonel Ainsvorh. \ majority OF the sprcta
tors present at the inquest were CLERKS VINO "eH
employed in the old theatre building. Mr. warner
! one Of the Jurors. asked the witness what was th'
| feeling of the clerks in the theatre building towaI'
! their superior officer Colonel Ainswor'h. "Ihat o
abicct fear" answered Mr. Thompson impressively
A slight buzz and shifting OF chairs followed 'hei
n slight clapplng Of hands lieutenant ol pohc'
present held up his hand TO stop the attempt n
applause but he too late. burst OF hahu
Iapping followed that lasted quarter OF minute
II came from the part the room where most o
the clerks were sitting. Dr. Shaehcr looked aston
J shcd; Colonel Ainsworih grew red. Dr. shaefe
then arose and delivered a lecture to tile ohender
after which the hearing proceeded
Mr. Warner said he had asked the question be
cause there seemed to be II belief that the feeln;
existing between Colonel .Nnsworh and every maj
IN the Office WAS such that had the made
suggestion rs TO tho safety Of the building II woul'
have jeopaIdzed their positions. Mr.. Warner aske'
if there was such feeling of fear that the clerk
were afraid to mako suggestions as to the dangerou
condition Of the building.
"There was Mr. Warner emphatically there was.
the answer
Mr.. Thompson questioned further about IN
feeling and he said 1t extended TO Jacob Frech
Colonel Ain,worth's right bower the chronic pes'l
mist Of Washington and to o. b. Brown, chiei c'er
OF the building.
Jefferson W. Carter, IA clerk the third folr o
the wrecked building. took the stand but Defor
he began his tc.timony Dr. shaefier read a lctte
from Attorney General Olney rendering the use OF a
ossIston, to give professional advicc In conductin
! th, Inauiry. This offer declined. he tause th
District Attorney had already made the same ohei
Another letter to the Coroner created buzz.
wa, from Colonel Lamont. the secretary OF War. an
read n follows:
, LETTER FROM SECRETARY LAMONT.
ain the matter Of the investigation now in prog
ress before the Coroners jury in regard to the los
, / OF life on June o. 1893 at tbc Ten,h-st building
which was occupied by the record and pension olllc
, Of the War Department, the Department Is miormc
that apprehension exist, among the Department en-
ployes that they may jcopardze their positions b
tcstifying before the jury. 1t seems hardly nece
: sary for to say mat such apprehension l. Ell
tlrely groundless, but 10 allay any such fear Il
may exist. | beg to inform you that no emPoy
OF the Department will endanger his position In an
way Oh account of any such testimony gwen bcioi
the Coroner's jury in this ease
Mr. Carter was asked by Mr.. Warner about III
feeling between Colonel Answorth and his clerks, bu
Dr. ShaIcr interrupted saying that the investigate