The sun., 1893-06-14
THE ATTACK ON AINSWORTH.
rssuryGIoN STIRRED UP ovBR TEE
FORD,s IHEATRE DISASTER.

UkSUTNG1ON STIRRED UP OYER THE
FURD'S THEATRE DISASTER.
IN. Responsibility Placed on Col Aims.
worth Before nm InvestiGation, ana the
Concentrated Rage OF the Mob Centres
Upon uim-The Charges OF Brutai,ty
Made Against Him by tho CIerks Re-
.yi,ed In Hts romotion-Proeeedinr, at
,b. Coroncr'- Inqucst-Coi. Ainsyyorth Pc.
,,ucnS for ~ MRndamus to Compel the
Coroner TO Allow Him TO Cross-exnu,ine,
V,surxGroY. Juno 13.-The excitement In
Washington caused by last Fridays disaster. in
which twenty-five Government clerks were
killed and fifty others were seriously wounded.
Increases and the cries for vengeance grow
oudcr and louder. The mob that surrounds
the hall whore the Coroner's inquest has boon
in session for tho past two days is In appear
ance and sentiment much like the mobs that
hang about Jail when tho air is filed
with threats Of lynching. Washington has
never before been stirred into such q
condition of popular Indignation. There
have been calamities before. some OF
them more serious In the results. notably the
explosion at the arsenal thirty years ago.
when twenty two persons were blown to pieces.
hut the regularity with regard to the state OF
public feeling growing out Of the awful occur
renee OF Friday is that the cry Of vengeance
will not down. The 300 or 400 clerks who
escaped without injury. together with the 300
or 400 relatives OF those who were killed.
ere madly crying for victim. and their
accumulated rage centres upon the person
OF Col. +. c. Ainsworth. U. s. A.. who happens
to he the chief Of the Records and Pension
Division to which the unfortunate clerks be-
~ 4, .t.la 4 Al.
oner's room yesterday with shouts Of Hang
him" Hang him" do not know that Col
Answorth is In anv sense responsible for tho
accident. ror do they seem to care. They re-
fuse to listen to any explanations In his be-
bali but are making all sorts Of wild. unsup-
portable charges. and calling upon high Of
fcals to punish him for some vngue. indefinite
crime tho exact nature OF which they do not
know themselves.
This fierce attack on Col Ainsworth arises
not because OF the knowledge that he 10 In
any way responsible for Fridays disaster. be-
cause that has not been investigated yet. but
Is tho elimination Of all the hatred OF him
which the clerks under his control have felt
ever since he was placed In charge Of the work
OF tho Records and Pension division. He hns
long borne the reputation OF a tyrant. but 1t is
q noticeable fact that of all the charges
OF brutality and inhumanitv that have
been made against him. not ono is
supported by scintilla OF proof. 1t is. no
doubt. true that Col Ainsworth has made the
clerks under his charge work from 8 to 4 each
day. as the law requires. and that he has COM
PEELED them to he on duty six days In each
week. except national holidays. not counting,
Of course. thirty days leave. with pay. to
which they are entitled under tho law. He
has not allowed loaflng during Office hours.
and this is a hardship to which the
average Government clork will not SUBJ
NIT without protest. These charges have
been investigated by previous Secretaries
OF War. By President Harrison. and by other
officials with the result that Col. Ainsworth
was commended and promoted. During tho
past few days he has borne himself with much
composure and dignity. amid the excitement
and the many threats against his life. and his
friends, in the army and out Of It. who are
almost unanimous in his support say that he
will come out triumphant at last Neverthe-
less. there Is O very ugly feeling abroad in
Washington. and the authorities Of tho Dis
trict have taken steps to have Col Ainsworth
to assnssinate him by friends or relatives Of
some Of Fridays victims:
Col. Ainsworth did not appear at the Coro
ner's inquest to-day, and the mob mt once
jumped to the conclusion that it was coward
Ice that kept him away. The fact is that his
oiIiciaI to admit him and his attorney to the
nesses. Yesterday the mob protested against
his presence: day 1t cries "cowardice" be-
cause he Is absent
much condemnation from the clerks as docs
Col: Ainsworth. ana 1t is a peculiar fact that
Ainsworth. % they admit that their indisnation t IN
Is really aimed at hi assistant. JACOB Frech
ess Of and 6vson a
now being eends%ned. This Tie clerks thens
that he has endorsed the actions OF Of
hsr hH lives BURDEN wsn
closely. they say 1t is Frech who compeis them
in Until W IN the noe Who proRibits
smoking and newspaper reading and general |
iipSatlng iStlng during Office hoars: who has made
leges which many other Goyernm ent clerks !
tyrannica discipline. and. therefore. Aims:
Frsth is to es aS. Sh1ssd
pension from duty during the Investigation has has
engaged in endorsing ali the hystSricai charges
ssaenS h d AHsMsS s9S %S T6s @
f gent; It it Is true. can suspend Col Alnsworth II
1e 1e chooses. and he Is the only person who can |
70 remain on duty. No one can be appointed to |
be chief Of tho lecords and Pension Division |
should Col Ains,worth be suspended. but IN
be. ne ,essary for Col. Answorth to be dis
mlssed from the army after conviction by q |
court martial. A special act OF Congress gives
the President tho authority to appoint an army |
officer as chief OF division. and Col Ainsworth
was nominated and confirmed by tho Senate
Hence he must be got out OF the way before
another army officer can succeed him.
Tho Inqusst.
WASHINGTON. June 13.-By direction OF the
Commissioners for the District OF Columbia