The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-06-13
EXCITING SCENES.
Great Disorder at the Ford's
Theater Investigation.
CLERKS FEAR AINsW0RTH.
AFRAID to Protest Against the IN
safe Building.
sEcRETARY LAMoNTs ASSURANCE

eE0RETARY LAM0NTs ASSURANCE
He Says Clerks May Not Fear Dismissal
For Their Testimony-Coloner Aims
worth Denounced as q Murderer In
Open Court-Crios Of ''Hang Him !"
Quelisd by tho Appeal Of q Jaror-The
Coroner Obliged to Adjourn the Hear
fng--Cierks Hold m Indignation Meet
ing.
WASHINGTON, June 13 : There were
some exciting scenes in the coroners in
guest at Willard's hall yesterday over the
Word's theater disaster. Benjamin Reiss,
. clerk In the pension division, was the
first witness. He was not in the building
at the time OF the collapse. He had heard
dition Of the building. Charles Trout.
man, another clerk, described the fall Of
fhe floors. He knew of no protest by en-
ployes
The first OF seriss Of sensations was
produced during the examination of Smith
Thompson, the aged clerk, who bitterly
denounced Colonel Ainsworth, the head of
the bureau Of records and pensions, at
Fridays relief meeting. He declared that
the building was known to all the clerks
- q death trap, and that messengers of
Colonel Ainsworth stood on the stairwayB
and repeated Ainsworth's orders that the
hmpioyes should walk up and down stairs
on tiptoe. In going down the stairway he
had heard clerks call out: Take care the
stairs are unsafe
yns at khia a IN, ~ ,,at
timony there was strange scene, Illus
Grating o bitter feeling against Colonel
Ainsworth. A majority of the spectators
present Mt the inquest were clerks who
were employed In the old theater building.
Mr. Warner, one of the Jurors, asked what
-Has the feeling of the clerks In the theater
Building towards their superior officer
Colonel Ainsworth
Abtect Fear of Ainsworth.
'sThat Of abject fear," answered Mr..
Thompson impressiyely.
There was an outburst OF handclanping
as this rally. Dr. Schaelrer, the deputy
co. oner who conducted the inquest, looked
sstouished. Colonel Ainsworth grew red.
DR. Schaeffer then arose and delivered q
aecture to the offenders, after which the
hearing proceeded.
Mr. Warner said he had asked the. .ques-
Atou boC6uhb buoE6 betIllcu 10 Dc u DelleI
thas the feeling existing between Colonel
iAinsworth and every man in the Office was
inch that had they made suggestion as
20 thesafety OF the building 1t would have
oeopardized their positions.
Mr. Warner asked IL there was such
kealing of fear that the clerks were afraid
80 niak % suggestions as TO the dangerous
cendi,ion OF the building.
"It was, Mr.. Warner; emphatically it
was was the answer.
MIR. Thompson was questioned further
about tho feeling, and he said it extended
10 Jacob Frech, Colonel Ainsworth's
right bower, and the chronic pessiinist of
lWashing ton," and to Mr.. o. b. Brown,
: hhief clerk OF the building
Jefferson w. Carter, a clerk on the third
Hoor OF the wrecked building took the
stand, but before he began his testimony
Or. Shaeffer read q letter from Attorney
General Olncy rendering the use of an as
sistant to give professional advice in con
ducting the inquiry. This offer was de-
Gltned. Another letter to the coroner
created buzz. 1t was from Colonel La
mont. the secretary Of war and read as
fpllows,
SIN the matter Of the investigation now
10 progress before the coroner's jury in re-
gard to the loss Of life on June 0, 1898, at
the Tenth street building, which was oc-
Dnpied by the record and pension office Of
the war department, the department is in
formed that apprehension exists among
the department employees that they may
Jeopardize their positions by testifying be.
fore the jury. 1t seems hardly necessary
for me to say that such apprehension is
entirely gro undless, but to allay any such
fearas may exist beg to inform you that
no employe of the department will endan-
ger his position in any way on account of
any such testimony given before the cor
ener's jury in this case. :"
a Clerks Grim Prediction.
Mr.. Carter was asked by Mr. Warner
about the feeling between the colonel
and his clerks. but DIR. Schaeffer inter
fnpted, saying that the investigation must
bo confined to the cause of the calamity
Mr. Warner replied with some feeling that
great many extraneous subjects had
psen introduced, and some hud shown a
Otter feeling against Colonel Ainswcrth
de thought he had right to ask this
question In order to satisfy his mind
ayhether there was or WAS not any prejn-
dice on the part of witnesses that would
cause them to do injustice to the officers of
She government.
This furry passed over and Mr.. Carter
Maid In answer to question that there had
been common rumor among the clerks
that the building was insecure. He had
heard casual comments about the insecur
Aty of the building while the excavation
45sas being made, and only the other day
William Schrieber, who WAS killed in tho
disaster, sail to him, pointing to the ex-
eavation, Garter, l sec they're digging
Sour graven Both Schrieber and Muliedy,
.gho were killed, had frequently spoken to
Aim about the dangerous condition of the
building
4 David H. p Brown, third floor clerk,
raid that since JAN g. 1898, he had heard
ahe building was unsafe. Ho had been in
4fructed to go carefully up and down tho
stairway In the theator building nearly
every afternoon by messenger called
hSsrgeant"
Mr.. Brown was asked if there was any
Gear on tho part of the clerks that they
would be disturbed il they protested
against remaining In the building,
YES, sir,n he answered, aud then quietly
6dded, II decline to answer that ques-
tion.n
"On whnt grounds do you decline to
enswer," asked Or. Sohaeffer.
"Qn the ground Of my position"
..pid you hear the letter of the secretary
'of war read promising protection to clerks
Eyes. SIR" was the answer. II do not
fear Colonel Ainsworth, for he has done
me two fsvors, but do fear Mr.. Freeb."
Mr. Brown finally decided to answer the
original question. he said there was much
feeling about the insecurity Of the build
ing, and great many clerks, himself
among them, would have protested II they
had had courage to do so against being
kept ip the Old thester.
Highest of all in Leavening Pc