Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-13
FORD'S THEATER DISASTER
An Amendment Wanted to the Sundry
Civil Bill.
senator Henderson Proposes Giving
$4,000 Each to the Families
OF Those Killed.

Senator Henderson has presented to the
Serate an amendment to the sundry civil
bill appropriating 100000 to pay the heirs
of those CLERKS who were killed by the fail
of the Ford Theater building. In submit
ting this amendment and the report from
the select committee on the disaster the
Senator said: There were eighteen per-
sons instantly killed as the result OF that
falling building. Two died within very
short time, really within few hours OF
the tragedy. Three have since died, sur
viving their injuries for periods ranging
from four to eight months. A great many.
nearly 100. were injured. The Committee
has been as actively al work as it mas been
possible for them to perform labor during
the last several months. anu the PROPOSE
ton made by the committee now Is as TO
all who were thus killed, either instantly,
or who died within lew hours AFTER the
disaster, to give to eacn one of their es-
tates the sum OF $1,000. making, as to the
twenty who viii be incluued IN this amend
ment the sum OF slUO.VUO. II is the desire
OF the committee that this appropriation
shall be made upon the sundry civil bill
SO that the widows, the children, and those
next OF kin to those who have died may
md what relief comes from this act OF de-
cent generosity On the part OF the govern
nent. As to the three cases where the
victims survived the accident several
months. the committee will desire further
time to make exploration. so as TO be salts
ned beyond a peradVen ture that the deaths
were caused by this tragedy and not from
other causes. As TO those who were in
jured. a very considerable amount of testi-
mony has already been taken, but l great
ly fear that the matter cannot be disposed
OF at the present session of Congress. /
think the committee will probably ind II
necessary to take testimony during the re-
cess of Congress, and We hope at the next
session to dispose of all these cases.
The report of the committee sets forth
that the Ford Theater building has been
owned by the government since 1885, that
there have always been force of clerks
of some kind in the building: that on June
.. 1885, there were 400 employees of the
government in the building, most of them
doing clerical work; that on June 8. 1888.
because of the removal of portions of its
foundation. the building collapsed and the
falling floors carried down those who were
engaged at their work upon them. killing
outright eighteen. the claims OF the heirs
of whom have been submitted to the COM
mittee. and wounding a large number, of
which wounded two died within few days
of their injuries. and three have since died.
ii Is claimed, because of such wounds; that
there was no contributory negligence on
the part Of any of those thus killed or
wounded.
Those provided for in the appropriation
reported are George Q. Allen. George NJ.
Arnold. Samuel p. Barnes. John Bussius.
John E. Chaplin, jeremiah DAILY. Joseph r..
Fagin, Joseph B. Gage. David c. Jordan.
Justus B. Jones. Frederick b. LOTUS. Jay
H. McFall, Otto F. W. Meder. Howard s..
Miller. Benjamin F. Miller Burrows Mel
son. Emanuel G. Shull, Frank NJ. Williams,
Alfred l.. Ames and Arthur n. Girault
The cases of death that will require fur
Their inquiry are those of George G. Ballin-
ger, who died January :. 1894: George w.
Roby. who died February s. 1894. and
Charles B. Sayer, who died March 81, 1894