The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-04-19
arst called my attention to II
and wo both examined II and told MIR.

Hutchinson that tho wallu wcro danger.
Gus to build upon. We called tho noxt
day, whom Mr.. ilutchlMon's architect
was present. Tho architect said II We
claimed tho walls were not sound We
didn't know whnt wo wcro talking
about Mr.. Hutchinson thon remarked
that ho would DO guided In tho ma.,cr
by the opinion Iof his architect. Tho
next day no was served with n writton
notice. lilo declared ho would 20 into
tho courts about 1t, and rathor than
stand a law suit wo lot tho mattor drop.
Tho alley wall at that time was bulged
out throo or four inches. All Of tho old
wall fell, but part Of tho now In tho
roar stood 1t waanota ragged break, but
cut of clean looking 10 II tho now and
old walls had not been pinned. Tho
matter OF condemnation wa, brought
before council, but what disposition
was mado Of It l can't remember"
Ex.Mayor soabright's testimony was
c%onilrmatory Of that giyon by Cliioi
Hoaly In regard to tho condemnation Of
the walls. No later than tho Saturday
before the disaster tho ex.inayor. said
no had q conversation with Mr.. Adam
Blum, q partner OF Mr.. Hutchinson,
about tho dangerous condition OF tho
building. lilo did not know at that time
that Mr.. Blum was interested in tho
firm. and after his departure some ono
called his attention 10 tho inct. Tho
mayor frankly confessed: "Well, I hayo
put my foot In 1t. as usual"
DOORS WOULDN'T LocK.
Chief OF Police Thomas D.. Bennett
testified in a formal way rs to tho find.
ing OF the bodies In tho ruins aud tho
cause Of their deaths, and tho general
character OF the ruins, that Nil tho fall
seemed to DO towards tho alley. The
most important feature OF his testimony
vas that which verified tho rumors OF
tho inability to lock tho doors Of tho
Hutchisson building. This fact Mr..
Hutchinson himself related to Chief
Bennett last Sunday week 10 tho course
OF n friendly conversation, which
indicates that thore had becu some
settling.
Henry Sturgeon, clerk at tho Dcla.
plain dry goods company, was sitting
in the window OF tho fifth story OF the
building aud saw tho collapse. His at
tention vas first called TO It by tho
bricks dropping oil tho wall next to
Greer & Laiug. This was before the
crash.
Harry A. Beihl, letter carrier, saw
Mr.. Hutchinson pounding the lock Of tho
front door, trying to open it, on tho
Monday morning preceding tho col.
lapse OF the building.
Joseph savageot, who livcs opposite
to where the disaster occurred, was
looking out OF a window on the fatal
Tuesday morning and heard the glass
breaking, followed almost immediately
by the falling walls. They fell almos.
straight down, as il they wero settling.
Saw Father Parke entor tho alley.
SAW IT COMING.
The Ss!imony Of Mr.. John House was
rather amusing in its oarnestuess, aud
the fact that although he was on tho
pavement in front OF the ~lIutchissou
building when 1t commenced falling be
could give no lucid description OF tho
disaster. He said he didn't remem-
Der anything except he heard a crack
ing aud looking up saw the walls cav.
ing in in a V shaped manner, aud then
he ran.
The testimony OF David Thomas and
John ZeiGenfelder was unimportaut, ex-
cept that the latter helped rescue Hal.
Ter aud Blum from the rear OF tho
Hutchi.son building.
Walter Chapman. OF the firm OF Chap.
nat ( Sons. was in the Chapman build
ing. The frat intimation he had OF
anything wrong was n noise like rain
falling, and looking up saw cracks in
the plastering. His father had Just
telephoned for the architec. when a
large piece OF plaster fell. He text
heard 4 rumbling in the Hutchisson
building when all started to rush out.
He was the third person out Before
tho Chapman building fell he saw a
cloud Of dust below. He compared the
sound OF the collapse to tho roaring OF
nno lie also testified to the diff.
Guilty Mr.. Hutchinson had with locking
and unlocking the front doors, and on
one occasion aided him in irving to
open them. Tho only difficulty was
with the lock.
Tho testimony OF Nj. John Water.
house was unimportant, as he was on
Market stree! when the crash came,
and he with others ran TO the scene.
At this point the jury adjourned until
9 o'clock this morning when a number
OF important witnesses and experts will
be examined, and it is thought the in.
quest will be finished BY noon.