Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-14
FORD'S THEATER DAMAGES
Bill Reported Today to Pay All Claims but
Two
Full List of the Claimants and the
Report of the Joint
COmmi ssiOn.

Senator Henderson today reported from
the joint commission to investigate the
Ford Theater disaster an amendment pro-
posed to the sundry civil bill appropriating
$4,000 to pay the heirs of twenty-three
people who lost their lives as result OF
the collapse of the building on June 3,
1893 This is similar to the amendment
which was incorporated in the bill last
session, but which was stricken out in con-
ference at the insstence of the House. The
sum is increased by $4,000 to include two
additional claims. The list now comprises
the following names the victims Of the
disaster whose heirs are to be paid at the
rate of $1,000 in each case: Geo. r. Allen,
Geo. Michael Arnold Samuel P. Barnes,
John E. Chaplin jeremiah DAILY, John Bus
sius, Joseph r. Fagan, Jos. Barker Gage,
David Clark Jordan, Justus Boyd Jones,
Frederick B. Lotus, Jay Hirst Mctall
Otto F. w. Meder, Howard S. Miller, Benz
F. Miller Burrows Nelson, Emanuel G.
Shull. Frank NJ. Williams. Alfred L. Ames,
Arthur N Girault, Michael T. Mulledey,
George W. Roby and Charles Best Sayers
The following proviso is added: Ihat
where the deceased died leaving widow,
but no children, the 5000 shall be paid
her; where the deceased left widow ana
children the widow shall receive one-half
and the children shall share per stripes
and where the deceased was unmarried the
sum shall be paid to the legal heirs.
Accompanying the amendment Senator
Henderson presented a report from the
joint commission, which is a reprint OF the
report submitted in July last, amended TO
bring the investigation up to date. He also
stated that the amendment contained pro-
vision for all of those who We're instantly
killed who evidently died from injuries
received in the disaster. with two eXcep-
tions. These cases, he added, are still being
investigated by the joint commission, and
they will undoubtedly be ready for action
at the next session These cases are those
of George Christopher Bollinger and John
T. Reynolds. The former died January z.
1891, of lung disease and bronchitis. His
case was investigated last spring and IN
the report made in July the Senate com
mittee asked for more time to definitely
determine whether the death was produced
by the injuries received. John Reynolds,
a colored man, died May ., 1884, Of pneu-
monia, complicated by heart trouble. His
widow Lydia Reynolds, did not file her
claim until August 5, 1894. Bollinger was
unmarried
The two claims added to the list are
those of the heirs of George ". Roby and
Charles Best Sayer. The former was fifty
years of age, clerk Of class one, left no
estate whatever. and left a widow, Amanda
l.. Roby He died February s, 1894, and his
physician certified that death was to be
reasonably and fairly traceable to his in
jures." He did not fall with the building,
but in attempting to escape by sliding
down hose fastened from a thfd-Story
window he fell when about halfway down.
Saver was forty-siX years Old, clerk of
class one, left a small estate and life in
surance of 5000 His family consisted of
a widow and eight children. He did not
fall with the building but being on the
second floor when it fell, inhaled lime and
dust, and died March Fl. 1891. of consump-
ton He had suffered for some time prior
to the accident from throat and lung trou-
bles and the claim was that his death was
FASTENED 10y the disaster.
Thus the list of twenty-three victims is
composed of eighteen men who were in
stantly killed and five who died some time
after the fall of the building as a result
Of their injuries. Two other claims are
still pending, as stated, that swell the list
of the clerks who died in the accident and
since that time to twenty-five. There are
upward of eighty claims for injuries filed
by survivors, but these will not be touched
at this session.
The amendment now goes to the commit
tee appropriations.