The morning times., 1895-08-11

I'VE believe that the said Charles Beach
came 10 his death through his own careless
ness; that the scaffolding on the various
floors is sufficient in strength aud guam
tity, but we recommend that floors be built
below the men employed on the work as an
additional safeguard against future acci-
dents"
This was the verdict in the inquest held
yesterday over the body of Charles Beach,
the unfortunate workman who was Killed
at the postoffice ON Friday.
The verdict of the jury in this case. an
account Of whose shocking death was read
everywhere with a thrill of horror in The
Times yesterday, put the seal reimbursement
on the position taken by The Times and It's
plea for a prevention of such unnecessary
fatalities
The inquest was 1ieldby Deputy Coroner
Giazebrook in the absence of Coroner Ham
NETT, the reasons for whose absence will
be found elsewhere in The Times.
DR. Glazebrook- visited the scene of the
accident yesterday forenoon, gathered up
the information desired, and put himself
in position 10 examine his witnesses On
material points only, He then mad sum-
moned the following jury:
THE JURY.
William Roth, carpenter and contractor;
John McNulty, carpenter; John t. Garner,
undertaken; Hugh A. Mason, harness work
er; william j. Kopp, carpenter and con-
tractor; and Adam II. Croft, carpenter and
contractor.
The witnesses summoned were two eye
witnesses to the Tragedy, the superintcnd-
ent OF The building, the foreman of the work
for the iron contractors, and the assistant
foreman of that work.
The examination was quiet and with
out incident except in the testimony of
the superintendent, who said that he had
called the attention OF the United States
Supervising Architect, VIM. iken, TO
the advisabiIity of having the flooring put
in as the work progressed and that the SU-
pervising Architect had replied that he did
not think il advisable until the roof had
been puton This was an intimation to the
jury that the final authority a.. t1is i'm
ernmenu Itself, and lhat it was its peculiar
method ofdoing work that was the indirect
cause Of all the fearful ccidents that have
taken place ia this blood-bespattered build
ing
All OF the witnesses stated that it was
the custom III al the work they nad here
tofore done-and they were men of long
eNperience-to floor buildings right along
below the workmen, and the iurymen
knew that ia Washington il was the ecustom
ID private work that sufficient planking
shall be- left below the workmen 10 break
the fan in cases OF accident
SCAFFOLDING NOT SUFFICIENT.
W. c. Keys, assistant foreman for Thorp
& Bond, the iron contractors, who saw the
deceased fan, was the first witness called
he has been employed at the building nearly
a year He was on the sixth floor a the
Eleventh street stairway when Beach fell.
lie had some conversation with hum Just
before the accident Beach was IN good
health Snd spirits.
Witness said that it was the custom for
the men TO lay down their own scaffolding,
and they sometimes removed ii iron flool
TO floor There was 10 scaffoldiug on the
sixth floor, and wherever there is no plank
ing put down by the men they must walk
the beams, passing from one place TO
another.
Witness did not consider the scaffolding
sufficient. although be ielt perfectly secure
himself, exercising care and caution. In
his opinion security could be had by floor
ing the story below, and that should be
done. de thought such safeguard could
be provided for very easily. Ii was not
required OF The men to carry weights when
they lad 10 walk on the iron beams from
place 10 place. IN the place where the men
We're at work there Were sometimes two
planks and sometimes only one.
Atthe time the accident occurred Lambert
and Beach were on the sixth floor running
out planks on which to place the monkey
derrick. Beach was discovered 10y Keys
to be using a one-iIch plank.
HOW 1T HAPPENED.
Il told him. said Mr. Keys, that this
was not safe, but he said it was all right
and placed ii over several beams. One of
the beams was out, so tIat it left a space
Of about eight feet across which the plank
was stretched. Beach walked out over the
plank, and / Loticed, as be moved, the
plank sagged. l told him that he ought
10 use a two-inch plank, but he said that
it was too Id heavy, and continued to
use the one-inel plank. In walking over
this plank it tilted when be got near the
end and ii flung him below"
The witness said he had never made any
official complaint about Insufficient scaf-
folding He considered that Lambert was
safe, as he was working on a two-inch
plank out Beach said ne knew his business
and knew what he was doing.
William Mckee, the next witness, had
been working on the building since last
May. He was about forty feet from Beach
when the latter fell. 1t was the custom,
be said, for the men to get and put down
their own planks. Usually the scaffold-
ing consists of two planks two inches
thick This lie considered safe. The men
are not obliged to do any lifting of heavy
materials. He always considered him
self safe on two-iuch plank.
Isaac Lambert said that he had been
working on the building about two months
and was on the seventh floor on the
Eleventh street side at the time of the
accident in Mr. Keys gang, in which
there are but three men.
SAFER WITH FLOOR BELOW.
Beach and he were working together.
Beach stepped on a plank that projected
about four feet over one of the girders,
and, of course, went down He himself
had used q two-inch plank, but Beach
was using a one-inch.
The nlauks are suDnoSed fO he mt down