New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-08
NO PERSON BLAMED.
VERDICT OF THE CORONER's JURIEs ON
THE UNION-sT DISASTER.
THE VICTIMS DIED FROM SHOCK AND THE FIRE
WAS AN INCENDIARY oNE-A WITNESS
CONTRADICTs THE TESTIMONY
OF THE FIREMEN

CoNTRADIcTs THE TESTIMONY
OF THE FIREMEN
The inquest into the death Of the ten persons who
lost their lives in the Union-st fire. on the morning
OF April J. was held In the County Courthouse be-
fore Coroner Coombs and two jnres last night.
John Hultz of No. 80 Degraw-st., a miikman. with
stable in Sackett-st.. testified that while pulling
out his wagon at 1915 o'clock in the morning his at
tenton was called to the fire in Union-st. by a
young man who yelled fire" policeman and an
other man who came along sent in alarm. Tho
entire building in flames; he tried to kick in
the door. and attempted TO go upstairs. but there
was too much fire to allow him to do So He got
people out of the next house, and then the nremen
arrived.
Frederick Wohrden. OF No. 81 Beach Place, heard
man yelling fire" He ran to the paper factory
in Sackett-st. for the fire key but did not get Il.
He told policeman to send in alarm. He saw
Italians leaving the house door to No. Sc. which
was in flames There smoke gushing from all
the windows. but there people to be seen.
and trying to get out.
Assistant Fire Chief James +. Murray said that
he was on duty at o'clock in the morning and heard
the alarm; he went Immediately the fire. On his
arrival he found the house a of flames. 1t was
impossible TO enter the building then The fire
seemed TO have started in the lower hall lie went
up through No. "a and down through No SO when
the fire was subdued. The bodies had all been found
by chat time. The first stairs all burned away.
The building had proper fre-escapes. and persons
could have escaped on them. There had been fire
at No 10 Union-st about one hour and twenty five
minutes earlier that morning. 1t was impossible TO
escape by the stairway, although the people the
fourth floor must have tried 1t. as the bodies were
found heading toward the windows. 1t would have
been difficult for women 10 step from OF the
windows 10 the fre-escape.
Assistant Foreman Judge. of Engine Company No.
3. testified that after the fire at No 10 the engine
Cd IN hOu lie
saw the flames in ne air. ana thought 1t was tho
paper mi on reac9,ns ,he nre ne worKSd up rne
found in the centre Of the front room. and three
the body Of a man ;he floor OF top room. In ..
rear room the body Of young woman was found
burned. The stairs and banisier were burned away.
District Engineer Doyle testified that he got TO the
and fourth floors IN flames. He could not get into
the hallway or up the stairs.
she was awakened by the engines AT the first hr b.
ana then as sne was dozng she he3If me n San
the door closed again but she heard no footsteps IN
struck. ' and was s' a~akened by her father Yelling
FIRE. and found the bedroom In flames. - ..
a sailor, testified that he was at home al Ne %
he o floor on x s4 f 6s WIFE Of and tf & In
slept In the midde 0i the a ,b To4 r Ig rn ana ls
on by the smoke when he got up and alarmed the
people on his floor. He got out through the windoS
roof. and then tried to rescue the family but ms
wife died In his
This contradicted the evidcnc. of the fremen
who had testified to finding her lying under the bed.
He went tell that she had died from the
effects OF the smoke. When he tried 70 open tn.
kitchen door the blaze drove hin back Re went
down the street through the scutuc OF NO =
Tnion-st and then he went to friends house a;
No 70 J'niOn-st., and got some clothes. He said
that ne tried tell fireman that there were peo-
Me In the house. and the fireman kicked him.
This was after he had got the clothes. He was
married eighteen months ago. and since then IA !
worked as rigger He was in bed at 7:9o o'clock
that evening, and usually went to bed al that hoi-
When he got TO the street IT was fun OF people.
lie was not on the street about II O'Clock that
night. His wifes life was not insured
This concluded the testimony.
C-oroner Coombs addressed the juries briefly. ana
they retired. one jury returned verdict that the
yeonle died from shock and injuries received from
re the cause Of the fire incendiary, started by
some unknown person. The second jury returned a
ver1icf that the persons died from shock ana IN
irries received at a fire started by some unknown
ere Marshal Brymer thinks that the discrepancies
in the testimony of Govallee were largely Que u
The fact that he crazed with fright