The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-30
MUST HAVE SCREENS
Mould Have Saved the Life
of Mrs. Clara Eaton.
so DECLARES THE JURY
Who Also Find Death Was
Caused By Accident.

The coroners inquest held yesterday
Morning over Mrs. Clara Eaton returned
a verdict very promptly that the death
was bv the deceased accidentally fallin-
from the fifth story window of the Sedg-
wick block.
The testimony was clear and conclusive
The witnesses called followed the outline
given in Yesterdays Eagle, with the eX-
ception of Allen Axtell, who explained that
his statement made the evening before
was made under a misrepresentation. Inc
Eagle representative called on him soon
after the accident. He had the impression
that it was q colored woman VINO mad
fallen. He had gone to the fifth story hall
window and looked down, and the woman
being dressed in black, he was still OF
the idea that it was colored woman who
had been killed. He had let a colored
woman off at the third floor, and thought
if a colored woman had been killed she
must have fallen from the third story and
not the fifth. He testified that Mrs. Eaton
had gone with him to the fifth floor in the
elevator and then had gone east in that
hallway.
This removes all question as to whether
Mrs. Eaton fell from the third or NTH
story. The evidence is briefly as follows:
Mrs. L. S. Carter-Met Mrs. Eaton on the
street and she said she was going up to
see Benjamin Topp. the colored man who
was at work IN Mrs. Carriers rooms. She
was in the best of spirits.
Miss Elsie Messerve-Live at sos Sedg-
wick building, saw woman standing and
leaning out the window at the east hall
window of the fifth floor of the Sedgwick;
noticed her some little time; there was no
indication that she was intending to jump
out; seemed to be looking at something
north on Market street; the window was
raised.
Allen Axtell-Saw Mrs. Eaton about 4:40;
she came into the elevator; went to the
fifth floor and turned to the east in the
hallway; this was but a few minutes be-
fore the accident; she seemed as usual
and smiled when she entered the elevator.
Mr.. Axtell further testified that he was
laboring under misrepresentation the
evening before in making the statement
he did to the Eagle representative. He
had let colored woman off at the third
floor and was then under the belief that
the woman killed was this colored woman.
The testimony of w. r. Rutter and w.
s. Manning was to the fact of her falling
from the fifth story, tleast from above
the third.
The jury in returning their verdict in
cluded a finding that the window was I'M
protected by screen. After some consider
alton this finding was taken out of the
verdict, for the reason that some sug-
gestion as to the propriety Of the finding
was raised. There was no question in
their minds but that proprietors of tall
buildings should be given an official hint
that screens are necessary to the proper
protection of life. Had there been a screen
to the window of the east fifth floor hall
window of the Sedgwick block Mrs. Clara
Eaton would be alive today. The proprie-
tors VIII see in this a warning, and their
only safe course is to provide screens. The
Interpretation of this verdict is that tall
buildings must have protecting screens.