New-York tribune., 1901-01-12
AGAINST TAKRANT & GO.
CORONER'S JURY HOLDS FIRM CRIMI-
NALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR DEATH OF
SEVEN PERSONS IN EXPLOSION


SEVEN PERSONS IN EXPLOSION
The Coroner's jury which investigated the
death Of seven persons as a result of the recent
fire and explosion in the building of Tarrant x
Co, at Greenwich and Warren SITS, handed In
verdict yesterday afternoon holding Tarrant x
Co criminally responsible. Thomas F. Main
and William g. B. Powers, members of the ttrm'
were ordered TO he produced before the jury at
II O'Clock this morning, 10 be admitted to bail OF
600 each 10 wait the action Of the Grand
Jury. The verdict follows:
to6er o. 1870 at No. 273 Greenwich by ncineraton
caused at he time and place aforesaid as me re- re
said explosion was occasioned by the storage OF
Gornonfe,'I itt4 b, iaw and we hold TaTrant & Co
crminaIly responsible for the deaths of deceased
The testimony yesterday showed that large
quantity Of chlorate OF potash and sulphur and
many barrels Of spirits stored in the build
:n=.
George f Murray Inspector of Combustibles.
said that from information gathered since the
explosion. and from his knowledge of explosives.
he thought that the first explosion might have
been a dust explosion. This. he said might
have thrown the hot debris into the dry chem
icaIs uberatng the oxygen and causing the
second explosion. which might have been OF
said that after the fire he had found In the
basement enough spirits 10 z- art salt1r, rs
we'll as turpentine. muriatic acid, etc. all Of
which had not been touched by the fire or ex-
plosiCn. indicating that the substances which
caused the explosion were on the upper floors
He explained that chlorate OF potash harm
less in Itself, but extremely dangerous when
mixed with sulphur, sugar certain acids. etc.
Representatives of different firms storing
goods with Tarrant & Co. then testified TO hav-
ing large quantities of sulphur and chlorate Of
potash stored there at the time of the explosion.
II. NJ Kirkland. superintendent for the firm OF
McKesson & Robbins. who had testified to hav-
ing 245 barrels Of sulphur stored with Tarrant
& Co, when asked If he did not know that un-
der the law, only one thousand pounds Of sui
phur might be stored in a building, replied. Il
supposed they had proper permit"
Coroner Bausch, addressing the jury, said that
while Tarrant Co. had been doing business as
a wholesale drug house they had sought storage
warehouse business. Their permit had allowed
them, a private concern. TO keep certain
specified explosives in the vault under the side
walk. and not to store the goods Of other firms
He called especial attention TO the storage of
chlorate of potash in large quantities by one
firm, and of both sulphur and potash by another
firm.
ner "one firm had "a 200 pounds OF sulphur in
the building. whereas the law allows only 1000
pounds to be stored in a building. If this is
true there is no doubt about there being a
violation OF the law"
The Coroner added that the charter permitted
the issuance of special permits for the storage
of larger quantities of the specified substances,
and that when Tarrant & Co. sought the bus-
ness Of storing the goods Of other firms these
firms had the right to presume that Tarrant &
Co. had the necessary permit.
The Coroner refused to charge the jury that
there was no evidence TO show that there had
been sulphur or chlorate OF potash on the fourth
floor. He said that there direct evi-
dence. but explained that the evidence given
warranted the supposition that both chemicals
had been stored on the fourth floor. He also re-
fused to charge that there was no legal proof
that the death OF the seven persons was caused
by explosion Of sulphur.
The jury retired at 4:30 p m. and returned
with it's verdict at a few minutes after o'clock.
When Mr.. Ely, counsel for Tarrant & Co. OBJ
jected to Mr. Powers being held as he was not
actively identified with the house the Coroner
replied that Mr. Powers had shared in the
profits resulting from the Illegal storage of ex-
plosves in the building, and would therefore be
held with Mr.. Main.