The Washington times., 1901-08-03
THE VOGELWIDE INQUEST.
A Verdict of Accidental Death Re.
turned by the Jury.
No One BInm ID and go Comment In
duISed In n-TestimOny Given by
Those Who Witnessed the Fatal
FaII-John Browns Narrow Escape

The inquest over the remains of Andrew
Vogelwide, held yesterday morning at the
New Jersey Avenue police station re-
suited in the returning Of verdict by the
jury which simply stated that the de-
ceased came to his death the result of
an accident. No comment of any kind
was made and no person was blamed or
exonerated- The hearing was presided
over by Corner hewitt, and l. q. II. AL
ward appeared as attorney for the rela-
tives of the deceased. After the hearing
the body was removed to the home of the
mother of the deceased, 927 T Street
northwest, where the funeral Iservices will
be conducted Sunday afternoon at
o'clock The interment will be at Pros
pect Hill Cemetery. The deceased leaves
a widowed mother and two sisters.
Most of the various witnesses examined
were employed on the Sherman Apart
iment House, in course of erection at the
borner of Fifteenth and L Streets north
west, where the accident happened.
John Brown, of 3l5 L Street southwest,
one of the colored laborers employed
there, was the first witness. He was
working beside Vogelwide and saw the en-
tire accident The portion of the flooring
which caved in was just being put in
place. Being of fresh cement, it afforded
no support and gave way without warn
ing of any kind. The witness was spread
ing the grout or concrete, and with the
exception of the man who was dumping
a wheelbarrow load of the material, the
witness was the nearest person TO Vogel-
wide at the time of the accident The
wheelbarrow referred to fell through to
the basement with the rest of the ma
terial The witness saw VOgelwide sink
IN, he llIunel
side Just as the spot on which witness had
been standing caved in. He then ran to
the elevator shaft and slid down to the
basement on the elevator cable. Brown
was one of the first to reach Vogeiwiue
and lifted heavy piece of the cement
from of the PROSTATE man mead. He
also helped to carry the man TO place
of safety.
Richard Brvant, colored. of 2427 Ontario
Avenue, the laborcr who had the wheel
barrow, testified that he had just dumped
a load OF the cement on the section thdt
gave way and that Nogelwide was scrap
ing the remainder Of the load out with a
shovel. The accident he thought, was
due TO the giving way Of the WOODWORK.
i was about fivc feet from Nogelwide,
testified Mercer jackson, colored, OF ldoS
G Street northwest, and had Just duInpeu
the concrete out of another wheeibarros
when, without any warning, the supports
seemed to slip and cave in NOgelwlue
had previously, he said, Knocked out some
bricks beneath the roof that may have
weakened the supports, but Of that result
witness did NOT Know.. Vogelwide dia
not erect the staging which gave way but
inspected IL before the men went on II.
He remained back with the cement work
erS, experimenting their work.
Thomas ThaNtOn, cOlored, OF l3i2 Il
Street northwest, was ON the roof near
the elevator and looked around after the
crash was hoard- He had a trOwel ana
was finishing the cement work, after the
other men had doneNhe first part I he
ceInent on the seventh floor had not thor
oughy hardened. but the supports had
been taken away Witness thought that
the cement work on the seventh toor had
been completed about a week before.
Darby H. Coon, of $50 Twelfth Street
northeast. was the foreman of the car
penters on the building. Nogelwide s duty
was to inspect the woodwork, Coon testi--
fled, and to have any improper work cor
rected before placing, the concrete in posi-
tion. Vosewide had called witness at
tention to the fact that too much water
was being used In mixing the concrete,
and witness had 3gune To the ground to
correct the matter when the accident oc-
CURED. If some bricks had not been re
moved by Vogelwide. prior to beginning
the work, Coon said, the centres could not
have slipped, and the accident, in the
opinion of the witness, could not have
occurred.
f. ii. Duehay. of 1928 /. Street north
west. the contractor and builder who was
in charge OF sHc obstruction Of the build
ing was on the ronf about fifteen minutes
before the accident but had let the place
when the roof gave way. He explained
the duties of the respective worllmen and
which OF them were responsible for the
various portions of the work. lie believed
tn At the removal Of the bricks and tiling
by Vogeivgide made il possible for the ac-
cident to have, occurred. He did not know
what PURPOSE Nogelwidc had in removing
the bricks and tiles unless he did it for
the purpose of more casily removing the
centres after the cement had hardened
Assistant f}uildinG Inspector Richard NJ
Evans told Of having examined the build
ing after the accident. He believed that
the cross tinhGrs supporting the centres
were not long enough to prevent play be
tween the wall ana the iron girder ana
that the dumping ot the cement jostled
one OF them oct Of position and il carried
the other crussrieCeS with il in its fall
Deputy Coroner Gla2eEt COX told Of hay
ing examined the body az the mora,ue
The body was not injured. hut ho found
tn, right side of the head q 10 face
mashed in resulting in death. The YER
diet was tho reupan r,nd' rcd
Ride Ont to Cabin John bridge
.uI criov those fine Cabin John dinners. All