Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-06-05
Was Crowded with People Watch
ing Parade in Honor of
French Visitors.
MANY INSTA NTLY KILLED
About 100 Other People Injured-2Oc
People Thrown 20 Feet into an Ex-
cavation - Militia Men Broke
Ranks and Aided in the Rescue
Poor Timber in Walk.

New York, May PIE. L. Coolidge
circulation manager of the New York
Commercial was almost instantly
killed and about 100 other people
were injured this evening by the breaking
down of a temporary platform at Fifth
avenue and Sixteenth street. Some of those
hurt may die Those who fell were part oil
the crowd gathered to watch the parade OF
the militia in honor of the visit of the
French Rochambeau commission to this
city. Two hundred people were on the
sidewalk when it gave way and they were
precipitated 20 feet into an excavation for
Il new building and fell on piles of build
ing material.
The accident occurred just as the head
81 the parade had passed the corner. The
French visitors had gone past before and
knew nothing of it until some time later
troop c had just ridden by and the 22d
regiment was passing when the crash
came The officers in command at once
gave the order to break rank and so mill
tiamen were detailed to the work of rescue.
Hurry calls were sent for police reserves
and ambuancs and in a very short time
those who fell were assisted out of the eX-
cavation and the work of binding up the
wounds and conveying those most hurt to
hospitals was in full swing.
Considering the nature of the accident
and the number of people in it. the hos
pital surgeons express surprise at the few
able TO 90 directly home after having their
hurts treated by the ambulance surgeons.
Those taken to the hospitals and who sus-
tanned the worst injuries are:
George Essing, patrolman.
James ]. Kelley. detective sergeant, at
tached to Inspector Thompsons staff.
NJ. j. McManus. patrolman.
Charles Werner.
f. l.. Coolidge. who was killed. received
fracture of the skull He was born at
Natick, Mass, and was educated at the
Westford Academy Westford, Mass. At
ter leaving the academy he entered the
newspaper business in Boston and served
the staff of the Boston Journal. He
was for time on the Globe of that city
and then came to New York. He was con-
nected with several city papers during his
stay in this city
lie leaves a widow and four children.
The authorities are busy endeavoring to
discover who was to blame for the acct
dent. Coroner Scholer says the sidewalk
lad not been built of material strong
cuouGh to stand such a great weight as
burdened 1t this evening. lie said the real
cause Of the accident was the giving away
of an upright timber. four by twelve inches
IN dimensions that extended from the bot
.Om of tho excavation up to the cross
oeams on which the sidewalk rested. About
ten feet Of this timber, he said, was rotten
and very weak
hcials became suspicious of the strength
of the sidewalk and a detail for hours kept
the crowd from collecting on it. But as
the time for the parade to pass came near
the crowd became unmanageable and in
spite Of force on the part OF the police
crowded on to the forbidden sidewalk and
there stayed until the breaking of the sup
port landed them In the excavation.
After viewing the body of Mr.. Coolidge
and issuing the necessary permit for its
removal the coroner ordered the arrest of
Contractor Cowan and of j. q. Miller the
sub-contractor. Mr.. Cowan. however. had
heard of the accident and went to the
police station, whers he saw the coroners.
Cowan explained that he was not respon-
sible for tlv accident and promised to ap-
pear at the inquest in case he was wanted
He was then allowed TO go.
Detectives were sent to arrest Miller but
they had not returned up TO a late hour
tonight. James Lawton. foreman of the
work at the building, was arrested and
later allowed to go under bail of s.. 5OO a
charge of homicide having been placed
against him. The contractor. sub-con-
tractor and foreman insist they warned
the police to keep the crowd off the side
walk as II was not built to stand so great
a strain.