Evening star., 1902-01-08
FOCUS INQUEST
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Cause of the Accident at MIR. How
ards House.
VERDICT OF THE JURY
The District Should Inspect Low
Pressure Boilers.
TSE OF AFETY VALVES

An Inquest to inquire into the death of
William FOCUS, the colored butler who
wss killed last Sunday by the explosion of
a boiler that partially wrecked the resi-
Il. nee of Mr.. Beale r. Howard, No. 14l0
18TH street. and to fix the responsibility of
The accident was held at the sixth precinct
police station, New Jersey avenue. this
morning.
FOCUS died at the Emergency Hospital
Monday night. He was unconscious the
greater part of the time that he was at the
hospital. ana was never able to tell the
story of how the accident occurred.
An autopsy was performed yesterday by
Acting Coroner GIazebrook, who found
death was due TO cerebral hemorrhage,
following severe fracture of the skull.
Mr. BeaIe r. Howard, the owner of the
residence where the accident occurred, was
the first witness He testified that the house
No. 14l0 18th street, was constructed for
him by Mr.. Emmett, a contractor about
three years ago, and that he had occupied
the same a residence about two years.
That in order to insure perfect heating IA
cilities he had installed two duplicate boil
ers in the house and that since he had oc-
cupied the place both had been managed at
all times by his butler. William FOCUS.
Previous to starting the fires in the boilers
for the first time. the witness testified that
he had called in an expert in the construc-
Ton ana maintenance Oh furnaces VINO ndU
explained In detail the workings of the two
heating apparatus, and who pointed out
AT that time the dangers that might ensue
If the valves of the furnaces were not
properly attended to.
Mr. Howard testified that the dead butler
not drinking man, and had always
given satisfaction, also that he had thought
he was familiar with the workings of the
furnace.
Witnessed stated that the accident oc-
CURED about 1890 o'clock last Sunday
- morning. Previous to the time of the acci-
dent. he said. he had noticed that his resi-
denCe was unusually cold, and reported the
fact To the butler The latter said he would
remedy the trouble by making fire in
the other boiler. and the owner of the
house said he told him to go ahead and do
So. but to be very careful that no accident
occurred Mr.. Howard subsequently left
the house and the accident happened dur
ing his absence.
Experts Testify.
@. H. Zellers. who said that he had been
engaged in the construction of heating ap-
paratus for about twelve years next testi-
fed that he had furnished specifications
and estimates for furnishing the heating
apparatus at No. 141O 18th street, about
three years ago; that there was nothing un-
usual in the fact that two boilers We're
called for, as it was quite customary in
houses of that size to install such a num-
Der He accordingly furnished two Ideal"
p'uNlS HI tHt FcSlUtTCe. he Sdl0 tndt ne
was thoroughly acquainted with the work
ing and strength of the make of boilers he
installed and had never had any complaint
from the use of same. Mr.. Zellers said
both the boilers in Mr.. Howard's residence
We're thoroughly tested before the steam
was first turned on, and that he was per-
fectly satisfied of their security
In October last he stated that Mr. How
ard sent for him and told him one of the
boilers In his residence was out of order
ana subsequent examination proved that
the boiler was badly cracked. This defect,
MI IeIiers said. was afterward remedied.
Mr. Zellers said that in his Judgment the
explosion due to the fact that the
valves Were improperly turned off and that
there was no connection between the two
builsrs-
questioned by DIR. Glazebrook the wit
ness stated that In his opinion IL safety
valves had been used in the first instance
the accident would undoubtedly have
been avoided. Safety valves however are
not generally used on furnaces of low pres
sure. added Mr. ZelIer, and there was alb
solutely no negligence on my part that
they We're not put on the boilers. Mr. How
ard left the matter entirely in my hands.
and of course no blame can be attached to
MN Tor my failure TO supply the valves"
f. T. Fermillion of No. 123 18th street
northeast. inspector of steam boilers for
the District of Columbia, followed Mr. Eel
Ter He substantially verified the former
witness testimony as to the cause of the
accident. and was equally emphatic in the
statement that had safety valves been en-
ploSed the accident could have been avoid
ed
The Verdict.
The jury. composed of Joseph E DAILY,
John Holmes. Frank ]. Acker William H
Sleeper. c. W. Downing and John A. Nc
Nulty, rendered the following verdict: eve
the jury. find that William FOCUS died at
the Emergency Hospital, in the District
OF Columbia. January 6, 1902. from hemor-
rhage of the brain, due to a fracture of the
skull caused by being struck in the head
by portions Of a boiler, which exploded on
the morning of January 5. 1902, at the
residence No. 1410 10Th street.
In our opinion the accident In question
was due TO the said mans own carelessness
We. however. recommend to the proper Off
Gals that such boilers should come under
the official inspection and be supplied with
safety valves. as in the case with high
pressure boilers"
DIR. GlnxebreOk's Opinion.
DR.. L. ". Glazebrook acting coroner, In
conversation with a Star reporter said:
"Of course. 1 could have readily given a
certificate OF death without an inquest a.
the mans death was purely the result of an
accident caused by his own carelessness.
But under the circumstances i considered
II Just and proper that an Investigation
should be held in order to determine
whether or not such an accident as hap
peued at Mr.. Howard's house last Sunday
could not have been prevented
The safety Of other residents of the Dis
trict who employ just such methods of
heating their homes demanded that lust
such a recommendation as that made by
the jury today be made public.
1T developed by the evidence of Mr. Eel
Ter and Mr.. Vermillion. at the inquest to-
day, both experts in steam and hot water
heating. the latter holding the responsible
position OF inspector Of steam boilers for
the District Of Columbia, that at the pres
ent time there Is no law that requires an
Inspection of boilers or steam heating ap-
paratus by the District. except such as is
Known as high-pressure boilers, that is,
those used In manufacturing plants
No provision has been made for the
proper inspection of heating apparatus in
private residences, where, 1t appears by the
recent explosion, life is in such imminent
danger
The testimony further showed that this
danger could be oDviated II not entirely
obliterated by the Introduction of safety
valves on furnaces. and at the present time
few. II any, of these are in use I think
that stringent and immediate measures
Should he taken n -