The sun., 1902-02-11
SHALER HELD FOR EXPLOSION.
JURY BLAMES SUB-CONTRACTOR,
ENGINEER AND UATCHMAN.
Verdict OF General Negligence and Nio-
Iation OF the law Regarding the stor-
age OF Explosives Coroner Now
Leaves IL TO the District Attorney.

Iation OF the law Regarding the Stor-
age OF Explosives - Coroner Now
Leaves IL TO the District All orney.
Coroner Goldenkranz's jury, which has
been investigating the Murray Hill dyna-
mite explosion on Jan 27, returned YER
dict yesterday afternoon in which the
responsibility for the explosion and the
five deaths resulting from it is placed on
Major Ira A. Shaler. the sub-contractor
for the section Of the Rapid Transit tunnel
in which the explosion occurred. and on
Ernest q. Matheson, tho engineer in charge
Of the section, and Moses Epps, the watch
man in charge Of the dynamite shanty.
Major Shaler is held responsible on the
ground that lac allowed explosives in ex-
cess of the legal limit TO DO stored in the
shanty; Matheson because. although he
was absent at the time Of the explosion.
lie had immediate charge Of the work,
and Epps because he permitted lighted
candle 70 be in the magazine and allowed
person not connected with the work 10
enter the shanty. On the advice OF the
Corporation Counsel the Coroner has now
left the case as "A whole 10 the Dlstrlcl Az
torney's Office
Matheson, who was not under arrest
previously, was held by the Coroner under
IS 900 bail, but is paroled till this morning
TO allow him TO find bondsman. -
The Jurors were out about an hour. They
returned once to ask the Coroner TO ek-
plain the relations between Shaler and MI
Mcdonald. the chief contractor This Is
their formal verdict:
We the jury. find that the said James
Roderick Eobertson came to Ms death Dg
compound fracture of skull caused 10y being
struck 10y dying timber or missile due to an
explosion Of dynamite and gunpoHder con-
tAined ia IA hand magazine on the RAPID
Transit subway in charge Of Ira 4. Shaer.
sub-contractor. said explosion having been
caused by the presence Of lighted candle II.
the structure cont tanning said hand magazine,
and We further find that there was an amount
of high explosives IN said magazine exceed
ing the amount allowed " laM' ior n %
which We attach responsibility To the iolo"-
Firs, Ne find tina, the said Ira 4 shalsr,
sub-contractOr, was negligent on the ground
that he had entire charge OF said Work upon
which there was stored an amount OF ligh
explosive exceeding that allowed by hM
and that II was his duty to employ competent,
capable and careful men ia order that tie
said work be- carried on according t9 law,
and with due regard TO human life and lmO
and the safety of adjoining property
Second We attach responsibllity for said
explosion 10 Ernest q Malhc,oh, on Ile
ground that he was immediately IN cLarge
~ said work a. superintendent ON the DAY III
H"rhird.We attach responsibility to Moses
Fpps on the ground that he wa IN charge
Of said magazine Hs watChman, Tor permit
ting the presence Of lighted candle IN The
no wder house containing said hand maya
zine. and also for allowing person not EN-
ployed on said work to enter said powder
house ,,,,,,,--..
Ne further f1nd that the deaths Of William
Tubbs, Lawrence \ Hines, James Carr and
CYRUS Adams were due 10 the physical causes
stated bv the torouerS physician caused
by the explosion aforesaid
Theodore J Enislcy. clerk of the powder
company. which delivered all the explo-
sives used by Contractor Shaler testified
Yesterday that eight cases OF dynamite
Containing fiftv pounds each. we're de-
livered al the shanty on the Saturday
before the explosion occurred and thst eight
additional cases were delivered on the day
OF the explosion.