The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-06
coRoNER's JURY FINDS RESPoN-
SIBILITY FOR THE DEATH OF
YOUNG HOWARD RYAN
CITY AUTHORITIES ALSO
GUILTY OF NEGLIGENCE
After Hearing the Evidence of Those
Who Were on the New York Life
Building Elevator at the Time of
Accident. Operator Charles Parsons
Is Exonerated by Jury.

The responsibility for the death of
Howard Ryan, who was killed in the
New York Life Building elevator Fri
day, was yesterday placed on the own
ers of the building and the city author
tiles. The coroner's jury, which met
yesterday morning at the morgue, re-
turned the following verdict after be-
ing out thirty minutes:
1T is the unanimous verdict Of this
jury that the owners of the New York
Life Insurance building and the proper
city officers were negligent in allow
ing the recess or opening to remain
unguarded, and we deem the said recess
or opening to be dangerous under the
present conditions"
The taking of the testimony lasted a
little over an hour. There was nothing
OF sensational nature divuIged. Ac-
cordlng to the witnesses the elevator
was not overcrowded, and was running
smoothly at the time of the accident.
Each witness denied that there was
any jostling or pushing. After listen
ing to these statements the jury COM
pletely exonerated Charles Parson, the
elevator operator.
The witnesses who testified were:
Eddie Whitaker, a cousin of the dead
boy, who was with him in the elevator:
Charles Parsons, the operator; Otto
Kueffner and Lester Brown, who were
passengers in the cab; DIR. Lufkin, who
was called to the accident; Dr. Whit
comb, who performed the autopsy, and
e. A. Whitaker, an uncle of the dead
boy.
Charles Parsons told an inquiring
hot i1o oil l.;
had never seen an elevator shaft con-
structed like the one in which the &C
cident occurred. He said that he con-
s1dered it to be highly dangerous at all
times.
The coroner's jury consisted of Hen
ry G. Sinks, foreman: Martin Gerber,
w. M. Sheire, Nicholas Weller, Frank
Giesen and Charles O'Mara.
Aldermen Take Action.
Taking cognizance of the terrible
elevator accident in the New York
Life building, the board of aldermen
last night authorized an amendment
to the building ordinance, directing
that all elevator guards now in use
and hereafter to be constructed must
be flush and in a vertical line with
the shaft. No recesses of any kind
will be permitted.
This amendment was drafted yes
terday at the instance of Building In
~spector Ellerbe and City Engineer
Rundlett, and followed the verdict of
the coroner's jury, in which the build
ing department was censured for it's
failure to see that the elevator guards
We're flush with the shaft.
7 do not think the jury was ac-
quainted with our building laws, or it
would have never included this de-
partmtent in its censure," said Build
ing Inspector Ellerbe yesterday. "The
building law, as it exists now, calls
for guards around all elevator shafts
but makes no provision as to how
they shall be set. Neither myself nor
Mr.. Rundlett knew of the presence OF
| this recess at the New York Life
Had we known it, all we could have
done would have been to suggest to
the owners that they make the change
The law, as it reads, does not permit
| us to compel the change. Even now
we have not the authority to order the
| elevator closed until this is done
| though I am informed the owners OF
| the building have realized the danger
| it offers and are having the work
DONE"