The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-28
FINGERS OF DEAD
POINT At COUNCIL
CORONER'S JURY FIXES RESPON-
SIBILITY FOR FATALITIES.
The Ubiquitous, Dangerous and
Vicious Practice of Waving Fire
Ordinances Pronounced to Be the
Ii Primary Cause of Crocker Hotel Dis
y aster-The Building Inspector Is
Fully Exonerated.

On the city council has been placed
the blame for the Boutell fire and the
Croker hotel fatalities, tho the con-
nection is admitted to be somewhat re-.
mote. The coroner's jury, after exam;
lining. fourteen witnesses yesterday and
weighing the evidence for nearly three
hours, completely relieved Building In
spector James G. Houghton from all
suspicion of official negligence and in
so many. words declared that he had
taken all the precautions that his linn
tied authority permitted him to take.
The Jury is entirely unanimous in
Tes og that b aS nsp eea be-
larged, that the building laws be en-
forced, and above ALL. that the Gin
iquitous, dangerous and vicions' prac-
tice of the city council in granting spe-
cial permits to violate the law should
be abandoned. "
The jury furthermore urges a more
general use Of fireproof construction,
and is firmly convinced that if it's three
principal recommendations are fol-
lowed, such awful calamities as have
lately shocked the whole state will not
be repeated.
Inquiry Was Comprehensive.
When the jury: assembled yesterday
morning the first witnesses, particularly
IN
the assistant building inspectors,
George Cook, the contractor, and Fire
Chief j. r. Canterbury, were closely ex-
amined, and the whole inquiry was as
compr extensive as anyone could suggest.
The more deeply the matter was probed
the more clearly were the Jurors con
WINGED that there was no official negll'
gence as far as the building inspector
and fire departments were concerned.
CITY Attorney Frank Healy read the
law prescribing the duties of the de-
partment of building inspection, show:
ing that the head Of the department. had
very little more than a sort of advisory
authority, which need not, necessarily
be recognized if the person Immediately
concerned could command some infu
ence within, the city council. Every
the question to the "runways' be
tween the Peck and the Boutell build
ings into prominent view. They were
two in number, built entirely of wood
and, tho having iron doors at each end
these doors in the case Of the one or
the fifth floor, were both open wher
the fremen entered the buildings.
AS matter of form, the inquest was
presumed to have been held on the re
mains of William Lillyblade, one Of the
roomers at the Croker hotel.
Text of the Verdict.
Preceding the general comment Of thu
verdict, is the formal statement thai
William Lillyblade was found to have
come to his death thru the falling Of
wall on Dec. 20. The document the1
i proceeds:
The weight Of evidence presented t
this jury thru the testimony Of disfn
terested architects and builders, who ex
amined the walls Of the so-called Peel
and Routell buildings at different time
between Dec. 10, the date of the burn
ing of said buildings, and Dec. 20, tn
date of the falling Of the east wall o
the Peck building, tended to show con
clusively that said wall was safe an
that there was no danger of it's falling
| except from some extraordinary caus
which could not be foreseen.
, Furthermore, that portion Of said wa
adjoining the Croker hotel building wa
protected to the height of three storie
: and to- distsnc Of fifty feet back fro1
the Fifth street front by the wall Of tn
j. hotel building leaving Of the wall whic
| fell two stories extending above the to
, Of the hotel building. This wall wa
twelve inches thick and had not bee
injured to any extent by the fire for tn
reason that the movement Of air o
the night Of the fire carried the hea
away from said wall, even leaving man
: of the wooden joists in that corner {
the Peck building and the wooden win
dow frames unburned.
) Wind an Unusual Continqencv