Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-30
CAUSED BY ACCIDENT
JURY's VERDICT REGARDING
DEATH OF PETRo cENrURANo.
Story of Cave-in at Site of the New
Bank on Fifteenth Street
Northwest.

his death December 20, 1906 at excavatio
on 18th street between r and @ streets
northwest from asphy xiation. The as
phyxiation was caused by the giving away
OF a bank of earth at the above mentioned
place. which completely buried the said
Petro Centurano. causing him to become
suffocated or asphyxiated. We believe that
the death OF the said Petro Centurano was
due to accident"
This was the verdict rendered by the cor
oner's jury investigating the cause of the
death of the young Italian boy who was
killed in the cavern Of bank of earth in
the foundations of the new Metropolitan
Citizens Bank building yesterday morning.
Ihe inquest was held at the morgue
building, on Water street between N and
M southwest, and Coroner hewitt presided.
Messrs: Charles Graft James Cunninsham,
Edward J. Gardner, VIM. P. Hartley,
Thomas E. Ogram and Samuel Lee were
the jury in the case
The witnesses in the case were mainly the
supervising force in charge of the work of
erecting the new building. One Italian
workman was examined, but his testimony
was inmaterfal, and Building Inspector
Snowden Ashford gave testimony as to the
causes. in his opinion. that led up to the
accident. Nothing startling was developed
by the Inquest. and the testimony all show
jury found.
hc SeluICl dS given ABOVE was reaCneQ
by the jury, with Mr.. Croft as foreman,
within few minutes after the case was
given to them.
Mr.. H. B. Rowland of Berry & Minor. at
torneys for the Italian legation, was pres
ent to look after the interests OF the dead
man. and he asked the witnesses a few
questions regarding the precautions taken
20 prevent accident in the erection of the
bank building.
Not half a dozen spectators were pres
ent at the inquest
Testimony of Superintendent Love.
Mr.. w. F. Love, residing at 112o1s Florida
avenue northeast. building superintendent
OF Thomps on Sterrett Company, who had
charge of the work on the 18th street build
Ing when the accident occurred, stated that
the accident was caused by the heavy
rains, which produced crack In the
earthen bank. The break could not be seen
A part of the bank fell, knocking the
shores away and allowing the cave-in to
occur He had had no report that the
snoring was unsafe and had inspected IL
the night before in advance of the rainfall
In reply to question of Coroner hewitt,
the witness stated he was not making
preparations for the strengthening of the
timber work, as in his opinion the accident
was due to the heavy rains.
Albert +. kaflert, residing at 31Tk B
street northeast. carpenter employed on
the work, did not witness the accident but
was within four feet of the cave-in when It
occurred. He had heard no complaint as
to the insecurity of the snoring, but had
made no examina ton of it. From what he
had seen of it he thought it was safe, and
would have worked under it himself
Mr.. Gormley's View.
P. f. Gormley, residing at 40 Princeton
street. superintendent of building for the
Metropolitan-Citizens' Bank, was of the
opinion that the giving away of the snoring
was caused by the workmen cutting down
under the bottom of the sheet piling. caus-
ing the filing behind the timber work to
slip out. There were no restrictions as to
the cost of braeing and new material was
used.
The best of care was taken of the work,
the witness stated four men being en-
ployed to look after it, and men were work
Ing on 1t when the accident occurred.
Massino di Marco, residing at 24S 1st
street southwest, was next sworn. The
witness Is an Italian, and through an inter
prefer he testified that the men had no
warning that the accident was about to
occur.
Result Of Autopsy.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook then took the
stand. The result of the autopsy he had
made on the body of the dead man showed
that no bones were broken and that dea tn
was caused by suffocation. He found the
mouth and nose packed with earth
Inspector Ashford Witness.
An adjournment of over an hour was TAX
en- to await the arrival of witness from
the office of the building inspector of the
District. The witness who appeared was In
spector Snowden Ashford.
Mr.. Ashford stated he examined the cav
ed-in bank about IL o'clock the morning of
the accident. and that it seemed to have
been caused by the seepage of the soil back
or the sheet piling. allowing the piling to
IaL back and release the shores, allowing
the piling to fall
In response to question of the coroner
witness stated that the material used In
the sheeting piling was good, and that the
reports all stated 1t to be adequate
All the usual precautions to prevent accl-
dent had been taken, the witness stated
He could not say they were sufficient TO
support the bank after heavy rain, as he
had made no examination previous to the
accident. The material used was such as
was used under similar circumstances
After answering a few other questions
from members of the jury and the attorney
the case was given to the jury.