The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-15

CORONER'S JURY
HEARS EVIDENCE.
Story Is that Leaking Gas Pipe
Had Long Ben Sought
For. s>:-. ~


fatal fire at the West hotel?
This is question which came up to.
day and will be carefully investigated
by the members Of the coroner's jury
The story, as. it. has reached the Jurors:
is that there has been a leak OF gassln
the hotel for a long time and that en-
ployees and plumbers had been unable
to locate it; that it is not at all unlike
ly that a lighted cigar or cigaret stub
might have started fire along gas
pipe between the wall freprooting, and
tn is spread the flames from floor to floor
with such surprising speed and without
the flames being discovered till they
burst forth in the open with such head
way that they could not be easily
checked In the examination of wit
nesscs next Monday they will be care.
fully questioned with the gas leak
theory in view. This will be especially
true Of the examination of the hotel en-
ployees.
Adjourns for Week. ..
The coroner s jury convened at 1880
am. at the morgue, but after the ex-
animation Of two witnesses, adjourned
for week, at the end of which time Al
J. Smith, county attorney, will be in a
position to personally conduct the ex.
animation Of witnesses. Following the
brief hearings today, the jury proceeded
to the West hotel where a thoro inspec-
ton was made of the structure.
DR.. J. NJ. Little, who with DR.. U. G.
remains of J. P. Peisinger, was the first
witness. The hearing was presided over
by the coroner, DR.. Kistler, and was
conducted by Elmer Gray, assistant
county attorney. There were two new
members changed in the coroner 3 jury
according to the list Of names originally
summoned. W. H. Saddler, foreman
served instead Of II. n. Leighton
James Sacre was submitted for Claut
Kennedy; the other four were Franz
Prinz, S. M. Reid, George Sprung and I
| Schulman.
Body Horribly Mangled.
DR.. Little g testimony was entirel,
relative to the remains of Peisinger, AM
did not relate to the fire. IS
can examination Of the body was
all that was necessary to determine the
cause of death, without holding a post
mortem, - said DR.. Little. "The mar
was one of those who jumped from ar
upper story. All the bones of the
skull were. fractured, and a number
thruNut the body, including the breast
bone. several ribs, hip and :, arms st!; =. Th +
|
cause death without any Of tn.
others
Peter Morton, the morgue keeper, ties
titled to having received the remains O
Piesinger from the police patrol Wagon
and to turning the body over to John
tson & Lands, undertak ers. ,Furthe
testimony was then laid over for
week, and the jury went to the Yves
hotel.
: VU 4o1
, in charge by John Gustafson, hotel d.
tective. BY means Of the freight eli
. vator in the rear Of the building, the
proceeded to the seventh floor, the
walked down, floor by floor, as they il
q vestigated. Each room where some on
: of the guests had met death in tt
e disaster was pointed out to the juror
n and the apartments looked into. Pc
e tions of the corridors where the foo
d The jurors found that altho there W;
l. cement and freproof thing used, tt
f studding was wood.
( Elevator Shaft Examined.
= The elevator shaft entrances whit
~ had been closed by mailing boar
- across them, were ripped open and Il
4 shaft examined by the light of match
~ to verify the statement that the sha
- was of brick except at the entrances
n each landing. The jurors had be-
~ cautioned by Assistant County Attt
i n!ey Gray not to ask any questions, b
20 their interest in the work caused the
g. to make various queries. Hose of
n hotel apparatus was examined and sol
70 one made a remark that he understo
ar the hose WASH It used at the fire a
that there was no water in the ho
standpipe.
EThere wasn't water in the sta1
pipe because one of the fremen order
it shut off and the engineer obeyed t
order,' said Hotel Detective Gust
aA son. 49,. ---. .-
Al 1T guess we want you at the inves
IL gation,' said Coroner Kistler, who v
within hearing, and Immediately ma
a notation to have the detective su
moned as witness.
!, At the staircases on each floor
Id jury found police on guard. Glass /
been put in all the broken windows a
some work had been accomplished
clearing away the debris of the fire,
there was plenty seen to demonstr
what terrific heat and smoke guests
the hotel had been subjected to as tt
fled thru the halls seeking safety.
10 The jury completed its work at
40, hotel at noon and adjourned till n
,ei Monday. Their meeting will then
2a. held at the grand jury room in d.
vas courthouse. =
en-. INJURED DOING WE'LL