The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-10-24
CORONER DID NOT
HOLD AN INQUEST
DEATH OF MEN NO ONES FAULT
Investigation Fails to Disclose the
Cause of the Accidcnt-Funeral
Will BE Tomorrow.

! Coroner Rosser has decided not to
hold an inquest over the bodies of
Newt Green and Victor Noreen, who
were killed in the sewer Saturday.
No evidence can be secured which
points in the least toward criminal
negligence on the part of the Gill;
! gan Company or the city. After a
consultation with the prosecuting at
torney the coroner came to the
conclusion that no good could result
! from an INVESTIGATION, as all who had
worked on this job say that as far
as strong piling and bracing go
this sewer Is as safe as it can be
made.
| No cause for the giving way of
the walls can be found by examin-
ing the planks which were used in
the portion of the sides which cavcd.
Not a timber was broken or split,
all were in place and the braces run
ming with the ditch were intact. The
only possible solution is that some of
the jacks must have given way at
this particular point, or the earth
may have fallen so as to cause the
planks to slide along instead OIL fall
ing directly together This would
have upset the cross braces and al
lowed the collapse. Dir. Rosser after
examining many of those who were
present at the time of the accident,
said to Herald reporter Monday:
Anyone who says there are any
circumstances about this affair that
leads to the belief that anything
was put in in a slip shod manner,
or that there seems to be any crimi-
nal negligence about it must either
be prejudiced in his opinion or ig-
norant of the facts
1t is the opinion of the city attor-
ney and all others who are in posi-
tion to understand the facts of the
case that the city is in no way re-
sponsible for the accident that result
ed in the death of these two men.
John Crook, who was in charge of
the men before the injunction was
filed, is in the city and has made an
| investigation of the entire matter,
but can throw no further light on
the probable cause. The funeral
expenses of Newton Green will be
paid by Mr. Darlington personally.
Work on the sewer was not carried
on Monday, although all the men re-
ported for work at the regular time.
The superintendent, Mr.. Darlington,
laid the whole crew off as a mark of
respect to the men who had been
killed This morning work will be
rsumed as usual as the orders of
the Gilligan company are to rush
the work with all possible speed.
No one on the job has quit on ac-
count of the accident, but on the con-
I trary express themselves as pleased
with the way they are treated on the
work, and confident that every
I thing TO render things safe will be
! looked after by Mr.. Darlington.
1t is a curious fact that Newton
Green was killed on his thirty
fourth birthday His wife had a
supper prepared for him in honor of
! the anniversary and was waiting in
pleased anticipation of his home
coming, and his pleasure at the nice
! little surprise she had in store for
/ him. when she received word that
her husband was dead.
! The lot where Green lived was
partly paid for from portions Of
his weekly wages, but no house has
been erected, the family living in a
tent until enough could be saved.
Mrs. Green is left entirely destitute,
with a small child to care for. A
subscription is being circulated for
her benefit and a good start is al