New-York tribune., 1907-06-26
DEAD NUMBER SEVEN.
BUILDING WAS UNSAFE.
Citu Bureau Kn67o It-Hdd Not
ompeILed Occupants to Get out.

Gross negligence On the part of officials of the
Bureau of Buildings was apparently responsible
Yesterday for the loss of seven lives in the col
lapse of the building at Lafayette and Walker
streets. George Blumenthal. who was making
alterations to insure tho safety of the struct-
ure, was arrested on a charge of homicide.
The total list Of dead at the Elizabeth street
station was given out by Captain Dooley as fol-
lows:
BEUccE cosmo foy yea7s od laearer ledger on top
TORCHINO Tony, twenty-one years Old crushed 10
roRcHIo sf @ Ma@is seventeen Old body recovered
TORCHINO. Lille nine years old, body recovered
T0RCHIN0 susie thirteen years Old. body recovered
TORCHINo Eddie one and half years old: body re-
covered.
All Of the injured will recover.
All OF the tenants OF the house have now been
accounted for and it IS not believed that there
arc more bodies in the ruins. Assistant District
Attorney ManIey. of the homicide bureau, had
all Of the witnesses including policemen. inspec-
tors some Of the tenants and the contractor or
the building before him yesterday and will pre-
sent the matter to the grand jury to-day
Coroner Hamburger was informed early Of the
accident. and went at once TO the scene. He
expressed great indignation, declaring that the
tragedy was due n neglect either on the part Of
the police or the Bureau of Buildings. He said
that he would make thorough Investigation.
Blumenthal. who IS ffty-four years old, Of No
lI2 East li9tl street, WHO was III Nila ~ pi el'c
alterations was arraigned before Coroner Har-
burger Yesterday by Detective Owens and was
held in $4,000 bail for further examination on
July . on a charge Of homicide He was loath 10
talk Of the disaster. but said that he had heen
serving as Juror in Part Ill Trial Term Of the
Supreme Court, and had been unable to give
much attention to the work. He said that he
went to the building Monday afternoon and
after looking il over had talk with an tnspec-
tor who was watching operations. He said that
the inspector assured him that there was no i'm
mediate danger and that the snoring up could
be postponed until yesterday morning Acting
on this advice. Blumenthal said he went ahead
with the work
Blumenthal was bafed out late last night. His
s,Ireties were Edwin II. Taylor, Of Orange val
ley y. Y. who gave house at no. Zoo west
10Th street valued at $4,000. Phoebe J. Taylor
duplicate bail bond. giving as surety the house
and 175 acres of land at Orange Valley, n Y,
worth $4,000, on which there is a mortgage or
$4,000
Edward s Murphy. Superintendent Of the Bu-
reau Of Buildings. when seen yesterday after
noon at the office of the bureau, Fourth avenue
and 18th street in answer TO questions as 10 the
attitude Of his department In the matter gave
out the following statement;
The building at the southwest corner OF Latay-
cite and Walker streets old building.
An unsafe order was placed this building by
the Bureau Of Buildings; survey was held ard
a precept was issued by the Supreme Court direct
ing that the building be made safe- The owner OF
the premises making the same safe IN ac-
cordance with the requirements Of such precept
when the building collapsed.
In answer 10 further questions, Mr. Murphy
said that the message received from the police
about 1890 o'clock Monday evening related
merely TO the buildings at Nos 81 and 96 Lafay-
ette street, neither of which collapsed. The
building which fell the one at the corner,
and regarding this one the police had given no
warning
Mr. Nfurphys secretary. William ]. Colihan.
admitted yesterday that the bureau had been
warned by the police Of the condition or the
structure shortly after 10 o'clock Monday night.
He said that an inspector had been sent there
and after examining the building had reported
that there was no immediate danger of a col
lapse In spite of this alleged competent in
spector's report the building did fall shortly be-
fore o'clock yesterday morning, wiping out
seven lives and injuring several persons. Mr..
Colihan also stated that the building had been
reported unsafe some time ago. Notice had
been sent out then. according to Mr.. Gotham;
there had been a formal survey of the prem
ises the owner informed, and precept
issued from the Supreme Court that the place
be made safe. Under the law. said the secretary.
the owner had the right to do the work himself
if he used sufficient dispatch.
II was said at the bureaU that Inspector
! Couch visited the structure twice on Monday
! and reported that the work in progress
and that everything was going along smoothly.
!
port. was told by Building Inspectors Walter
Buchnan and Thomas Girman that Building IN
spector Peter Raub duty al the col
lapsed building from . o'clock Monday after
noon until II o'clock that night, and that ne
! inspected the building two hours before the
disaster. but found nothing to arouse appre-
hension.
Police lines, in charge of Captain Dooiey, of
the Elizabeth street station, were maintained
around the building all day yesterday to keep
back the crowds of curious ones in the neigh
borhood. Patrolmen stationed around the
ruins. watching the laborers at work to see tha
articles of value found would be turned over
to their proper owners. All of the valuables
taken out were removed 10 the Elizabeth street
station and the station house yesterday after
| noon res embled a b-2gain store. The station
was packed with clothing and furniture of all
descripti ons which were being claimed by the
owners and taken away.
AFTER ALL, USHER's THE SCOTCH