Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-16
Jury Decides Regarding Death
IFS. T. Pennington.
PROBES FATAL ACCIDENT
Hears Witnesses and Adds Recon-
mendation to Verdict.
URGES USE OF INSIDE DOORS
Deputy Coroner, Who Made Autopsy,
Describes Injuries Sustained by
Victim-Funeral Plans.

Coroner hewitt conducted an inquest at
the morsue today I'm the case of Samuel
+. Pennington, the clerk in the office OF
the auditor for the Navy Department who
was killed while In the elevator II. the
Munsey building yesterday. Attorney Will
ton ]. Lambert appeared for the owner OF
the building. while the interests Of the
widow of the deceased were looked after
by Attorney Arthur Peter The jury re-
turned a verdict that the death Of Mr..
Pennington was due to accident. and
added: We recommend to the Commits
sioners that all passenger elevators De
equipped with inside doors. and that a
law he framed making 1t compulsory to
use the same.
The jury was composed Of e. E. Ramey.
Henry Newman, ]. Z. Jesse, j. w. Alex
ander James Cunningham and Theodore
G. Stoner.
Elevator Conductor Testifies.
Clarence Harrison Peake. III 10th street
northeast, who was on duty In the ele-
vator yesterday at the time the accident
occurred. told the jury that he had work
ed as elevator conductor in the Munsey
building during the past five months.
Had you had any prior experience in
running elevators?" he was asked.
''No SIR was the answer.
Witness said that Mr.. Pennington was
a passenger in his car yesterday morning
shortly after 9 o'clock. He was standing
to the left and rear of the witness and
when the elevator was between the fourth
and fifth floors the passenger staggered
and fell. Witness attempt to catch the
falling man. but his weight was too
heavy. The head and shoulders Of the
passengers were caught by the projection
at the fifth floor. Mr.. Pennington made
no outcry.
Are there inside doors to the elevator
the coroner inquired.
Yes was the response Of witness.
Were you using them?"
Were you ever instructed to use
them?
NO, sir
In response to a question by juror the
witness said the elevator is propelled by
electricity.
Can you stop it instantly" the juror
inquired.
NO sir he answered. 1T can be
stopped within a distance of about five or
six inches"
Witness explained that there is a door
at each landing. He closed the door on
the first floor before the elevator was
started. and said the doors at the other
passenger was falling he released the
lever with his right hand and did the best
he could to hold the passenger with his
left hand. but his weight was SO great
. was running at full speed and was only
a short distance from the fifth floor when
Pennington fell.
How far did the elevator 80 from the
time you first saw Mr.. Pennington start
to fall until you stopped it?''
II should say between three and four
inches
Witness said the elevator was in per-
feet running order both before and after
the accident.
Views Of Inspector.
William l. Evans. inspector of eleva-
tors. testified that he visited, the Munsey
building shortly after the accident and
found the elevator in absolutely perfect
condition, there being nothing thu matter
with either the mechanical or electric de-
vicefa
In response to a question by the coroner
the witness said the car a.. is equipped with
do the regulations require the use Of
such a gate?" the coroner asked.
Witness said there is nothing in the
regulations about such a gate.
II always recommend that such gates
be made part Of the cars, the inspector
stated. but my experience shows that
operators do not use them.
Was the operator violating any regu-
There is no regulation on that sub
ject"
Then" the coroner added, "he violated
no regulation"
about five inches between the car and
the grill work. The elevator, he thought.
was constructed I'm order to- make from
20 to go feet minute. safe speed for
the height of the building: There is
nothing in the regulation. the inspector
said which governs the speed Of eleva-
tors The opening in the elevator in the
Munsey building. he said. is small one
and can be covered by the conductor with
his arm.
Witness was asked if he recalled an
elevator accident of a year ago. when a
jury recommended the installation and
use OF inside doors. but said he did not.
That accident. he said, did not occur In
his district. There are no inside doors
to the elevators in the District building.
the witness explained. but he was not
familiar with those recently installed In
the courthouse.
the latter building. but as they come
under the supervision of the federal gov
eminent he had no official knowledge Of
them.
Ernest l.. White. engineer in the Mum
sey building, testified that he reached the
elevator shortly after the accident. He
explained the position in which he found
the body. The elevator was lowered from
Z 8VuCnDOar0 In the electric room. the
safety devices having worked successfully
and shut of the current. making 1t i'm
possible to operate the car with the APP
pliance in the vehicle. Witness said the
machinery and other appliances were in
perfect condition. He said that Operator
Peake fully understood his business.
Ernest II. Coolidge. superintendent of
the Munsey building. testified that there
had been no instructions given about the
use OF the inside gate. Peake, he said. is
a highly efficient elevator operator.
DR.. Glazebrook Describes Injuries.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook testified that
he performed an autopsy yesterday after
noon and found that the death of Mr..
Pennington was due to the injuries he
had received. there being nothing to in
dictate apoplexy. His organs showed he
was in remarkably healthy condition.
1t would be possible. however. for a man
to suffer an attack of vertigo and fall
without the organs giving any indication
OF It.. DR.. Glazebrook explained the
numerous injuries the victim received,
which included a severe fracture Of the
skull and number Of cuts and bruises
Richard c. Willis. chief of division
ONCE Of the auditor for the Navy De-
partment. testified that he knew Pen
nington did not like to ride in elevators
saying he had frequently walked down
the stairs. The offices of the division OF
the auditor where Pennington was en-
ployed are on the seventh floor.
Samuel 7. Pennington. father of the de-
h1r ~