Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-25
EMPLOYEES WERE AFRAID
Elliott Declares Structure Sagged
Before and Was Braced.
TESTIMONY NOT IN ACCORD
Newman Says Inspector Authorized
Him to Go Ahead With
Work.

at North Capitol aud VI streets, which
collapsed Monday. was unfit for u~c. in
the opinion Of workmen hired by the
subcOntractOr in charge of the steel
structural work. was brought out this
afternoon by George w. Elliott, a WITT
ness at the corOner's inquest to hA re-
spOnsibility for the death Of Raymond
Hfbbs.
Elliott is an iron worker. who has been
in the employ of William A. Newman. the
subcontractor on the work, for six years.
He was not present during the examina-
ton and cross-eXamination of his en-
plOyer. When called to the stand he made
statements which contradict Newman in
matters which may influence the jury in
its verdict.
Newman testified that all he had to do
with the job was to take the steel from
the old Pennsylvania railroad station and
set it up on the new building. lie had
nothing to furnish, and was to work with
the material given him
Coroner hewitt endeavored to have
Newman express some opinion as TO what
caused the accident Newman evaded an
swer to the question. The coroner tried
every means in his power to get his wit
ness to express an opinion, but absolutely
without avail
II really cannot form any opinion as
to the cause of the accident" was the at
titude of Newman.
About Sagging of Building.
One point dwelt upon at some length
was that Newman had gone to the build
ing Monday morning, the day of the col
lapse. had stayed ten minutes. learned the
building was sagging somewhat to the
north, arranged with the foreman to brace
it up again, and then left.
This was emphasized by reiteration.
Newman said he first learned of the
building sagging north Monday. The
workman Elliott caused a stir by say
ing. with positiveness and vehemence,
that on Saturday there was cry of look
OUT from one of the men, and that 1t
was noticed that the steel was bending
or saggng.
On Monday, according to Elliott, there
was no sagging. as the men had braced
and plumbed the steelwork on Satur-
day. For about two hours on Monday
they had been engaged in putting up
guy lines and extra strengtheners OF that
sort.
Newman said he thought weak spans
caused the sagging, and that no In
spectors had spoken to him or his fore
man, Peter Morgan. about the sagging.
Cross-examined by his own attorney
Newman testified that Mr.. Hill and the
inspector. Isham had told him to &C
ahead with the work.
One of the jurors succeeded in tangllne
Mr. Newman a little in his answers Mr.
Newman was asked to account for the
reason why the building fell to the south
when it had sagged to the north.
Newman said that he supposed 1T was
because the building had been pulled UP
or Strengthened Monday, and that it had
stood several hours perfectly straight
before it fell. Therefore it could have
fallen one way as well as another.
His Testimony Reviewed.
1t was then called to Mr.. Newman $
attention that the building fell at about
9:45 o'clock; that the men had started
work at 7:3O o'clock the same morning
that his own testimony showed that al
7:4O o'clock hAwas there giving orders to
strengthen the sagging; ten minutes later
the men had not started Strengthening ii
yet and that there was no chance of sew
eral hours intervening between the
Strengthening process and the collapse.
To this Mr.. Newman was silent.
There was a great deal of technical dis
cussion on the subject of wooden braces
used in the steel cross structure. 1t was
shown that the braces had been used in
building the Pennsylvania railroad sta
ton.
George Elliott, the iron worker. was a
willing witness and had no hesitancy of
speech He told OF the sagging Saturday.
'IHe Du1lQlllS S"dSeu SATURDAY re-
member Dick Mills, one of the men Oh the
lob yelled Look out, and showed the
foreman where the steel was going out
ward We hauled it back six men on a
rope
II was nervous all the time the job was
going up"
Were you 1eary' of the work." asked
the coroner.
YES, sir; | was
SAYS Steel Was Not Fit.
The coroner asked Elliott what he
thought of the steel being used in the
work. He received the reply that, in Ell
liott's opinion, it was not fit to be used in
erecting buildings of any sort.
Attempt was made by attorneys for Mr..
Hill to show that Elliott was not a COM
petent Judge of structural steel. Elliott
replied:
II guess | have sense enough TO know
rotten steel when | see it,
He said that the workmen with him
had expressed their opinion that the job
was dangerous.
Some one had called the foreman'S at
tention to slight weakness in the steel.
The foreman had told the men to 20
ahead and make the whole thing as sale
as possible.
Elliott testified that 1.-The building fell
of it's own weight
He said that four crossbeams had been
to descend on the columns, when the
whole thing collapsed He said the
weight of the fifth croSsbeam had not
touched the building yet
The inquest was then adjourned UNI
til later this afternoon.