Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-28


Yes. sir
Says Police Are Mistaken.
Referring to testimony by sergeant of
police yesterday. the. coroner said:
"The police department has reported
here that in going over the permits
kept mt the station house they fire.
quently have notification over the tele-
phone before the permit liz the job
or before 1t II received to let them go
ahead with the work. What do you 81 y
az to thnt:''
source :" Nr. Ashford wanted to know.
"RepOrts from the building inspec-
tors Office
81 think that In :: mistake; that il
ALL" Mr.. Ashford declared. Nv hen the
police telephone into the Office to know
IL permit has been issued-sOme-
times a permit may not be on the work
IT may have been issued, hut II not on
let the work go ahead until n permit
Is issued
You were holding back the permit on
account Of technicalitieS?
Yes sir.
DO you know Mr.. Hill. who represents
the owners of the building?
Yes. sir.
Isham Reported to Somerville.
rs it not a fact that Mr.. Hill came
Win MS attorneys anu aShcu sou p~i
sonally OF asked Mr.. Somervlle, in your
presence. for verbal permission to begin
that erection of the ironworll the week
preceding the accident. and is 1t not a
fact that YOU or Mr.. Somervile. in your
presence granted said verbal permission
Is il not a fact that Mr.. 1sham told you
during the week preceding the accident
that the iron was being erected, and Ola
he not inform you that without authority
t,n 1l1 st
trusSes be sandwiched with the stronger
ones"
NO. sir: Mr.. Isham never had any con-
versation with me on the subject MIR.
Ashford replied. MIR. 1Silam reported to
Mr. Somerville.'
IF your department granted a verbal
permit to proceed with the erection of the
ironwork and did not designate an in
@pector for the fronwork do you think 1t
proper to place the blame on special in
spector assigned to other work.?
I'VE did not place any blame. MI.
Ashford said, previously having stated
that he gave no verbal permission for
the work.
Entitled to a Hearing.
Was Mr.. Isham given any hearing be-
fore the District Commissioners prior to
his dismissal?'
"Mr. Isham should have been given n
hearing before the Commandments. aud
] don't know whether he had a hear
Ing or not. That was before the Com
nissiOners.''
why was such hurried action taken in
Diminishing Mr.. Isham without hearing
before the inquest had investigated all
the facts in connection with the matter?'
That is another administrative ques-
ton that I could not answer. 1t Is a
question for the Commissioners.
When an inspector is assigned espe-
cially to a piece of work is he also ex-
pected to look after other work outside
his jurisdiction"
He is not expected to look after any
thing except work under permit, which
is handed to him as his guide. Every
permit that is issued is handed to the in
spector In charge of that work
No Instructions to Inspector.
Did you at any time instruct Mr.. Isham
to have nothing to do with the manner in
which the elements entering into the
building were brought into position. and
did YOU state that the inspection had to
do merely with the materials themselves
and the results when finished"
No, sir
Did Mr.. Isham inform you early last
week that certain pieces in the trusses
for this building would be strained greatly
in excess OF the building regulations?"
No sir
''Is 1t not a fact that Mr.. Isham filed
with the inspection department. in usual
course, Saturday morning q written re-
port, in which he stated that on Friday
he found the trusses liable to fall on to
Nj street, and insisted on them being
guyed?"
Here is a report.
What does it say?
1T says 'trusses leaning north. "
"On Friday. did Mr. Donaldson ask you
to notify the man on the job, Mr. Isham
O ShOIIlH ahead did
notify him that he should go ahead with
the job?''
He did not ask me-
Did you hear him ask any one"
Merely Said Go Ahead.
NO: / did not hear him ask any one.
remember saying to Mr. Donaldson Go
ahead Mr.. Donaldson had an applica-
ton in his hand for his permit; and l
understood that he understood that he
must get his permit
ITO go ahead and get his permit
Yes, sir
WAS that necessary"
Certainly"
ITO go ahead and get his written per-
mit?"
Yes. sir
Replying TO questions by Assistant
United States Attorney Perry the in
spector of buildings gave the details of
the examination by his department of the
trusses. and of the condemnation of four
of them.
Responsibility of Police Department..
1T is suggested that more or less re-
sponsibilty attached to the police depart
ment," the coroner remarked. I'VE ought
to have the question of their responsibility
cleared. Is the permit issued by your
office, under which the foundation work
was commenced, and which was exhibited
to the police on that beat. in such terms
as would enable an officer to readily grasp
the Tact that it had reference to founda-
ton work. and that another permit would
be neces sary for any additional work?''
My dear sir. Mr. Ashford answered.
II think reading of the permit would
clearly indicate that it states definitely
that the work was not to go beyond
the grade: and ii also states that the
permit is revocable, in the event that the
work did go beyond that
Permit Did Not Affect Accident.
Mr. Donaldson then interrogated the
witness.
"Mr. Ashford" he asked, "did the
question of whether this permit had ac-
| tuaIly been reduced to writing have
anything to do with this accident. one
| way or the cther."
| "AbsOlueiy none. The permit might
have been issued, and IL might not"
''If the permit had been issued. the nc
cident might have happened just in the
same wny:''
Eyes, SIR"
"T'he accident happened Monday, and
that conference in your office was on