The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-11-16
JURY TO PROBE
MISHAP CAUSING
DEATH OF THREE
Coroner ROthacher Determined
to Thoroughly Investigate
Collapse of Garage
BUILDING INSPECTOR
ALSO TAKES HAND
Demands From Contractor Rec
Ords of Progress of Work
on Structure

Coroner Rothacher will swear in a
jury, Saturday afternoon, to hold an
inquest into the disaster which
caused the deaths OF three men, and
injuries -to-six- others, In the new
garage of Thomas Cowhey, on Larned-
st. east, Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Engineers Smith, Hinch.
man a. Grylls have been retained TO
make tests and thorough examiha-
tions of the building material, as will
also be done by the city building In
spection department Photographs
have been taken, showing the havoc
wrought in the collapse OF the con-
crete foring, and the concrete will
be analysed, and reports made to the
coroner.
Echoes of the tragedy, Saturday
morning, included an odd and pa
thetic occurrence.
Frank c. Campbell, whose body lies
unclaimed In the county morgue, had
a little canary bird in his room at No.
SO Congress-st east. When his death
was reported. the landlady took the
bird into her apartment. Saturday
morning It was found dead in It's
cage.
Campbell Is said to have sister
In college In Ann AArbor, and Cor
oner Rotacher has asked that she be
located and notified OF her brothers
death.
Charles Hammer, another OF the
dead has a brother, John Hammer,
proprietor OF a hotel in Holly, Mich.
He has been notified,
Hammer was recently divorced, and
his former wife called at the cor
oner's Office. Saturday. and In voice
choked with grief, asked to be al
lowed to view Hammers body.
Coroner's Clerk Allmand, feeling
that a sight of the terribly crushed
body would be too much OF a shock
for the grief-stricken woman, gently
informed her that he thought II best
for her not TO visit the morgue. She
left the Office, weeping.
Chief Building Inspector Dupont
wrote letter, Saturday TO NJ. B. Ever
ham, the contractor for the building.
demanding the record kept showing
the time when the various columns
and floors which fell were moulded.
After the accident We got a screw
driver and Ratchet and broke into the
contractors shed, but the record had
been taken away" said Dupont. "In
building concrete structures OF this
kind the contractors keep a record
showing just when each column or
floor was poured so that they may
know when il is time TO remove the
castings and supports. II we had the
record OF the building which collaps-
ed we could tell whether the builders
compiled with the building code. IL
is necessary to our investigation and
We propose getting II.
The code requires that the castings
be left on the columns at least -
hours after they are 'poure6 In cold,
damp weather 1t is desirable that the
castings be left on after that period.
but the code musct be complied with.
The code also requires that the shor-
Ing bracing up the floors be left in
place three weeks after the floors
have been put in. doubt If this part
OF the code was complied with. The
code provides penalty of $500 and
six months imprisonment for viola
lions OF this nature, but 1t is more
serious matter. IL We can show that
the builders did not comply with the
code / think we can prove criminal
negligence"