The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-10-18
CORONER TO GIVE
CASE TO POLICE
Jury Puts Blame on Contractor
for Death of Taylor in Col
lapse of Wall.
FALLING CONCRETE GREEN
Beck Goes After Woodson in
Court, but Hearing Is
Continued.
FALLING CONCRETE GREEN

Responsibility for the collapse Of q
concrete roof between 1887 and 1s4l
East Main Street on Wednesday. which
resulted in the death OF Moses Taylor
colored, and the injury Of three other
workmen. was specifically fixed on w.
j. woodson, the concrets contractor.
in a verdict rendered yesterday after
noon by the coroner'S Jury called to
Inquire into the death of Taylor. Th3
| Jury found that Taylor came to his
death from the falling of a green"
concrete roof. due to the violation OF
a city law by Contractor Woodson.
While Coroner Taylor said he would
rot orier the arrest and criminal
prosecution OF Woodson. he declared
that he would report the case to the
ipolice to-day. Since the jury has
placed the blame for the accident on
one individual. the police will proba-
bly, take immediate action. Evidence
was produced at the inquest to show
that Woodson had removed the forms
from the concrete sooner than the
building code allows. ana that he had
persisted in ordering the removal In
the face of prot ssts from subordinates.
Incensed at what he calls the fire.
quency of such accidents in Richmond,
Building Inspector Beck took steps TO
prosecute Woodson without waiting for
the action Of the coroners jury. The
concrete contractor appeared in Police
Court yesterday morning to answer
to the charge Of having effected the
removal OF the forms earlier than the
time prescribed by the city building
code.
His attorney. George White. success
| !ul In having the case continued to
| October "a minated In court tina: his
client would enfeavcr to shit :he
responsibility for the accident to the
| shoulders Of other Contractors assG-
| ciattd In tn. work
Where Deck Puts Blame.
Building Inspector Beck. however.
is emphatic in asserting that blame
! for the accident rests on Woodson.
Mr.. Beck expects to prove In Police
Court that the forms were removed
| Ave days after the concrete was laid
| whereas the city code provides that
| the forms must remain in place TWEEN
| ty-one days as a protection against
| Just such a catastrophe a. occurred
Wednesday,
According to the testimony at the
| inquest. the concrete forming the
| roof had not been allowed time to
really set and collapsed Immediately
! after the sustaining woodwork was
| taken from place. Woodson's attor-
ney intimated that the collapse of the
roof was due not SO much to the
character OF the concrete as to the
weakness of the walls Of the building
| hut an examination Wednesday by the
Building Inspector did not Justify this
| contention.
| Charles Haywood. OF 7o4 North
| Twenty-seventh Street. 10 the contrac-
/ tor for the walls, and he joins Ny.
Beck in declaring the concrete was
! "ereen-. The south wall, he said
! showed a few bulges after the ace''
dent, but these were caused oy the
| strain of the falling roof. The exact
| result Of Mr.. Beck's investigation OF
| the wall bears out this View.
The building permit was granted
| for a covered passageway to connec'
! the store of Thomas E. stage. l3ii
| Fast Main. to that Of George '"
Brown. at 1887 East Main street, an"
/ several contractors were ehedseo VI
/ the work. When Woodson suggested
the removal of the forms Wednesday
men engaged on the job protested tina,
the concrete was still green and would
| nrobably not sustain Its own weight
| .. lef, unsupported. The contractor
| would not heed the warnings and or
| dered Taylor and other workmen te
| take away the forms. As was pre-
| dicted, the roof collapsed when tbs
.unnorts were withdrawn. smotherins
| Taylor to death and all but crushing
three other workmen. Charles Hay
| wood. Jr.. son OF the contractor. hap
| nened to be on the roof at the time
Of the collapse, but was warned oS
the cracking underfoot ana leaped te
safety.