Evening journal., 1913-08-04
DOUBT THAT
SEWER GAS
KILLED MEN
Pending COrOner'S Probe Of
ManhOle Tragedy, City
Hunts for Cause
INTER BODIES
OF THE VICTIMS

VI ltlL fAJAA AtlS
The inquest in the cases Of the
three colored men who were killed hy
gases in the sewer at Thirteenth and
Lombard streets. viii be held by Cor
oner John T. Spring, on Friday night.
Much interest is centered about the
affair because of the difference OF
opinion as to the kind OF gas that
caused the deaths Of the men
The directors OF the Street and
Sewer Department are having an
analysis made of the liauid which
was passing through the sewer al the
time the men were killed but have
not received the report President
George w. Sparks said today that
the Board had made an investigation
but had arrived at no conclusion as
to the nature of the gas, except that
the commissioners were certain that
It was not common sewer gas that
killed the men. Sewer gas would moi
kill a man in a week Mr. Sparks re-
marked. He is convinced that what
ever it was that caused the death OF
NLN Aa~+Af n1a hA-sa-i4a A-aa AAa-4 AAAN
sewer at the time they went down
u held my head in the sewer hole
two hours later and was not Effected
Mr Sparks said there was a stream
Of fluid passing through the sewer in
question at the time the accident
occurred
The funeral Of William Boulder,
one OF the victims of the deadly
fumes in the sewer. will be held
this afternoon from his late home
No 1102 East Fifteenth street H
was widely-known not only anon Z
his race. but 10 hundreds OF white
residents, by reason OF his being ia
the oitys service for twenty-sl2
years His body was viewed last
night and today at his late home BY
hundreds Of colored residents
The Street and Sewer Department
sent a floral offering 10 add to the
many sent by friends, and some OF
the officials viii attend the funeral
Services viii be held in Mt Enon
Baptist Church OF which he was q
member Services will be conducted
by the Rev. Mr Scott the pastor
The body OF Jacob Monck was
shipped today 10 Hartford County Nd
for interment The funeral Of Albert
Trusty was held yesterday and inter
nnent was made in Mt Olive cemetery.
Having read the statement in these
columns that John S. Hamilton had
started a movement for recognition
of Albert Trusty's heroism in giving
up his life while trying to rescue VII
liam Boulder and Jacob Monck. DR.
Samuel G. Ebert. a well-known col
ored physician, has written tho fol
loving letter.
August 4 1913.
Mr. John S. Hamilton.
Chamber of Commerce
Dear Sir read with pleasure in
the daily papers that it is your ipten-
ton 20 apply fora pension for Albert
Irusty who distinguished himself by
a sublime act of heroism when two
men were dyin in q sewer at 18th G.
Lombard SITS. last week.
/ thank you for my people aud my
self for your recognition of the vir-
ture of this brave man and I have
no intention to find fault ! assure
you. when / call attention to the fact
that you apparently overlook the out
rage Of Jacob Monk. who, with equal
courage, lost his life by trying TO
save that of his comrade Boulden.
Assuring YOU that / express the uni
versal sentiment Of my people when
/ thank you for Your activity in this
matter | am
Respectfully your,
S. G Ebert NJ. d.
Mr Hamilton today sent the fol-
lowing reply TO DR. Ebert
Nh. S G. Ebert, NJ d.,
Wilmington, Del
Dear Sir: / have your letter of this
date and in reply would say Il was
only natural mistake | think fur lou
to believe that / had overlooked tho
courage OF Jacob Monek. such. how
ever. assure YOU was not the case
Boulder and Monck were employed by
the CITY aid beside this yers personal
friends
1t was only natural therefore for Monk
TO 60 to Boalden's assistance when the
latter was stricken. When ! say tins
] 10 not for moment have in me any
feeling which would ignore one claims on
our admiration for Monck and Boulden
Trustv was under no obligation to gc
10 these men He did 20, however and
died. an 60 II nobody else does he
said. and this shows he counted the cost
The crisis came upon him without an
opportunity for preparation There was
demand in the situation for a hero and
Albert Trustv filled the demand all the
way through
Albert 1rusty was q stranger 70 me
II 1 ever saw him ! am unaware Of It
On the other hand knew Boulden and
Monck we'll ! watched both OF these
men for years these earnest industrr
Gus. useful men. compeiled TO live N an
environment which would compel many
white men 70 fan by the wayside.
II the death Of these three men serves
the purpose OF calling attention to the
disgraceful way m which we compel oul
colored population to live they VIII not
have died IN vain
As | said before. J did mott know
Irusty I did. however. know Boulder
and Monck and from my intimate &C.
quaintance with them ] believe that
either would have risen TO tile occasion
as did lrusty at Thirteenth and Lom
bard.
The tragedy impresses me with
tremendous force when alongside OF
the deaths OF the three men and the
4 sublime heroism Of Trusty. J call to
my mind the 'disgreceful conditions
in the midst of which many other
black men, unduestionably as worthy
as they. are compelled TO live.
There should be no such conditions
IN well regulated city as exist in the
districts where many OF our colored
j people are not responsible for their
4 condition and it is a dissraceful in
dictment OF those who are responsible
for it