New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-08-02
MUST STAND TRIAL FOR
LOCKING FACTORY DOORS
Three of Four ASCh Building
Tenants Held on Complaint
of Fire Inspectors.
MANY VIOLATIONS FOUND
Magistrates Hold Others for
Smoking or for Having
Exits Barred, Chained
or Blocked.

Three OF four persons alleged 20 have
violated fire prevention laws by smoking
and having locked doors TO fire escapes, In
the Asch Building, at No. % Washington
Place, the scene Of the fatal Triangle
Waist Company fire in which nearly $50
persons lost their lives, were held yes
terday in t25 bail each for appearance in
the Court OF Special Sessions.
Magistrate Corrigan. before whom the
prisoners were arraigned in Jefferson
Market court on subp9nas served by In
spector Otto Mendel, of the Bureau OF
Fire Prevention. refused to release the
men. The fourth offender was released
on his plea that he was not responsible
for a violation. as his firm was in the
! hands OF a receiver.
MendeI said he visited the Asch Build
ing on Thursday afternoon at the COM
plant Of tenants who declared conditions
existed similar TO those which caused the
great loss Of life at the fire there two
years ago.
Those held by MAGISTRATE Corrigan were
Louis Brill, en- elevator boy, who Mendel
alleged was smoking, Abraham Levy ana
his father. Jonas. The younger Levy
pleaded not guilty TO having exits 10 the
fire escape locked, and his father denied
having been smoking.
The fourth offender, Henry Wallach'
was released after declaring Irving
IRVINE. receiver for his firm, was respon-
sible for any violation Of the law which
may have been found. Ervine was sum-
moned to appear in court this morning.
Further evidence Of the activity OF
Chief INSPECTOR John J. Kennedy's force
was evident yesterday when others were
held for trial on similar charges. Charles
Wiebke, a machinist, living IN Newark
was charged with smoking in factory
at No. 195 West Sd street, and was held
by MAGISTRATE Corrigan IN s25 bail.
Morris Brookston, OF No. 1865 Forest
avenue, The Bronx. was charged with
having barred doors IN his factory. NOS.
50 and Al West Sd street. Inspector Man
del stated that the doors had double
chains and that boxes were piled against
exits. Brookston was held for trial. as
was Irving Lewis a travelling salesman
who was charged with smoking in the
same building.
Max Hermann. who has flower and
feather busir ess at No. 707 Broadway, and
employs fifty girls. was charged with
having the doors TO fire escapes locked
and chained. He was held for trial in
Special Sessions.
In the Tombs court Magistrate Levy
held for trial Jacob Goldstein, proprietor
of a clothing establishment at No. u to
% East Broadway. for having doors locked
In his place during working hours. In
spectors Of the Fire Prevention Bureau
visited the factory at noon. and after
rapping for ten minutes on barred door
were admitted by a boy.
Counsel for Goldstein asserted that the
doors had been locked during luncheon
hour and his client was therefore not
liable 10 punishment. The boy who
opened the door. however. was said 70 be
in Goldstein's employ. and Goldstein was
held.
In the last week a special crusade
against the violators Of the fire laws has
been made by Commissioner Johnson. The
number Of inspectors has been increased
IN an effort 70 detect every manufacturer
who endangers the lives Of his employees.
II was said at Fire Headquarters yester-
dsy that thirty-fve violations were re-
ported on Thursday.