The evening world., 1913-09-26

Waist Company's mandatory In the
Asch building on Washington place
were afterward held directly responsible
for the great disaster OF the Triangle
fire In which 1%7 girls and women los,
their lives. 10 directly was responsible
ny traced to these locks that special
legislation enacted . law putting q PEN
atty upon the practice of locking the
doors OF clothing lofts when employees
are At work.
Max Blanck. who with Isaac Harris
was . partner In the Triangle Waist
Company. Was found guilty in the
Court OF Special Sessions to-day of a
violation Of the Law. for the promulga-
ton Of which he and his partner were
directly responsible. All three OF the
exits from his shirtwaist mandatory
on the ninth floor Of the building At
No. - Fifth avenue were found to be
secured by dangerous chain locks
TAs Justioss Of Special Sessions
1npoosA The minimum penalty for
Ne offsnss-e fias Of Gao.
COURT MAKES APOLOGY FOR
FiNiNo HIM.
In imposing this minimum sentence
Chief Justice Russell made what WAS
practically an apology to Blanck for
the necessity the law forced upon the
Court Of finding him guilty on the evi.
dance submitted by Walter J. Dugan
Of the Bureau Of Fire Control. lie
blamed the factory inspectors Of the
State Labor Bureau and Of the Fire
Prevention Bureau Of the city OF New
York for not getting together In the
determination Of what constitutes q
dangerous lock In loft factories.
Mr.. Blanck." said Judge Russell, you
seem TO have shown every disposition to
abide by the law governing factory
doors. and the evidence shows that 10.
two years the Labor Bureau inspectors
had passed the locks on the doors Of
your factory as being we'll within the
regulations. An inspector OF the Bureau
Of Fire Prevention inspected your place
on Aug. s and decided that the locks on
your doors were not within the regula-
lions. It seems to have been q case o.
the failure Of the two sets Of inspectors
to agree as to what constitutes Q dan.
gerous lock under the law"
MY notion In connection with all
these Celebrations Of safety devices, etc,
In that some reasonable notice should
be given. Whether that u given by
the Legislature or through the news.
papers or by the slow process Of
judicial decision. people are entitled 10
II Just the same. Defendants In casex
such Is this ought to have some notice"
Blanck paid the fine imposed and left
the court. The maximum penalty which
was within the discretion Of the court
to Impose was go fine or twenty days
Imprisonment. The Justices sitting with
Russell were Kernochan and Herman.
$50 GIRLS EMPLOYED IN THE
FACTORY.
Inspector Dugan. acting on special Or
dcrs Of Fire Commissioner johnson, via.
tied the factory or the Triangle Waist
Company on Aug. 8. One hundred and
nifty girls and women were working
there At the time. Dugan made an In.
spection Of tho three exits OF the LOFT
and found that chain lock-such 4
fastening a. Is common In apartment
houses and one that operates by moving
. chained slug in = slot-was affixod to
the doors.
As DuEan testified at the trial later
he called Blancass attention to the
locks and told him they had been AT.
fxed In violation OF the law. Blanck Il
alleged to have replied TO him:
my place has been examined time
and again by inspectors Of the State
Labor Bureau. and they have passed
those locks. ] will not remove then
unless receive q written order from
the Bureau OF Fire Prevention to dc
So"
Dugan then obtained a summons for
Blanck. and he was placed on trial be.
fore the Court OF Special Sessions or
Sept ). Dugan. In appearing as COM
planning witness. gave the Court hi,
opinion OF the danger entailsd by the
use OF such locks rs those found on the
shirtwaist manufacturers doors. lie ex
planned that the slug could only b,
thrown from the slot when the door va,
closed; that any attempt to open tn,
door without hrst removing the stu,
would only throw the mechanism tishte
In the slot and prevent the escape o.
those seeking to get out.
IN PANIC THE LOCKS WOULD 81
TRAPS.
Two movements OF the hand wer
necessary to free such u lock, Dusl
showed. In case OF panic he was cer
tain none would have self posses sio
enough 10 remove the slug before a,
tempting to open the door; the frantl
operatives would. on the contrary. pill
up behind such door. hslplessl
trapped.
Blanck's counsel told the Court ths
several inspectors OF the Labor Bursa
he'd passed this type Of lock ~ bsiA