Year: 1869

Coroner's Inquest on the Burning of the


Jessup Famiy-vcrdict of Ceusurc Against
. "A Policeman-Iptcresting Testimony.


Coroner Flynn yesterday held an inquest, ar the
Second precinct station house, on the death OF the
Jessup family, who pershed In the fire in Liberty
street on the Goth OF October. This inquest had
been postponed several times. and its OBJECT was 10
determine II the death OF the family resulted from
any negligence on the part of the police.


Fire Marshal Bracgett testified that he had inyes


gated the circumstances Of lie re al No. 81 Liberty
street, and from depositious and other evidence in
his possession was Informed OF all the facts in tho
case; the lire broke out in room at the rear OF the
second floor, occupied by S. Raymond as printing
olice about half an hour previous to the fire man
named Testut, employed in the printing Office, not
having gas took handful OF cotton vase saturated
1t with benzne, placed it on an iron plate which
rested ON O small box placed in chair, near the
printing press, and set ire to the waste for
the purpose of lighting the room. The blaze was
about sixteen inches high ana eight inches In diam
eter at the base. After working about fifteen min
uNs by this light the boy Higgins (who had been
sent Tor candle returned, and the burning cotton
waste was thrown into the CRATE with two pieces of
wood. the plate being too hot to be handled. few
minutes later the place was closed for The night, and
half an hour afterward the flames were discovered
in this room from the street. There were near the
printing press q large quantity of cotton
waste, a can Of benzine and can Of
machine oil; he the Fire Marsha arrived at the FIRE
about fifteen minutes after the alarm was given apd
while converSng with Captain DE camp, opposite
the burning building Assistant Engineer Conley, Of
the Fire Department, came up and stated that the
bodies OF four persons had been discovered on the
upper noor OF the building. While they
man, whom he had since ascertained to be
Cornelius Martineau, OF the Second precinct came up
and stated thai at the commencemnt OF the fire, and
white lie was IN the building at the head OF the first
night OF stairs, he met q man and woman, whom he
supposed to be The Janitor and his wife, ana who went
up into the fourth story. The policeman said he had
warned them OF their peril, but that the man and
woman replied that there was no danger, and the
heat and smoke being already Almost overpowering
he was compelled, with several 1remcl also present,
to go down stairs III reply to the inquiry II ne had
given any. alarm resnecting the presence
said pe'' he had told @ ''I The Fire Marshal, and
pointed to Assistant Engineer Conley as
beng the person he had notified. The policeman
then returned to hls beat IN the immediate vicinity
and afterwards stated that at the time OF the fire
he also notified the men OF the Insurance Patrol.
He lthe MarshsD had questioned Assistant Engineer
Conley and the Insurance Patrol, who stated that
the policeman had not told them of there being per-
sons III the building, and tnaL the first knowledge
they had OF the persons was when informed that
four bodies had been found. The Marshal also tes-
titled that he believed the fire to have been the
result OF gross carelessness on the part Of the
employees OF Mr.. Raymond.


Captain Morris Decamp testified in corroboration
of the above.


Assistant Engineer Conley testified that about ten
minutes after che alarm Of lire given ana some


five minutes after his arrival at the spot he was in
formed Dy private watcbman Haskins that there
was fanny in the building. and that he did not
know whether they baa escaped; he tConley) lmme-
dlatey sent party or men through the cd
joining building to the roof TO effect an
entrance through the scuttle, but upon reach
ing that place and breaking open the scuttle,
which found 10 be firmly fastened on the inside,
they discovered that they could not get down the
ladder at the time In consequence OF the heat and
smoke. After the fire had been eXtinguished
party went up stairs and found the Jantor, George
Jessup his wife and two children, lying dead at the
foot OF the ladder leading to the scute where they
had evidently been su0ocated before the flames
reached them. lie (Conleyl had received no inform
alton at the time about the persons In the building
exceptfrom the watchman Hasklns.


John Kimmens, Captain OF the Fire Insurance
PATROL testified that he arrived at the ire five inin
utes after tho alarm; that ne heard nothing OF any
persons being in the building until The bodies wero
found, and that his men had informed him In answer
10 his mterrogations thatno one had told them any
tang about family being IN the building until the
discovery or the dead


The Jury rendered verdict that George. Letitla,
William and John Jessup "came TO their deaths by
sulocation at fire at No. CO Liberty street the
2ath OF october, 1869, and we consider officer Cor
nelius Martincau deserving OF censure IN not notify
ing the fremen OF the fact that the persons were in
the building ut the time OF their ARRIVAL Which fact
he was aware oi."