THE FALL OF THE COURTHOUSE

From "Past and Present of Winnebago County"

In 1875 the board of supervisors took preliminary steps toward the erection of a new Courthouse. Henry L. Gay was the architect, and W. D. Richardson the Contractor. The corner-stone was laid June 23, 1876. May 11 1877, occurred the greatest disaster in the history of the city, known as the "fall of the courthouse." All but a portion of the front pediment of the main central tower, or dome, had fallen straight through the middle of the building, crushing in its descent much of the inside work of the structure. Seven men were killed outright, and several others severely wounded, two of whom died be-fore the coroner's jury had completed its inquest.

Those who were killed outright were Fred Hang, A. Hollenbeck, John Warren, A. Haug, John Pipe, George Gloss, Timothy Flannigan.

The wounded were August Lucas, Thomas Hayes, William McInnis, John Peck, George Smith, Hugh Eldredge, Cicero Dickerson, Hendrez Beldahl, Isaac Donnelly, John Donaldson, Frank Harris, and a man named Lindholm. John Peck and Lindholm died from their injuries.

A coroner's jury made careful examination into the cause of the disaster. The jury was composed of Selden M. Church, H. W. Carpenter, George S. Haskell, John R. Porter, G. A. Sanford, J. B. Howell, Thomas Butterworth, George Wilson, J. W. Seccomb, D. L. Emerson, Wm. H. Smith, A. G. Lowry.

The jury found that the disaster was caused first by the neglect of Henry L. Gay, the architect, to provide for the great amount of weight called for to complete the building according to the plans designed by him; second, want of care on the part of said architect in not giving special specifications and plans for the parts of the general plan required to carry the extra weight, in proportion to their superfices; third, the board of supervisors failed to use due caution in examining the plans and specifications, and in not employing a competent architect.

Work was at once resumed, and the courthouse was completed in 1878, at a total cost of $211,000.

From "History of Winnebago County"

On Tuesday afternoon, May 29, 1877, the Coroner’s Jury returned the following verdict:

State of Illinois, Winnebago Co.

An inquisition indented and taken for the people of the State of Illinois, at the City Council Chambers, in the city of Rockford, in said Winnebago County, on 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 21st. and 22nd days of May, A D. 1877, before me, Judson D. Burns, Coroner of said Winnebago County, in the State of Illinois, after viewing the bodies of Frederick Haug, Albert Hang, Timothy Flannigan. John Pipe. Geo. Gloss, John Warren, Almira Hollenbeck, John T. Pick. and Jared F. Harris then and there lying dead, upon the oaths of Selden M. Church. Foreman: H. W. Carpenter, Geo. S. Haskell, John R. Porter. G. A. Sanford, J. B. Howell, Thos. Butterworth, Geo. Wilson, J. W. Seccomb, D. L. Emerson, Wm. H. Smith, A. G. Lowrey, good and lawful men of said Winnebago County, who, being duly sworn to inquire upon the part of the people of the State of Illinois, into all the circumstances attending the death of the persons aforesaid, whose bodies they have viewed, and by whom the same was produced, and in what manner, and when and where the said dead bodies aforesaid came to their death, do say, upon their oaths aforesaid, that the said Frederick Haug, Albert Haug, Timothy Flannigan. John Pipe, Geo. Gloss, John Warren, Almira Hollenbeck, John T. Pick and Jared T. Harris were lying, when found, in the debris of the Court House of Winnebago County, State of Illinois, said courthouse then being under construction and situated in the city of Rockford, west of Rock River, in an enclosure known as Court House Square, in the County of Winnebago and State of Illinois aforesaid, on the 11th and 12th days of May A. D. 1877, and that the said dead bodies aforesaid, when so found as aforesaid appeared badly mutilated amid crushed; and so the jurors aforesaid upon their oaths do say that the said Frederick Haug, Albert Haug, Timothy Flannigan, John Pipe, Geo. Gloss, John Warren, Almira Hollenbeck, John T. Pick, and Jared F. Harris came to their death aforesaid by the reason of the falling of part of the main pavilion of the aforesaid courthouse, on Friday, the 11th day of May, 1877, at the hour of 11:30 A M., or thereabouts, the above named persons killed being mechanics and laborers employed upon and about the aforesaid court-house, at the time of the falling.

THE CAUSE.

That the cause of said falling is, first, The neglect of Henry L. Gay, the architect of the said building, to provide for the great amount of weight called for to complete the construction of said building, according to plans as designed by him.

Second, That want of care or prudence on the part of said architect, in not giving special specifications and plans for the part or parts of the general plan required or expected to carry the extra weight, in proportion to their superficies.

We find that the Board of Supervisors failed to use that caution in examining the plans and specifications that the construction of a building of that magnitude would seem to require, and that they acted unwisely in not employing a competent architect to superintend the construction of the same. And so the jury do find. - Selden M. Church, Hiram W. Carpenter, Geo. S. Haskell, John R. Porter, Goodyear A. Sanford, Jas. B Howell, Thos. Butterworth, Geo. Wilson, Jos. W. Seccomb, D. L. Emerson, Wm. H. Smith, Andrew G. Lowry.

The within verdict was made up and signed and delivered to me this 23d day of May. A. D. 1877. JUDSON D. BURNS, Coroner Winnebago County.

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