The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-01-08
COMEDIAN TOY TEsYIFIES.
HIS BELIEF AS TO ORIGIN OF
 IR0QUoIS FIRE.
Satisfied That 1t Started by Sparks from the "spot" Lighs-Ths Only Pre- caution Against Fire That He Knew of Was the Rule Against smoking Worth ofshe Asbestos curtatn.

I
 Chicago, Jan. 7.-One dozen people appeared as witnesses in the coroner's inquest over the victims of the Iro- quois theater fire which opened to-day in the city council chamber in the city hall. No person was admitted to the council chamber without an order or a subpoena from the coroner. Even members of the city council who ap- piled for admission were turned away.
 The chief witnesses of the day was Eddie Foy, the comedian of the "Mrs Bluebeard" company, and George w. Stetson, a representative of the com pany which manufactured the asbestos curtain. The evidence of MT. Foy did not differ greatly from the statemnts which have been published heretofore concerning his action on the day of the fire MT. Foy said:
 T shouted for them to lower the cur tain and then I fetl what would de- scribe as sort of cyclone. It was a Whirl of smoke and when I looked around the scenery had broken and was flying all around me. There was a heavy cold draught evidently from the outside and there was an explosion of some kind as though you would light a match and the whole box goes of. I did not know whether to go front or back, as it looked about an even thing for my life, no matter which way went. Then I thought of my boy and that perhaps the man did not take him out so went for the back door where the people were trying to get out and then I went out myself and found my boy in the alley"
 1 MT. Foy declared that he was satis-. fled in his own mind that the fire was caused by sparks from the 'spot" light but that he had no personal knowledge of the fact. He testified that the only was the rule against smoking.
 Mir. Stetson and Coroner Traeger be- came involved in a lengthy discussion as to the merits of asbestos curtains during which MT. Statson admitted that asbestos curtains, if subjected to a high heat would lose their life" and crurn- ble. When show a portion of the cur-l tain brought from the theater he de- clared that it had evidently been sub- jected to a very high temperature but that he could not say as sss ether 1t had endured a sudiciently gre8f ERt to cause it to crunble He declare tf3e.! in his opinion the greater portion Of the asbestos curtain in the Iroquois thea er was stilf in good condition and express Z ed himself as anxious to make expert ments to prove the truth of his asser- tion.
 It is believed that the bodies of those killed in the Iroquois theater fire now remaining in the county morgue will not be identified. and in short time they will be buried by the city of Chicago. The bodies are four in number, two being women and two boys. The police have, however, numerous reports of missing people, but none of the descrip- tions tally with the bodies now in the, i morgue.
 The investigation into the safety of places of public assembly still conrin- ues and but few of them are able t0s meet the requirements of the law. Building Commissioner Williams to-day issued orders closing fifteen additional halls The Coliseum. in which the re- publican national convention will be lheld was to-day declared safe and en- tirely fireproof and was allowed to open.