Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-01-20

The Tribune says: In anticipation Of
4 flood Of death claims and personal
injury suits that may aggregate Sc
.0Go, the financial interests behind
the IroGuoiS Theatre Go. have COM
'i;cnce1 4 fight to prevent the coroner's
jury from disclosing their identity.
Harry j. Powers and Will J. Davis
resident managers" of the company.
will probably be heard. Tuesday. and
their appearance on the witness stand
will bring Il final determination of the
rights of the coroner. Under irStrur-
tons from their attorney the managers
will refuse to answer questions touch
ing on the financial backing Of the
playhouse.
Eight more churches and & number
Of halls were closed, today, for viola
ton Of the city ordinances.
Another instances of the work of
ghouls during the excitement f0lloNir z
the iropUois fire is believed by the
police to have been unearthed in n
report received. today, that the body
of Herman q. Dreisei. a teachcl in the
Normal Practice school. who lost his
life. was found to have heen robbed.
When the body of the school principal
wac found, Is cents was in the pockets
of his clothing. He had taken $3.50
with on the day he met his death.
The municipal placer miner in the
debris removed from the Iroquois thea
tire up to the present has extracted an
average OF over 500 a day from the
refuse
At the Iroouois fire inquest. today.
Building Commissioner Williams was
recalled at his own request. He told
Of conference with the mayor and
department heads, in which he was
told to cut down expenses in every di-
rcction as much as possible.
While Mr.. Williams was on tho stand
Of the building ordinance to show that
responsibility for the lack of fire fight
ing appliance on the stage and for
other defects in the safety Appliances
OF tie theatre rested On the building
department. Mr.. Williams, howeTc~.
pereirtcntly construed the ordinance as
piacing responsibility for the fire fight
ing equipment on the fire department.
The examination Of the building
commissioner was so severe that AS
sstant Corporation Counsel Roth;nan
iatcrlerred in defense Of Mr.. Williams
\ clash with the coroner resulted
The witness was not permitted 10 tcs-
tify as to his competency. ard with
cold sweet glistening on his forehead
left the stand after as bad an hour as
any witness has experienced at the
hands Of the jury and the coroner.
The CITY council. tonight. took action
that will. il all probability. result in
the closing Of nearly all of the theatres
in Chicago for the remainder Of the
theatrical season. The council conyen-
ed. tonight. to consider the passage Of
an enabling act that would allow the
theatres to operate for the remainder
Of thi. season without being compelled
to fulfill the requirements of the Or
dinance passed. last night.
After a long debate the council de-
cided on the following essentials which
the theatres must meet before they VIII
be allowed to open their doors:
A steel curtain; an automatic sprink-
ling system: bond OF $4,000 guaran-
teeins the performance by Aug. i, 1914,
of all the requirements Of the ordi-
nance: the widening Of doors and exits.
All of the above to be performed I'M
der. such conditions. terms and re-
strictions as shall be imposed by the
MAYOR of the city, the commissioner Of
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