Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1904-01-29
THE BLAME FIXED.
Eight Men Held Responsible for
Iroquois Theatre Horror.
Chicngo's Mayor and Fire Chief aro
Among the Mum bcr Held to Await
the Action of the Grand
Jury - The Findings of
tho Coroncr's Jury.

Chicago, Jan. 26.-The coroner's
| jury which for three weeks has been
listening to evidence relating to the
fire in the Iroquois theatre last night
returned a verdict by which the fol-
lowing persons are held to await the
action of n grand jury:
Carter II. Harrison, mayor OF Chi
cago.
VIII j. Davis, proprietor in part,
and manager of the theatre.
George Williams, building commits
sioner of Chicago.
Edward Laughlin, building inspec-
tor under Williams.
William Sallcrs, fireman in the the
atre.
James E. Cummings, stage carpen-
ter.
William Mullen, who had charge of
the light that caused the fire.
William ii. Musham, chief of the
fire department.
1t was at once decided by the cor
oner that all men who should be held
by the verdict to the grand jury
should be taken into custody at once.
He therefore prepared warrants for
their arrest, and called upon the po-
lice to serve the warrants.
81 do not expect that all these men
who are likely to be held, will try to
escape" said the coroner, "but some
of them who have not large property
interests, might take it into their
heads to leave Chicago. l do not in
tend that there shall be any mistakes
in that direction laid to my depart
ment. If | can cause the arrest of
one of them, am compelled to cause
the arrest of all, and there will be no
favoritism shown, no matter who are
the men held by the jury"
AS soon as the finding of the jury
was announced, details of officers
were sent for the men named in the
verdict, with orders to bring them at
once, and if they could not furnish
bail they were to be taken to the
county Jail for the night.
The finding of the jury follows:
"The cause of the fire was drapery
coming in contact with flood of arc
light; city laws were not complied
with, relating to building ordinances,
regulating fire alarm boxes, fire APP
paratus, dampers or fues, on and
over the stage, and fly galleries.
There was violation of the ordi-
nance requiring fire proofing of
scenery and all wood work on and
about the stage.
Asbestos curtain was inadequate,
and was destroyed.
Building ordinances were violated
in that aisles were enclosed on each
side of the lower boxes, and in alb
sence of fire apparatus on the or
chestra floor.
Building ordinances were violated
in that there was no fire apparatus
in the gallery or first balcony"
Will j. Davis is held responsible as
president and general manager. He
was primarily responsible for the OBJ
servance of the laws, and was bound
to see that his employees were proper
ly instructed as to their duties in
case of fire.
In relation to Mayor Harrison the
verdict reads as follows:
1--WE hold Carter ii. Harrison, as
mayor of the city of Chicago, respon-
Sible, as he has shown lamenta BILE
lack of force, and for his efforts to
escape responsibility, evidenced by
the testimony of Building Commits
sioner Williams and Fire Marshal
Musham; and, as heads of depart
ments under the said Carter H. Harri-
son, following this weak course, has
given Chicago inefficient service
which makes such calamity as the
Iroquois theatre horror a menace un-
til the public service is purged of in
competents."
Building Commissioner Williams
was held ''for gross neglect of his
duty in allowing the theatre to open
it's doors to the public when the said
theatre was incomplete and did not
comply with the building ordinances
of Chicago"
Fire Marshal Musham was held re-
sponsible "for gross neglect of duty
in not enforcing the city ordinances,
and failure to have his subordinate,
William Sallers, fireman at the thea
tre, report to him the lack of fire ap-
paratus in the theatre. Sallers was
held for carelessness in handling the
light that caused the fire, Cummings,
as stage carpenter, for not providing
the stage with proper fire protec-
tion ~