The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-01-29
HIGH OFFICIALS ARE
HELD TO GRAND JURY
Mayor Harrison of Chicago Is
Directly Responsible tor
lroquois Holocaust go
REPORT OF THE JURY
Accuses Officers of City of Lamentao'e
Lack of Force, and Others tor
Gross Neglect of Duty in NOT
Enforcing Ordinances.

Enforcing Ordinances.
Chicago, Jan. 27.-The jury
which for three weeks has been listen
ing to evidence relating to the fire IN
the %Iroquois theater, returned a yer
dict by which the following persons az
held to await the action of the graho
jury: ~;
Carter H. Harrison, mayor OF Cnl-
cago: Fire Marshal William h. Mush-
man; Will ]. Davis, proprietor IN par.
and manage Of the theater; George
Williams, building commissioner OF the
city; Edward Laughlin, building IN
spector under Williams; William Sal
lers. fireman in the theater: James u
Cummings, stage carpenter, II Wlii-
lam McMullen. who had charge OIL tne
light that caused the ire.
There were over ESQ. 900 words OF tes-
timony, and each juror would. accoru-
ing to the law, be compelled to sign
his name to the testimony Of each VII
ness, which meant that each man Woulu
be compelled to write his mann otS
times. This work alone, the coroner es-
timated, would consume five hours.
There was, therefore, considerable SUI
prise when the jury announced shortly
before II o'clock that it had reached a
verdict and was ready to report.
1t was also decided by the coroner
that all men who would be held by the
verdict to the grand jury should pc
taken into custody last night. He
therefore prepared warrants for their
| arrest, and called on the police depart
ment for force to arrest them.
II do not expect that some OF 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 do so. I do not intend that there
| shall be any mistakes in that direction
laid to my department. If | cause the
arrest Of one of them I am compelled
to cause the arrest of all, and there will
! be no favoritism shown. no matter VIC
are the men held by the jury"
AS soon as the finding Of the jury
was announced details of officers were
| sent at once for The men named in the
verdict, with orders to bring them in
at once. and IL they could not furnish
bail they were to be taken to the coun-
ty jail for the night.
Findings Of the Jury.
The findings Of the jury are as fol.
lows. Il
1.-The cause Of the fire was drapery
coming in contact With a flood, or arc
light.
"City laws were rot complied with
relating to building or ordinance, fire
alarm boxes, fire apparatus, damper or
lues or and e the stage and fly gall
| leries.
Violation Of the ordinance requiring
~ffreproofing of scenery and all wood
work on and about the stage.
THE asbestos curtain was wholly mad
equate, and was entirely destroyed.
Building ordinances were violated, IN
that aisles were enclosed on each side of
the lower boxes, and absence of fire APP
paratus on the orchestra floors.
Building ordinance was violated In that
there was no fire apparatus in the gallery
or first balcony
VIII j. Davis was held responsible as
president and general manager. He was
primarily and general ana He was
primarily responsible for the observance
of the laws. and was bound to Q thai his
employees were properly instructed as to
their duties in case Of fire.
In relation to Mayor Harrison the yer.
dict reads as follows:
I'VE hold Garter H.. Harrison, as mayor
of the city OF Chicago, responsible. as he
has shown q lamentable lack of force
and for his efforts to escape responsible,
lty, evidenced by the testimony of Build
Ing Commissioner Williams and Fire Mar.
shal Musham. AS heads of Department
under the said Carter II. Harrison follow
ing this weak course has given CHICAGO
Inefficient service, which makes suct
calamities as the %Iroquois ~tlleater fire hor.
ror a menace until the public service IL
purged OF incompetents.''
Building Commissioner Williams ,y,e
held for gross neglect Of his DUTY in nj.
lowing the theater to open Its doors tc
the public when the said theater was in
complete, and did not compiv with the
building ordinances of the city of chi.
cago."
Fire Marshal Musham was held re.
sponslble for gross neglect OF duty in nor
enforcing the ordinances, and failure 10
nave MS subordinate, William Sallers,
fireman at the theater, report to him of
the lack Of fire apparatus in the tbeater
Sallers was held for not REPORTING thu
lack OF fire apparatus. McMullen for
carelessness in handling the light TINT
caused the fire; Cummings as stage car.
penter, for not providing the stage viii
proper fire protection.
Mayor Not Arrested. .
Later IN he night, after the member
Of he jury had departed, it was decided
by Coroner Traeger that it would NOT he
necessary to arrest Mayor Harrison. Fire
Marshal Musham and Building Comr,is
sloner Williams, and no officers were sent
for them. Mitimusses were made ont
however, for the other six men. A sneciai
grand jury will convene next week to 20.
open the investigation and decide wha+
action shall be taken on the report az
the %coroner's jury. The charge. as far
as the city officials are concerned, which
the grand jury will consider is malfans'
ance IN ONCE. conviction means their re-
nova from office in addition to anv ntbar
oenalty.
hERDN Tpr rg.x-rx