The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-01-09
THEEXITS OVERLOOKED
IroQuOis Theatre Manager Testifies
That Eleven Were Bolted.
NO FIRE PRECAUTIONS TAKEN
All Managers Plead Ignorance Of Any
Action Taken to Prevent Loss OF
Life by FIre-NO Operator For Ven

Life by FIre-No Operator For Ven
tllator.
Chicago. Jan. by their own evil
dence given before Monroe Fulkerson,
who is conducting the fire department
investigation into the IroQuois theatre
horror. the proprietOrs OF the theatre
showed that worse condition OF af-
fairs existed than thsd heretofore been
thought possible.
VIII J. Davis, Harry J. Powers and
Thomas J. Noonan. active managers Of
the Iroquois theatre. were examined
by Mr.. Fulkerson. All OF them pleaded
ignorance of any precautions taken to
prevent loss OF life by FIRE at their
theatre. They admitted failure to In
struct employees in fighting nre, and
failure even to provide suitable APP
planes for use against flames. Their
statements were corroborated by the
testimony Of 20 employees OF the thea
tire. none Of whom had ever been told
bis duty In case OF fire.
Noonan. who Is the working man
ager OF the theatre. under the direction
OF Davis and Powers. admitted that IL
OF the theatre exits were locked and
bolted. Two OF these exits. leading to
the front OF the theatre on the ground
floor. were locked; three additional ex-
its on the north side OF the ground
floor we're bolted; three exits on the
north side OF the theatre from the
first balcony were bOlted. and three
exits on the north side of the second
balcony were bolted.
The greatest loss OF life from the
fire was in the first and second bal
comics. where hundreds OF people were
suffocated through inability to get out
or we're trampled to death while try
ing to do so Had these exits in each
balcony been available. according to
MIR. Fulkerson. the loss OF life must
have been greatly diminished.
Noonan declared that no person had
been named by the theatre manage
ment to superintend the operation OF
the yentilator in case OF fire, and In
consequence the flames had been per
mitted to sweep the place Instead OF
seeking a natural outlet through the
stage roof. II was said by Noonan
that George NJ. Dusenberry, the head
usher: Archibald Bernard chief cleo
trician. and the theatre engineer knew
how to operate the ventilators. II was
proven by the evidence Of these men,
however, that two OF them never went
upon the stage, and that the other had
never been told to assume charge VI
the Yentilators in case OF fire. Dusen-
berry declared that his duty as usher
kept him in the front Of the house. The
engineer was always below the stage
attending to his engine. and Bernard,
the only one of the three knowing how
to operate the yentilators, who was
ever upon the stage during perform
ance. testified that he had never been
told to assume charge Of them.
Manager Noonan declared that the
two balconies, including seats and peO-
pie standing, held 689 people. Only
three persons were killed on the first
floor. This would make. according 10
Manager Noonans statement, bSS
deaths out OF SsS people in the two bal
comics
Fifteen other witnesses who had
worked on the stage declared that they
had never received any orders from the
management as to what they should
do In case OF fire. There was never
fire drill In the theatre, and none OF
the stage hands was ever Informed as
to the location or use OF lre appliances
or the operation Of the ventilators over
the auditorium and stage.
That the employees in the front OF tile
house were thrown into panic by the
FIRE was shown by the testimony OF all
the stage hands examined. Two ush-
ers, each 16 years Of age, declared that
they ran on the first alarm OF 1re and
did not return to the theatre until the
next day. The stage hands said they
all sought safety on hearing that the
place was on fire.
6EVENTEEN DIE IN TRAIN CRASH