The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-07
INQUEST BEGINS
ON FIRE VICTIMS
Continued from First Page.

on the south side of the building. 1 had
no difficulty in getting out of the first
doors, but found the west door leading to
street locked. All the people sitting back
of me or standing up managed to get out
as did There were fifty or mare per-
sons standing in the rear of the seats
when the play began. AS I came out I
noticed that number of people had fall
len coming down the stairs.
There seemed to be plenty of theater
employees there to help people out, so I
did not wait, but hurried along. I am
positive that none Of the exits on the
north side of the house were open.
The witness declared that all the
passages of the theater were we'll
lighted.
Says Curtain Came Down.
|. Antonio Frosolono, leader of the
orchestra, testified that the asbestos
curtain. came down after. each per-
Torrance, and that it came down
within foot of theestage at the time
of the fire. Then. it appeared to
straighten out and, the flames came
from underneath. On close question:
ing he was unable to state positively
whether the curtain was asbestos.
One small piece of hose was the
only fire fighting apparatus he had
found about the theater. He denied
that there was q fire there two weeks
ago. He had seen neither fire ex-
tinguishers nor fire buckets about the
stage or in the building.
Stage Hand Arrested.
John c. Schmidt, one of the stage
hands at the Iroquois theater, was ar
restedto-day and locked up in default
Of bonds of $4,000 to await hearing
on the charge Of manslaughter. The
police believe Schmidt can give i'm
portant information regarding the
management of the stage and the ar
rangement of the scenery, which is
saidto have interfered with the work
ing Of the asbestos curtain.
Maps of the seating arrangement in
several Chicago theaters will appear
on the asbestos curtains when the
theaterS open. Several ayers
have decided on this scheme of MAX
ing the patrons familiar with the loca-
ton of the exits.
Exhibit "A''-F Flood Light.
Exhibit Az at the inquest probably
will be the fatal flood light from which
the fire originated. Fire Department
Attorney Fulkerson and two city fire
men went to the theater building to-
day to recover the hooded lamp which
was operated by Edward McMullen
when the fire broke out.
Attorney Fulkerson decided to-day
to hold no session in the city's fire in
vestigation, but instead be present
with a stenographer at the coroner's
inquest and secure testimony pertinent
to the city's inquiry. Any witnesses
Mr.. Fulkerson wishes to question later
will be recalled for the separate in.
quiry by the city fire department.
Damage Suits in Prospect
Petitions in the estates of Iroquois
fire victims have flooded the probate
court and almost swamped Judge Cut.
! ting and two assistants under a burden
of work. Yesterdays work developed
that many suits for damages will be
i begun against those found to be re.
| sponsible for the disaster.
| In many cases a right of action fol
| $4,000 was the only estate scheduled
| by those asking for letters of admins
tration. In other estates the question
of priority of death Of members O.
the same family is at issue.