The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-01-10
TWO IRON GATES
HELD THEM FAST
Another Damaging Fact Disclosed
at lroquois Inquest.
SUITS TO BE INSTITUTED
MEETING OF RELATIVES OF
THOSE WHO Persisted.

Chicago, Jan. at was discovered
today that two iron gates. the exis-
tence of which had not been known to
the public and which were removed
from the Iroquois theatre after the fire.
played a deadly part in the destruction
of life in the Inflated playhouse. Fire
Inspector Patterson, who knew of their
existence, was not able until today to
secure sworn evidence concerning
them. Today George n. DusenberTy,
head usher of the theatre. admitted to
Mr.. Paterson that these gates were
placed. one across an exit from the
first balcony and the other across an
exit from the second balcony. Both
gates were locked securely with pad
locks and were never at any perfor-
nance unlocked until after the second
act of the play. On the day of the
IRE the second act had not been com
Dleted when the catastrophe occurred.
and the gates were still standing They
were so strong that the firemen were
not able TO batter them down with axes
after the fire. and to the fren5ied peo-
pie who sought safety through these
exits they were absolutely impenet-
rable.
Gates Were Locked.
In his sworn statement given to IN
spector Paterson Dusenberry declared
that they were locked to prevent peo-
pie from entering portions OF the house
TO which their tickets did not grant
them admission. It was the duty of
Dusenberry to see that these two gates
were locked before every performance
and unlocked after the second act.
When asked by the INSPECTOR why a
iran had not been stssTioned in place
Of the gates to direct the audience,
DusenbeFry said that he merely re-
ceived his orders from Mesers. Davis
and Powers. the managers Of the thea
ire and had carried them out. -
Il found these gates after the fire. y
said Inspector Patterson, all battered
and bent inward. but still standing.
and both Of them tightly locked.
questioned Dusenberry about them at
the time. and he did not care to say
anything publicly until I had secured
his sworn statement. and this I now
have"
Meeting of Relatives.
A meeting OF. the relatives of people
who were lost in the fire was held this
! afternoon to agree upon concerted ac-
ton toward establishing responsibility
for the fire and for accomplishing the
II utSilA4AEnL VI the UCtDAG WIN EilUulA
| be found guilty Of criminal negligence.
Several Of the speakers at the meet
| ing urged that if the cnroner's jury
/ fixed the responsibility of the disaster
upon any Of the city OFFICIALS they
I should be attacked in the civil courts
and made responsible for damages as
/ long as their property should last.
| Miss Lizzie Haley. a teacher in The
I public schools, created something OF a
/ sensation by declaring that many OF
/ the public school buildings are abso-
! lutely without protection against fire
and that repeated protests by teachers
/ and principals had produced no result
and had not even been honored by a
! reply. It was the sense Of the meeting
| that damage suits should be Instituted
/ against KlaR & Erlanger. who repre-
| sent the eastern stockholders in the
1 theatre. and the manner Of doing this
! viii be decided upon at the meeting
| next Wednesday night.