Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-01-28
ON HAsEAs CORPUS WRIT.
Mayor Harrison Secures Release from
Coroner Jury's Charge.

| today, by Mayor Harrison 10 size out
| Il writ of habeaS corpus for his irnrle
dfate release from the coroner's Jury
! charge holding him to the grand iury
, as one OF tho cuIprits responsible 70,
i the Wholesale loss OF life at the Jro.
| quois theatre fire. Promptly follow
| ing Inc decision. the u?aynr acgonu:i:
MED by mis- bonfSncn and an attor-
ney appeafec at the Criminal court
| puilniiG Wherc Mayor Harrison for
nitiiy surrendered himself to Shcrii:
; Jarrett and thus nuliiicd the bonds OF
! $1,000 given. yesterday. In court In S.
cure TIE mayors freedom from liter
cuSto'y. Notice Was simultaneously
| served on tn" State attorneys oil.
th"tt an application rpr :. writ Of ha-
rehs c"rpha would ut once be 0ie.l
with Judge Tuthill.
JuhGc Iuthill consented to an i'm
mediate hearing OF Mayor Harrison ;;
application. The hearing had hardly
begun when Judge Tuthill Announced
'h'it IL VAS wrong and imprnaet To
hold Mayor Harrison and that the
evidence showed no crime. felony o..
hisd1mcanOr. On these grounds alone
Judge TUthill sail he would DISCHARGE
| 80 A'''S' OK I!tEIISOn through
corporation Counsel Tullnan quickly
int"fpos'-i that in spite of the judges
inclination Il discharge would not lie
accepted Oh these points and asked
iHat the ordinances; be examined b,
the court. Accor iinGlE an cXamin;~
ton VAS Immediately begun.
Following his release Mayor Iia:ri-
son made the following statement to
The Associated Press:
THE only possible feature which the
jury We're able to find connecting M.
with the 1roluois fire disaster Was the
act OF m! tppointecs Fire Chief Mush-
am and Building Inspector Williams
Chief MuSh:sm has b cu connected
with the Chicago fire department. for ii
Years. beginning ut the bottnm of the
ladder and Winning his Way to the 20
siliGn OF assistant Chi, 10y the gal
ilnt and heroic conduct OF y life time
Upon the retirement of ,'hiof SN,.uie
| appointed Mlsh.im chi.t. Tire APP
continent met with unanimous approv-
al. When III" Dositiou Of building COM
missioner Il, came vacant. last Sllniin,.r
invited noH-partisi;:n professional Or
CARNATIONS to nominate the hest:v:gila-
fle man for Tie vacancy. They named
Mr.. Williams. Il l.cpublican. and gave
me the strongest testimonials to his
character and efficiency. / appointed
him and he entered most earnestly upon
his duties. Both men were considered
ideal appointments. Their imputation
OF guilt upon thOSI two men is entirely
unjuStiii" Bile. but 10 strike 1T me. over
their shoulders, is Il little short of in
fanny"
In delivering his opinion, Judge Tut
hill said:
Il have gone over the testimony Of
Fire Marshal MushAm and building
Commissioner Williams and the mayor
particularly, and | can say without
qualification or hesitation that l find
not one word in the evidence. SO far as
have examined it, which tends even
remotely, in my Judgment. to show
thtt The mayor had any knowledge of
this matter CT that he was in any re-
spact negligent of any duty imposed
upon him by the laws or by the rules
that commonly apply To persons who
others.
Il fiId that there was gross violation
not only of the city ordinances, but of
common rules of safety. ana that any
body without! expert knowledge would
have said were absolutely essential at
III" Irouunis theatre. l;ut how the
mayor. who is simply at the head nf
he city government. could be held re-
sponsiblc for any misconduct on his
part in view of this evidence. I cannot
conceive.
at seems To me that il is very
great wrong to place upon the mayor
| of the city this undoscrvcd stigma. rs
| find it TO be- without ANY basis fr
| the Law or in til" facts rs they have
| been testified to before the corOnerS
july.
| Chicago. Jan. .1-Wm. Saltccs. The Iro-
n,lCi% theatre fireman who was held 10 the
| grand Jury Ly the cornner'S jury. Surron-
! der, Il himself ut the criminal court build
| in" today. He said he was ont Of town
| " hen the verdict was returned but has