The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-01-12
WARNED THREE TIMES
Evidence In lroguois Disaster
Shows Criminal
Negligence

Chicago, January Sit was dis
covered today that two iron gates. the
existence OF which has o been
known to the public and which were
removed from the Iroeusis~ theatre
after the fire, played a deadly part
In the destruction OF life In the III
fated play house Fire Inspector
FuIkerson who knew OF their exist
ence. was not able until today TO Sc
cure swsrn evidence concerning them
usher OF the theatre admitted TO Mr..
.Fulkerson hat these gates were
placed. one across the 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 per-
Torrance unlocked until after the
second act OF the play. On the day
OF the fire the second act had not
been completed when the catastrophe
occurred and the gates we're still
standing. They were 80 strong that
the firemen were not able to batter
them down with axes after the fire.
and TO the frenzied people who sought
safety through those exits they were
absolutely impenetrable.
Sworn testimony was given today
that a fire broke out in h IroQuois
the very first night that the theatre
was opened. This first fire only pre-
ceded by a few weeks the great dis
aster which resulted I'm the loss OF
hundreds of lives The testimony re-
garding the fact of the initial blaze
was given by John Rickles. a work
man employed on the construction OF
the theatre. He said:
II was in the basement the~night
the theatre opened. in n short pass
age southwest OF the stage. i heard
a loud repor: and flames came over
the partitions owe my head, the par
titions in the basement under the
stage. The partitions rise from the
floor about eight feet, bet do not
reach the ceiling. The flames came
from another room from where L
happened TO be. There vas a crowS
rushed around the door and / could
not see in. / was told 1t was some
kind OF n gas tank that exploded
In the light of this evidence the
record Of testimony taken TO date
shows that there were two previous
direct warnings to the Iroquois man
agement by the catastrophe. Joseph
| Doughtery, curtain manager. has
II teSllHSu uuEluB bhG
| Investigation that there was a ire
| on the stage a week before the holo-
| caust.
Members of The double octette In
the moon light scene today old the
coroner's jury of the Cleveland fire.
which burned the big fans used as a
part of the enc in the second
act.
According to the testimony on rec
and therefore there were three dis
tinct warnings OF the danger o. fire
in the prediction OF the spectacular
show. A meeting Of the relatives OF
people who were lost in tf;e fire. was
held this afternoon to agree upon
concerted action toward establishing
responsibility for the fire, and fol
accomplishing the punishment OF the
people who should be found guilty OF
criminal negligence.
Miss Lizzie Haley, a teacher In thu
public schools. created something oi
u sensation by declaring that many
of the public school buildings are
absolutely without protection agains
fire and that repeated protests by
teachers and principals had produced
no result and had not even been o
ored by n reply. 1t was the OF
the meeting that damage suits should
be instituted against Klaw and Er.
LANCER. who represent the eastern
stockholders in the theatre and the
hammer OF doing this will be decided
upon at a meeting next "Wednesday
night.
The Lroquois death roll continues
to grow. Another death resulting
from the fire was reported to the
coroner today. Mrs. n. A. Nefns
died at the Samaritan Hospital from
burns and injuries. Her death in
creased the total 10 569.
1t was reported at the same hos
pital that two other fire victims could
hardly recover