Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-01-02
Coroner Looking Into the
Chicago Theatre Tragedy.
No Reduction in The Dead, Missing
or Injured List.
City Suspords All Entertainments in
Face CT Calamity.

| Niueu attention with the burial of the
| dead The removal of bodies from the
| p"nilc morgucs to private undertaking
establlshlnments developed fresh eIc-
irent OF uncertainty in computing to-
talS OF dead and missing. The count of
| actual colpses most generally agreed
upon was 5S2, including 41a identified
and 40 unidentified. Lists Of missing
| vary greatly. one authority putting the
total at 312. injured are figured as
| loa. More arrests of persons who may
be held responsible were said to be
| improbable. The Il arrests made as d
start were ordered on information that
several of the stage employees We're pre-
pairing to leave the city.
| Coroner Traeger has issued an an
| peal to the public to notify him of all
fire deaths that may have escaped the
| records.
| 1T has come to my notice." said Cor
oner Traeser, that bodies of some per-
sons We're removed from the temporary
! hospitals and relief stations opened by
merchants i'll the vicinity of the theatre
directly after the fire without any rec
ords having been made by the police.
IN the hurry and confusion. persons
who could identify remains were allow
| ed to take them to their homes with
| out question. I understand that this
| occurred in Il few instances. l have
| also learned that some of the injured
We're taken to private residences and
| hospitals without the making of any
record and K is reported to me that
some have since died. 1 ask that any
citizen knowing Of such occurrence to
report the matter TO my Office al once"
Except among relatives and friends
! of the dead. injured and missing the
| people here, Friday. were to large OK
tent apparently satated with details
| Of the horror. To such an extent was
this evident that the evening papers
decided TO follow the usual holiday GUS
tom and abandon publication.
Archibald Bernard, chief electrician
OF the Iroquois theatre, was taken into
custody, today, by the police and viii
be held pending an inquiry into the
causes Of the disaster.
After being closely questioned for
two hours by the police. Eernard was
formally charged with 'manslaughter."
Chief Of Police ONeiil. today. sent
Davis of The IiiQuos theatre TO police
headquarters.
Il want to question him." said Chief
O'Neill, when asked the reason TO-: the
summons. l am not arresting him.
If Thought Managers Davis or Powers
would leave Chicago. / would lock them
uo Immediately. But they will re-
main. Both are citizens Of Chicago.
men OF good reputation and men with
business interests.
Il am only Eummonins Mr. Davis to
ask him about the fire in a general
way and to get his guarantee that the
members of the Moonlight Double
Octet will not leave Chicago, before
the inquest. Otherwise it may be nee
cSsary 70 take the entire company into
custody
Although members of the Bluebeard
comnay who had been questioned by
the police were allowed to return to
hotels detectives were sent also. The |
detectives were ordered to make head
querters at the hotels and watch the |
members of the company to see that |
none left. |
Today, the hearing in the police court !
of the employees of the IrOquois theatre |
and members OF the "Blubeard" COM |
pany, who were arrested, last night,
was set for Saturday morning, the
charge being manslaughter. Bonds |
We're placed at $4,000 in each case.
Acting for Klaw & Erlanger, Benja-
min Stevens said in court that If per-
mission were granted for the removal
OF the members of the company from
Chicago, he would guarantee their re-
turn when wanted for the inquest.
Hogan. who viii represent the theatre
cal people. promised to lend assistance
in providing the police and the coroner
with list Of the members OF the COM
pany and to expedite the questioning ,
OF all actors and actresses regarding /;
the fire before they left Chicago They
represented to the court that many Of
the theatrical people were destitute
and lacking clothing. They said that
those SO situated would have to go TO
their homes in New York and other 4
cities. The court made no comment
except to intimate that the matter was
IN the hands Of the coroner and the +.
police =
Coroner Traeger. today, bent efforts III
toward the carrying out of plan to
have all of the unidentified dead placed
in one building. centrally located. This
would eliminate the necessity of
friends and relatives going from NOR
que to morgue. He said that if the use
Of some building in the down town
district could not be obtained all un-
identified bodies would probably be
to the county morgue.
The city press association. today. dis
all attempts to keep track oil
he number of dead bodies at the morgues
the fact being palpabe that the effort
was more productive of error than gen
line information, ewing to- the confirnna
ion incidental to removal ,Of bodies and
the dazed condition of those in chargell
as the result of overwork and loss oil
'leep. Instead of records at the morgues,
he issue of burial permits at the coro-tn
ncr's office was substantiated as a less
InsatisfS lory method of holding the
The Gro .ds Of searchers for relativesl
Ind frien 5 continued at the morgues
g ontinued on page 81
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