The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-01-26
MAYOR HARRISON IS HELD
CoRoNER,sJURTR RENDERS VER-
 DICT ON IRoQUoIS FIRE.

O1C1 OA IAOUCOAc 1AR1s Great Surprise i'm chicago-Two Build Ing Inspectors, W. J. Davis, the Pro- prfetor and Manager, and the Fire- man at the rhehter Also Heid-war- rants at Once Issued for All of Them Chicago. Jan. 25.-The coroner's jury which for three weeks has been listen ing to evidence relating to the fire in the Iroquois theater tonight returned verdict by which the following persons are held to await the action of grand jury:
 Carter H. Harrison, mayor of Chicago. VIII J. Davis. proprietor in part and manager of the theater.
 George Williams, building commis- sioner of Chicago.
 Edward Laughlin, building inspector under Williams.
 William sallers. fireman in the thea ter
 James E. Cummings, stage carpenter. William Mullen. who had charge of the light that caused the fire.
 It was not generally thought that the jury would be able to make report so promptly, and when it retired to con- slider the evidence, Coroner Traeger an nounced that he did not expect a ver- dict before tomorrow morning. There was considerable surprise when the jury announced shortly before Il o'clock that it had reached verdict and was ready to report.
 It was at once decided by the coroner verdict to the grand jury, should be taken into custody tonight. He there fore prepared warrants for their arrest and called upon the police to serve the warrants.
 ''I do not expect that all these men who are likely to be held will try to es- cape" said the coroner, but some of them who have not large property in terests might take 1t into their heads to leave Chicago. I do not intend that there shall be any mistakes in that di- rection laid to my department. If can cause the arrest Of one of them. am compelled to cause the arrest of all and there will be no favdritism shown, no matter who are the men held by the jury"
 As soon as the finding of the jury was announced. details of officers were sent for the men named in the verdict with orders to bring them in at once, and if they could not furnish bail. they were to be taken to the county jail for the night.
 The findings of the jury follows: The cause of the fire was drapery coming in contact with flood or arc light; city laws were not complied with, re- lating to building ordinances, regulating fire alarm boxes, fire apparatus damp CTS or f1ues, on and above the stage and fly galleries.
 There was violation of the ordinance requiring fire proofing of scenery and all woodwork on and about the stage.
 Asbestos curtain was inadequate and was destroyed.
 Building ordinances were violated in that aisles were enclosed in each side of the lower boxes, and in the absence of fire apparatus on the orchestra floor. Building ordinances were violated in that there was no fire apparatus in the gallery or first balcony.
 Will !. Davis is held responsible as president and general manager. He was primarily responsible for the ob- servance of and was bound to see that his employees were properly instructed as to their duties in case of fire.
 Tn relation to Mayor Harrison the verdict reads as follows:
 ''We hold Carter H. Harrison, as mayor of the city of Chicago, respon- sible, as he has shown lamentable lack of force and for his efforts to escape responsibility, evinced by the testimony of Building Commissioner Williams and Fire Marshal Musham; and as heads of departments under the said Carter H. Harrison, following this weak course, have given Chicago inefficient service which makes such calamity as the Iro- quois theater horror a menace until the public service is purged of incompe- tents"
 Building Commissioner Williams was held for gross neglect of his duty in allowing the theater to open it's doors to the public when the said theater was incomplete and did not comply with the building ordinances of the city of Chicago
 William H. Musham, chief of the Chi cago fire department, was held respon- sible for gross neglect of duty in not enforcing the city ordinances and fail- ure to have his subordinate, William Sallers, fireman at the theater, report to him the lack of fire apparatus in the theater.' Sallers was held for not re- porting the lack of apparatus; McMul- len. for carelessness in handling the light that caused the fire; Cummings, as stage carpenter, for not providing the stage with proper fire protection.
 Large Toba eco Litigation Again.
 New York. Jan. 25.-After many