New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-08
THE IROQUOIS INQUEST.
Coroner Begins Hearings on CHI
cagO Disaster.

Chicago Jan. THE coroner and the chief OF
police received information this afternoon that per-
sons again tampering with the 4foquols
Theatre in sn effort to destroy evidence bearing
on the fire. Directions were Immediately given 10
allow no person whatever TO go about IN the
theatre without being accompanied by policeman
1t said that the fresh tampering consisted
largely Of breaking the locks of the exits
The coroner's inquest began in the City Council
chamber to-day The coroner's official list of dead
contains 565 names Previous police reports indi-
eating 59l dead declared now to be Inaccurate
and due TO the shifting of bodies from one morgue
to another
1t Is estimated that it will require at least six
days for tho jury to hear the testimony of the
two hundred more witnesses. The inquest is
held over the body of Miss Mary Emma Torney.
Deputy Coroner Buckley knew Miss Torney ana
arrived on the of the fire few minutes after
her body had been carried out He was able TO
find the two policemen who had handled the body.
and the check to her seat IN the theatre was found
in her clothing. Precise evidence can. therefore,
be given as to the circumstances Of her DEATH and
these circumstances will be interpreted to apply
in general to the 564 other dead. The jury Will
find that death in each case resulted from shocks
and injury" and will sign a separate verdict for
each victim
Great stress IS laid by the coroner on develop
ments in relation to the stage ventilator and air
shafts thu proper working OF which. IT is held.
would have saved hundreds from death. The arrest
Of William ]. Maher and George Nagel. which took
place to-day is considered important. The men
were employed by a sub-contractOr Of the Fuller
Construction Company. According TO the police the
men say that they nailed down the ventilators
the roof OF the theatre the stage and that
animation will show that tho skylight frames had
never been removed In other words, the safety
vents for fire on the stage were never operated,
even experimentally. The workmen explained TO the
police that the nails to be removed and the
skyNghts put IN proper working order when the
theatre placed In the hands OF the owners.
The first witnesses NJ the Inquest persons
who We're in the audience at the matinee. They told
Of the panic and of finding the exits locked. After
ward Eddie Foy, the comedian Of the Mr.. Blue
perienccs in the fire and panic, he declared
satisfied In his mind that the fire
caused by sparks from the spot light, but that
he had personal knowledge OF the fact. He testi
theatre that he knew OF was the rule against smok
ing.
George w. Stetson Of bingham. Mass secretary
OF the &. W. Trainer Manufacturing Company, who
two kinds OF asbestos curtains in which a fine
brass wire interviewer, the other without the
flames. the wire being merely to provide greater
tensile strength. When asked by Coroner Traeger
how he accounted for the burning up OF his fire
proof curtain. Mr. Stetson replied that he did not
believe IL had burned up, and that he had every
reason 10 believe that II had not.
In his opinion, the greater part OF the curtain
was lying At the present time on the theatre stage
covered with SCOT and frozen. He entered into a
long explanation OF the qualities OF asbestos de-
Cl1rtuE that while II would burn, q high
peraUre would take the life OF II and cause II
greater part OF the curtain still intact and he
anxious TO obtain from the Chief OF Police
permission 10 remove portions OF II from the thea
curtain WAS shown 10 him he said that all the life
was out Of Il.
The hearing will be continued Tomorrow