The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-01
SEARCHING INQUIRY.
Coroner's Jury Trying 70 Fir Fix
Responsibility for G Catastrophe.

CorOt1er'S TRY Trying 70 70 'g -
Responsibility for c Catastrophe.
i (13y Associated ri ess.>
CHICAGO Dec 3l.-- With the announce
tnant that one Jury Of repr esentntive citi-
zens would listen 10 all the evidence re-.
Carding the rroduois Theatre fire q,
relurn d single verdict for all the VIC
tir,s. Coroner Traeger to-day promptly
ttrraneled jury III, \. n. !.
fire !" said Coroner rraege 4 they will BIO
nrtscc,,ted to the fullest extent Of the
lave. Tbs. Investigation OF tlle tire VIII
be thorough. We will leave no stone
unturned III our efforts to fix tho re-
slcns,billty."
The coroner's jury Is as follows:
L. II. Meyer, secretary OF tho Kennedy
Furniture Company. IN Il
Dr. P,,ter Byrnes. salesman for Lyon
and feasy.
walter Clingnnan. salesman for the
Tohey Furniture Company
Joseph A. Cummings. manager Of
Browning, King and Company
George w. Atkins credit man for Mar.
shall Field and Company.
John W. Finn. salesman for A, II.
Reyell and Company q.
Continued sight OF dead bodies lying
huddled on TIL. floors and tables Of the
various city morgucs proved too much
for so-,n ~ tire ','rors. Several OF the
1ury obtected to being forced to view the
bod es A. d on" Juror. Jos nh Cum 11irTs
practica:y collapsed at 12olston's morgue,
where the jury was forced to step over
IT, dead bodies In their tour Of inspcc-
ticn. 68 .&
Coroner Traegcr tonight conducted an
informal inquiry into the cause Of the
fires His first witness was William G.
Sellers. the fireman employed ut the thea
ire Sellers did not know Just how the
fire began, but said he saw 1t shortly
a ftel It broke out. Hc threw extngulsh-5
crs on the blaze. but without effect He
tried to pull down tho drop curtain or
to tear loose that portion OF It which
was blazing, but without success. Tho
fire than spread with such great rapid
ity that lie was unable to do more.
Other witnesses were examined. and
after they had been heard. Assistant
states Attorney a A. Hcer, who was
present, said:
ut seems agreed that the asbestos
curtain was dropped, but that It went
only to within ten or fifteen feet Of the
stage floor. People on the stage opened
tho dpor leading from the stage. into the
street on the west side of the theatre,
and this created strong draft. Tho
draft blew the curtain out toward the
audience. This held the curtain SO tight
ly that all attempts to lower 1t further
were fruitless." l3sS
This evening, the coroner's Jury, which
had spent the day In visiting the various
1ncrgues, was taken by Coroner Traeger
To the theatre. Tho Jury first went to
the .tage, and Deputy Coroner Buckley
poirtcd out the spot where the fire was
discovered. The seats In the FIRST ten
rows on the first floor were burned, but
back Of that the orchestra chairs were
in good condition.
The members OF tho Jury, while en-
ia ged In inspecting the stage. frequently
remarked that the protection against fire
seemed to thcm to have been made
uuate.
Tho jury then climbed the olrway
lending to the first balcony. Lac, tho
,lush covering of the seats was found
to he burned on every scat from wall TO
wall and from the front row Of the bal
cony to the last, An inspection was made
OF the exits, leading to the fire escapes
at the north end of the building.
( ..rhese doors are much too small; they
should have been three times as large.
said Juror Finn. n
ana 1t was then seen that the inner
doors were 80 close to the steel shut
ters II at they could not be opened Win
the shutters fastened This exit Is not
sufficiently high for an ordinary sized
man III walk through without STOPPING
ana when the Jurors learned this fact
Is, personal experience, there was con-
siderable comment among them. Ine
Jury then arcended to the top gallery
Were the greatest loss of life occurred
Coroner Traegcr poln ted to the balcony
rail which was bent In several places and
said that q number of spectators mao
Jumped through these opening to the low
or floor. An inspection was then made
Of the exits leading to the fire. escapes
and the Jurors were told that the bodies
Of the dead ware piled ten feet high IN
front of these doors when the police
reached the scene after the fire.
ar these doors were locked somebody
was criminnlly negligent" said Juror
Finn. "The exits are too small anyway
said Foreman Meyer as he measured tthe
doors leading to tho fire escapes.
I'M both balconies there were hundreds
of grewsome relics Of the catastrophe
scattered between the seats where they
had been dropped by the terrified victims.
| There were a score or moro OF rupper
shoes, muffs. handkerchlefs, gloves. chll.
dren's wooden hoods and mittens: Under
ono seat 7as found a tiny doll Wn
had evidently been taken to the inca tre
by a little girl. The jurors were deeply
AFFECTED by the sight as they sorteu oYeF
| the relics OF the disaster.
Al the conclusion OF the inspection Iol
the theatre, It, was decided
the inquest until next Thursday morning
| at o o'clock.
EMPLOYEES ARRESTED.