The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-01-08
EDDY FOY TELLS
OF HOLOCAUST
Made Desperate Effort to Quiet
the Audience
SAVES HIS SON FROM FLAMES
Says He Told Orchestra to Keep Play
ing, and When the Explosion
Occurred 1t Felt Like
a Cyclone.
SAVES HIS SON FROM FLAMES

Chicago, January 7.-One dozen people
appeared as witnesses In the coroner $
inquest over the victims of the Iroquois
theatre fire which opened today in the
city council chamber in the city hall.
No person was admitted to the council
chamber without an order or subpoena
from the coroner. Even members of the
city council who applied for admission,
were turned away
The chief witnesses OF the day were
Eddie Foy. the comedian of the Mr..
Blue Beard" company and George Stet-
son, a representative of the company that
maoe the asbestos curtain. The evidence
of M, Foy did not differ materially from
the statements published heretofore con-
cerning his action on the day of the fire.
Mr.. Stetson and Coroner Traeger became
involved In a lengthy discussion as to the
merits of the asbestos curtains, during
which Mr.. Stetson admitted that asbestos
curtains If subjected to an extremely high
heat, would lose their life" and crumble.
1t is believed that the bodies of those
killed in the Iroquois theatre fire, now re-
naming in the county morgue, will not be
identified, and in a short time will be bur-
led by the city of Chicago. The bodies are
four in number, two being women and two
boys.
The investigation into the safety OF
places of public assembly, still continues
and but few of them are able to meet the
requirements of the law. Building Com
missioner Williams today issued orders
closing fifteen additional halls. The coli
scum in which the republican national
convention will be held, was today de-
clared safe and entirely fire proof, and
was allowed to open.
Eddy Foys Testimony.
Eddie Foy. the comedian of the Blue
Beard" company, se'd he went to the
matinee with his S. -ar-ols boy, whonl
he desired to place In the front row OF
seats directly before the stage. He sent
him out before the first act in charge oi
the stage manager, who brought MN
back and said there were no seats. lie
sent the boy down stairs and put him IN
an alcove next to the switchboard, di-
rectly below the place where he hrst sa"
the fire.
During the second act MI II Oy hCStiiise
he was in his dressing room and heard
noise. The noise grew stronger, ano
becoming anxious about the boy he ran
down to the stake, picked up the boy
right in front of the switchboard and
then looked up and saw a fireman above
him, who was trying to put out the hre
At that time the two lower borders run
ming up the side of the canvas, near the
edge of the proscenium arch, were
burned
He ran with the boy to small door al
the back of the stage, and when he ar
rived there number of people were try
ing to escape. He threw the boy to q
man. telling him to keep him out and
then ran back TO the stage and out to the
footlights The audience was getting
into a panic. as he thought and in order
10 quiet the people he called to the stage
hands, Drop the curtain and to the
musicians, Keep up your music. ne
urged the audience repeatedly to remain
quiet and not get excited. When the cur
tain came down 1t stuck about three feet
above his head. The rest OF Mr.. Foy
testimony is as follows
Felt Like a Cyclone.
at hollered and hollered for them tc
lower the curtain and then | felt wha'
/ would describe as a cyclone. The seen
cry had broken and was falling all around
me There was a heavy cold draft, evil
IDENTIFY from the outside. and there was an
expIosion as though you would light q
match and the whole box goes of.
thought of my boy, and that perhaps the
man did not take him out so | went for
the back door where the people were try
ing to get out, and then ] went out my
self and found my boy in the alley"
The next witness called was George w
stetson of Bingham, Mass, secretary ol
the c. w. Trainer Manufacturing com
nanv who make asbestos curtains, one
in which a fine brass wire was interviewer
and the other being without the wire
Rotb curtains were of equal value against
eames the wire being merely to provide
greater 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 that II was burned. In
his opinion the greater part OF the cur
tain was lying at the present time upon
the theatre stage covered with SCOT and
frozen. He entered into long explana-
tion of the qualities Of asbestos declaring
that while 1t would not burn, high tenn
perature would take the life out OF 1t and
cause II to crumble. He was shown a
portion of the curtain which had been
brought from the Iroqiois theatre, and
said that It had been in a very hot place,
and that the life was practically all out
of he piece shown him.
At the close Of Mr.. Stetson's testimony
an adjournment was taken until IL O'Clock
tomorrow