Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-06
CAUSE OF THE HORROR
Iroquois Skylights Were Fas-
tened Down Tight.
MANAGERS ARRAIGNED
STATEMENT OF INSPECTOR Full
KERsoN TODAY.
Police List Of the Dead Now Reaches
591-Trouble for Probate
Court
MANAGERS ARRAIGNED

CHICAGO, January 6-"The overwhelm-
ing mistake of the Iroquois disaster was in
the condition Of the skylights and ventila-
tors above the stage" said Fire Inspector
Monroe Fulkerson today.
Had the ventilators over the stage been
opened or the skylights not been fastened
down" said Mr.. Fulkerson. there would
have been no loss of life by fire. regardless
of the asbestos curtain failing to work.
IAN employee Of the theater failed In his
duty of closing the metal rejecting trough
and thus blocked the curtain. But the sky
lights were blocked and wired SO that they
could not open.
THE heat of the flames finally broke two
panes Of the skylight, with the result that
there was instant relief from the deadly
draft sweeping the auditorium If the
skylights had been entirely opened the
flames would have been diverted from the
auditorium entirely.
The Management Arraigned-
The Inspector bitterly arraigned the
management of the theater and the build
ers who closed the stage skylights. Mr.
-Fulk ersons statement was given whlle
he was preparing to probe the conduct
of the ushers at the 'theater in the panic
which followed the outburst of flames
He said: "All the. testimony given me
forms story of incompetence, plumbers
carelessness and neglect upon the par.
of builders and managers OF the theater
Today George M. .-Dusenberry. head
usher at the theater. whose duties In
clude practically the management OF the
auditorium was called before Inspector
Fulkerson, and the other ushers were
examined to determine the truth of re-
ports that the ushers tried to prevent by
frightened people from the burning
theater.
David Jones' John Kingsbury, Otto
Rausch and William Brown. the Fuller
Construction Company employees arrested
on a charge of malicious mischief In de-
stroying evidence at the IroQuis Theater
held R i under bonds md Of 5000 each Thsir
cases were set for hearing January IL.
Restaurants Lose Heavily.
CHICAGO. January e.-The closing OF
the theaters by order Of the mayor is caus-
ing a daily loss Of thousands Of dollars to
the hotel and restaurant keepers in the
downtown district. It has also thrown a
great many restaurant employees out Of
work and in many places it was stated
that more help would be laid OF IL the the
aterS remained closed.
Restaurants which have catered to the
theater trade in the past now find that they
are operating at a loss.
Even the streets seem deserted after
nightfall, and the traction companies feel
the decrease of business. Livery stable
owners report a considerable falling of in
business.
Mix-Up in Probate Court,
CHICAGO. January Gas a result Of
the Iroquois Theater disaster, in which
whole families perished and lines of legal
descent were made so complicated. as al
most to defy tracing. the probate court
faces a season of intricate litigation. The
nm nf nrin rxf doa nf 81 fva
tins is the issue on which many Of the es-
ties may be hung up in the courts for
months and years before they can be dis
tributed.
Probate Judge Cutting says that he an
ticipates that in hundreds of estates this
issue will have to be determined before the