The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-01-29
HARRISON
HELD BY THE CHICAGO
GRAND JURY
FOR THE THEATRE FIRE
Which Cost Nearly Six
Hundred Lives.

Chicago, Jan. 25.-The members of
the corners jury met in the commits
sioners' chambers at o'clock this af'
ternoon and began without delay the
consideration of the testimony of the
159 witnesses who were examined by
them In the course of the inquiry be-
gun IL days ago.
Coroner Treager and Deputy Buckley
were on hand to give the jurors in
formation and advice relative to the
testimony adduced and when at s
o'clock the jury announced that they
had reached verdict, the various Off
cials affected thereby were hastily sum-
moned to the city hall.
The transcript of testimony was ex-
tremely bulky, consisting of 100000
words.
At 1880 tonight Coroner Treager
opened the door of the jury room and
announced that the jury had arrived
at verdict and that the same would
be read to the members of the press
as well as the general public. The
waiting throng crowded into the room
and when quiet was restored Coroner
Treager stated that the verdict as
reached and signed by the six jurors
would be read by Deputy Coroner
Buckley.
The deputy coroner read the bulky
document In H,.t,, yniaa mid 6apl,
silence. Coroner Treager stood among
the newspaper men and as the ar
raignment of those responsible for the
fire disaster proceeded he frowned,
then looked solemn. 1t was expected
that Manager Davis would head the
list Of delinquents, but when the name
of Mayor Harrison was read and 1t
later developed that he too was rec.
commended to be held to the grand
jury, murmur of astonishment arose.
1t had been expected. but the revc.
lation that the city executive was held
to be primarily responsible for one
of the most horrible theatre fires in
history, came as deep surprise. The
jurors themselves sat with bowed
heads as the name of the mayor was
read, and each was conscious that he
was making an epoch in municipal his
tory which would be the talk Of the
world on the morrow.
The arraignment of the lesser Off
cials excited little comment. That
was fully expected and yet, as name
after name was intoned by the deputy
coroner until had been pronounced,
the excitement grew. When the last
recommendation of the verdict was
read, a deep silence prevailed. The
jurors looked at each other and nod
ded approvingly.
Grand jury" said Coroner Treager,
when Deputy Coroner Buckley resum-
ed his seat, lis this your verdict"
1T is" came in a chorus from the
jurors.
The coroner then gave copies of the
verdict to the press and ordered the
room cleared. He stated that the jury
would not complete it's work until 5
o'clock this morning as it was neces-
sary that the names of the members
of the inquistorial body should be af-
fixed to 585 verdicts, that number rep
resenting the awful list of those who
perished in the fire.
When asked to express their views
upon the verdict the jurors declined
to be interviewed.
1--WE have nothing to say" said all
of them in one voice. I'VE have done
our duty and that is all we care to
say now. Besides, we are too busy to
talk now
Coroner Treager expressed himself
in similar strain. Il have no COM
ments to make upon the verdict" he
remarked. Let the public judge of
the work without aid from me-"
The room was then cleared and the
work of signing the verdicts in each
of the 5S5 victims of the Iroquois fire
was then begun, a task which it was
estimated would require five hours
work.