The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1904-02-20

Davis and Powers Refuse To Accept
Responsibility For Iroquois Fire.
ENDEAvOR TO SHIFT BLAME
Mr.. Powers Places the Responsible
lily On Davis For the Fire and
the Consequent Loss of Hum
dreds of Lives.

Chicago, Jan. 23.-Will j. Davis ana
Harry J. Powers, managers of the
Iroquois theater, made their appear
ance before the coroner's jury Friday.
Neither of the gentlemen was disposed
to accept any responsibility in connec-
ton with defective construction, faults
of management or neglect to provide
proper fire protection. Mr.. Powers
placed the blame for the fire and con-
sequent loss of life upon Mr.. Davis,
whom, he said. was the active man
ager, while he was but passive in the
conduct of its affairs, and also upon
the employees who did not perform
their full duty.
Davis On the stand.
When Mr.. Davis took the stand he
was first questioned concerning the
formation of the company, which he
declared was a New Jersey corpora
ton, registered with the secretary OF
state of Illinois, to empower it to do
business in this state. When asked
how long before the fire this regis
tration had taken place, MI. Davis
said: "Oh, several months"
He was asked if it was not fact
that the registration was not made
until after the fire, but denied this.
The Fuller Construction Co.. he
said, had the contract for putting up
the theater, and sublet most of the
work. He was asked by the coroner:
when the theater was opened No
vember 20, was it completed?"
For the purpose of giving pres
entation l should say yes"
ere there any signs over the
exits designating that they were ex-
its?"
Il don't know that there was"
When asked whose duty it was to
see that fire extinguishers were in
stalled, he replied: I'VE had fireman
there who was sent to us by the city
fire department"
81 do not want to place the respon.
sibility on anybody"
IF there was a deficiency of fire
protection in the building, the respon-
sibility must rest on somebody for not
having it there"
THAT may appear but don't want
to place it."
"As president of the company, do
you want to assume the responsibility
yourself?
Il do not"
Coroner TRACER asked: Previous
to the fire you were satisfied, were
you not, that there were ample facili-
ties for taking care of the fire?'
81 had every confidence in the world
in the theater."
But since the fire you have found
differently, have you not?"
Since the fire most anybody could
draw conclusions"
DO you not think as general man.
ager of the Iroquois theater, that it
was your duty to see that those fire
appliances were placed there to pro
tect the public when you were taking
the public's money!"
81 had employees there in whom |
had every confidence that they would
do what was required of them"
did you not, as an experienced
man, know that those appliances were
required?
81 do not know what the ordinances
call for"
when you opened the Iroquois the
alter for the first performance did you
consider the building absolutely fire
proof?"
81 did. 1t was the safest building
of The character ever constructed"
Mr.. Davis declared that few days
before the theater opened he had
talked with Building Commissioner
Williams after the latter had inspect
ed the theater, and said that Mr.. Will
Jams declared it was the safest and
most complete theater building he had
ever seen.