The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-01-02
WARRANTS
HAVE Been
ISSUED
Theatre Prsprletors and Build
Ing Inspector Accused Of Man.
slaughter In Connection With
tho Chicago Catastrophe.

Chicago, Jan. 2.-Warrants
have been issued for Will ]. Davis
and Harry Powers, proprietors
and managers of the Iroquois
theatre, and George Williams,
city building inspector, on the
criminal charge of manslaughter.
The warrants were issued by
Justice George w. Underwood at
his residence after II o'clock last
night and the charges were sworn
to by Arthur E. Hull of 244 Oak
wood boulevard, who lost his wife
and three children in the fire. Mrs.
Hull's maid also perished.
The warrants were not served in the
usual manner. The three men accused
were notified by telephone that the docu-
ments had been issued and were directed
to appear at II o'clock this morning at
Justice Underwood's court and give bonds.
The attorneys for Messrs. Powers and
Davis assured the justice that their clients
would apepar at the stated hour.
Mr. Hull. the complaining witness is
connected with a Chicago Commercial
agency.
Tomorrow he will leave Chicago with
the bodies OF the four members OF his
family for his wife's former home, Troy.
N. Y. where they will be buried. Mr.. Hull
stated that he would return after the fu-
neral and prosecute the case. His entire
family was wiped out in the fire.
WARRANTS SERVED.
The lateness OF the hour at which the
warrants were completed nearly mid
night caused the complainants attorney
and Justice Underwood TO decide that II
would be sufficient for detectives to serve
The warrants over the telephone.
Mrs. Powers naswercd to the telephone
call at her husbands home IN Grand
boulevard. Detective James w. Cody re-
quested her TO tell Mr.. Powers to hurry
to Justice George w. Underwood's rest-
dence. Mrs. Powers Immediately became
hysterical.
accident" she walled over the telephone.
our own little boy was there, and he
would not have been there IL We had not
thought the theatre safe"
,s,s she Was wa qulstsd and promised to inform
were at the Powers theatre. Of the sum-
mary action which had been tilSen
against them. Detective Cody assured
her that II they came to the house the
confusion of arresting them at their home
would be avoided
City Building Inspector williams was
reached at his home in Rhodes avenue
and II was agreed that he with Davis
and Powers should appear today In the
police court to give bonds.
WHAT COMPLAINANT SAYS.
MY wife and my children, all I ever
had TO live for, are gone: all that remains
Is for me to try TO make someone pay
for this carelessness. A few carpenters
and stage hands have been arrested. Men
an investigation Is a cruel mockery.
The men who are responsible are al
oiwed to walk the streets untouched
while q few laborers are punished. This
has been the greatest calamity In the
oity's history and the authorities must
understand that those who have suffered
Will not wait for them to daily long.
There must be no politics or favorftism
in this investiga ton"
OPERA HOUSE 70 CLOSE
The proprietors OF the Grand Opera
have notified Mayor Harrison that they
will close their theatre after tonight's $
performance pending a thorough exam
ination on the part OF the city hall Of
ficials. They take the ground that while
their playhouse is practically without de-
feet. yet the public mind is so wrought
up that nothing will reassure theatre
patrons except a complete official In
ouiry.
Continued on Page Two.