Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-01-27
.IROQU0LS VERDICT.
Mayor Har ison and Seven Others
Are Held Responsible for
the Catastrophe.
REPORTO OF CORONER'S JURY
w. J. DAVIS Is Accused CT Negligence
Far.ts in the Theater Were
Numerous.
CITY OFFICIALS ARE BLAMED.

Chicago, H., Jan. 26.-Declaring that
his tendency to shirl responsibility" TO
be the cause of Il weak course and in
efficiency" in the city hall administra ton,
the coroners jury in the lroquois fire in
yestigation last night held Mayor Harri-
son to the grand jury. Until he is dis
charged by due course of law is the
tenure Of the term of accusation which
the jury fixed.
At midnight a mittimus for the arrest
of the mayor was made out by Coroner
John z. Traeger and turned over to the
police department for service.
Seven Others Are Held.
With Mayor Harrison the following
were held to the grand jury as RESPONSE
Bile in part for the fire and its attending
holocaust, which the jury declared was
the result of violations Of the city ordi-
nances in every part of the playhouse:
VIII ]. Davis, president of the Iroquor>
Theatcr company and manager Of the the
alter. Held to be responsible for neglect
in not seeing that the theater was properly
constructed and properly equipped.
William H. Musham, chief of the fire de-
partment. Held responsible for not seeing
that the theater was equipped with fire APP
paratus as required by the ordinance, and
with not properly instructing Fireman VIII
liam c. Sailors ia his duties.
George Williams, building commissioner
Responsible for allowing the Iroquois thea
ter to be opened when not completed, and
without having made a thorough inspection
of the structure and its equipments.
Guilty Of gross negligence and neglect or
duty in reporting the rheater 90 x when
it Was not properly furnished and equipped
theater Held guilty of gross neglect of
duty In not reporting to Chief Musham the
condition of the theater in regard to fire
equipments.
James E. Cummings, stage carpenter at
the theater. Held guilty of gross neglect
of duty in not seeing to It that the theater
for extinguishing fires.
William McMullen, operator of food
light. Held TO be responsible for neglecting
to have his light properly safeguarded. when
he knew the danger of the contact with
an nfammable drapery.
Cause of the Fire.
The jury fixed the cause Of the fire as
the contact of the grand drapery with an
electric arc lamp.
1t found that the city ordinances were
not complied with on the stage in re-
spect to having it furnished with fire
apparatus.
1t found that the ordinances were VIC
lated in the first floor of the auditorium
by the filling of aisles in front of the
boxes on either side with seats, and in
not having the exits properly designated.
1t found that the asbestos" curtain
naQ Deen totally QeStfOyeQ, ana that It
was wholly Intellectual as protection in
case of fire i'll the infiammable stage
settings.
Faults Are Numerous.
1t found that the ordinances had been
violated in that rhe scenery and wood
work of the stage had not been properly
protected by ireproofing
1t found that the ordinances had been
violated in the dress circle by not hay-
ing proper signs to denote the exits.
1t found that the ordinances had been
violated in the gallery by not having the
exits properly designated and because Of
the extremely steep pitch of the floor.
1t found that there was Il serious de-
feet in the construction of the stairway
and gallery promenade that led to the re-
firing rooms and the locked door to the
private stairway. This defect it declared
misleading and to be responsible for
more than fifty deaths.
Incorporated in the verdict was a rec
ommendation that the conduct of the
city departments be radically changed,
and that the council lose no time in at
tending to the matter. The verdict fur
Their recommended that police and fire
board be created to take from the heads
Of the police and fire department much
Of the executive work now required to
be done by these officials.