The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-29
HIGH OFFICIALS ARE
HELD II. GRAND JURY
Mayor Harrison Of Chicago q
Directly Responsible for
lroquois Holocaust.
REPORT OF THE JURY


Accuses Officers Of City Of Lamentabls
Lack of Force, and Others for
Gross Neglect Of Duty in Not
Enforcing Ordinances.
Chicago. Jan. 27.-The coroner's jury
which for three weeks has been listen
ing to evidence relating to the fire In
the Iroquois theater, returned ver-.
dict by which the following persons are
held to await the action of the grand
jury:
Carter H. Harrison. mayor of Chi
cago; Fire Marshal William H. Mush-
man; Will ]. Davis. proprietor in part
and manager of the theater; George
Williams. building commissioner of the
city; Edward Laughlin, building in
spector under Williams; William Sal!
lers. fireman in the theater: James e..
Cummings, stage carpenter, and Will
lam McMullen. who had charge of the
light that caused the fire.
There were over $4,000 words OF tes-
timony, and each juror would, accord
ing to the law, be compelled to sign
his name to the testimony of each wit
ness, which meant that each man would
be compelled to write his name 572
times. This work alone, the coroner es-
timated. would consume five hours.
There was, therefore, considerable sur
prise when the jury announced shortly
before II o'clock that it had reached a
verdict and was ready to report
It was also decided by the coroner
that all men who would be held by the
s,.,, ~.1.D t,<N
taken into custody last night. He
therefore prepared warrants for their
arrest, and called on the police depart
ment for force to arrest them.
"I do not expect that some of these
men who are likely to be held will try
to escape" said the coroner but some
of them who have not large property
interests might take it into their heads
to do SO. I do not intend that there
shall be any mistakes in that direction.
laid to my department. If cause the
arrest of one of them am compelled:
to cause the arrest of all, and there will
be no favoritism shown, no matter who
are the men held by the jury"
As soon as the finding of the jury
was announced details of officers We're
sent at or.ce for the men naneaefzrIsas
verdict, with orders to bring them, in
at once. and IL they could not furnish
bail they We're to be taken to the coun-
ty jail for the night.
Findings of the Jury.
The findings of the jury are as fol-
lows.
1.-The cause of the fire was drapery
coming in contact with a flood, or arc
light.
City laws We're not complied with
relating to building or ordinance, fire
alarm boxes, fire apparatus, damper or
flues on and over the stage and fly gall
leries.
Violation of the ordinance requiring
fireproofing of scenery and all wood
work on and about the stage.
The asbestos curtain was wholly mad
equate, and was entirely destroyed
Building ordinances were violated, in
that aisles were enclosed on each side OF
the lower boxes, and absence of fire ap-
paratus on the orchestra floors.
Building ordir" zee was violated In that
there was no fl >Sratus in the gallery
or first balcony.
>tNill j, Davis was held responsible as
president and general manager. He was
primarily and general manager. He was
primarily responsible for the observance
Of the laws, and was bound 10 see that his
employees were properly instructed as to
their duties in case of fire.
In relation to Mayor Harrison the YER
dict reads as follows:
We hold Carter II. Harrison, as mayor
of the city of Chicago, responsible, as he
has shown lamentable lack Of force,
and for his efforts to escape responsible
Ftty, evidenced by the testimony of Build
ing Commissioner Williams and Fire Mar
shall Musham. AS heads of department
under the said Carter H. Harrison follow
Ing this weak course has given Chicago
inefficient service, which makes such
calamities as the Iroquois theater fire hor-
ror menace until the public service is
Spurged of incompetents."
Building Commissioner Williams was
held for gross neglect Of his duty in al
lowing the theater to open its doors to
the public when the said theater was in
complete, and did not comply with the
building ordinances of the city of Chi
cago.'
Fire Marshal Musham was held re-
sponsible "fcr gross neglect of duty in not
enforcing the ordinances and failure to
fireman at the theater, report to him Of
the lack Of fire appartus in the theater.
Sallers was held for not reporting the
lack of fire apparatus. McMullen for
rarelessness in handling the light that
caused the fire; Cummings as stage car
penter, for not providing the stage with
proper fire protection.
Mayor Not Arrested.
Later in the night. after the members
of the jury had departed, 1t was decided
by Coroner Traeger that 1T would not be
necessary to arrest Mayor Harrison, Fire
Marshal Mnsham and Building Commits
sioner Williams. and no officers were sent
for sthem. Mitimusses were made out,
however, for the other six men. "A special
grand jury will convene next week to re.
open the investigation and decide what
action shall be taken on the report of
the coroner's jury. The charge, as far
as the city officials are concerned, which
the grand jury will consider is malfeas-
ance in office. Conviction means their re-
moval from office in addition to any other
penalty.
BABY BAKED TO DEATH.