Albuquerque morning journal., 1913-12-30
Coro1efS Inquest Fails to
Disclose Evidence That Mis-
creant Wore Sutton of Cit-
liens Alliance,
TESTIMONY SHOWS
FIRST STORIES FALSE
important Witness Says Alarm
Was Given Near Center Of
Hall on Christmas Eve, and
Not al Door,


.ay MORNING. ieusn.t srrcst lrAsto Wlsu
Calumet. Mich. bee. 2o.-Out ot NJ
score on moro Of witnesses two per-
sons testified before q coroners jury
today that the man who caused the
Christmas eve disaster here wore a
white button similar to the citizens
Alliance badec. Immediately after
adjournment of the hearing, @. n.
Hilton. the Denver attorney in charge
OF the Western Federation Of Miners
legal interests, announced that fur
ther development Of this phase Of the
Inquiry would De attempted tomor-
row
The fedoation's lawyer did not
comment upon the fact That the prcgi-
dent and half dozen members Of the
womon's auxiliary of the federation
swore that they saw no insignia on
the man and that union members who
stood In the vcstihulc Of italian hall
for an hour before the panic started
said the alarm cume from within the
hall and no person wearing such a.
button had passed them
Ina the opinion OF Anthony lucas
prosecuting attorney OF Houghton
county who conducted the examinn-
tion of witnesses. facts fairly well cs-
tahlishcd TO-DAY were that am excitable
member 30 4hp audience raised t.r.
cry. that there was mo- actual fire IN
the han and that tho doors were open
and the stairway clear when the panic
started
"Ar we want IS q finding based
upon facts developed at the inquest.
said Mr Hilton "Thc identity Of the
miscrcant who started the mad rush
for the stairs is OF paramount impor-
nnce and we intend 20 do what we
can 60 clear this up"
The testimony as to the button was
given by two witnesses John Burcar
VINO gave his age as " and said he
had lost sister ia the disaster exc
ritedly told of seeing a man muffled
10 his eyes In fur collared overcoat
enter the hall "Hc hollerod fire
and then ran out" the boy said u
ran out. too lie had an alliance but
ton on his coat
The other witness, Mrs. John
Koski, said she WAS twenty feet from
the man who wore dark blue coat
on which was "a white button. at
looked like an alliance hutton she
said but ] was too far away 20 read
it,"
ono or two witnesses said there
had been some confusion in the hall
before the panic started but women
in charge Of the celebration denied
this. Practically all witnesses agreed
that the first alarm came from man;
that It was taken up at once in diff
ferent parts OF the hall and that the
rush for the exit was instantaneous
Coroner William Fisher called tho
inquest in the town han. The room
was crowded to capacity.
a half dozen witnesses testified. In
Guiding Mrs. Annie Clemens, leader
Of the Womon's auxiliary Of the West
crn Federation Of Miners, the organ
l2ation which was distributing Christ
mas gifts to the children when the /
panic in the Italian hal broke out
Mrs Clemens has been generally /
said TO have been one of those who |
persistently circulated the report that
the man who gave The false alarm Of |
fire wore an alliance button. but on
the stand she disclaimed any knowl- /
edge Of that kind ana asserted she
had seen no one affiliated with the 1
Citizens alliance, an organization op- /
posed to the strike, come into the .
han.
Congressman Macdonald Of Calu- /
met reached Calumet at noon today
ana began an investigation Of the
strike situation and Italian hall trag-
edy. John b. Densmore, solicitor of
the department Of labor. Is expected
tomorrow Union officials win urge
on both of these the necessity Of
a federal investigation.
Sheriff James Cruise denied report
ed assertions OF President Meyer OF
the federation that he was given no
protection here The sheriff declared
that for several weeks Meyer and
other officials Of the federation have
been guarded by deputies. He has
been unable to get az the bottom Of
tho mystery surrounding The deporta-
zion OF Meyer
Mrs Theresa Sizer, the only witness
AZ the inquest who saw the man who
yelled fire described hcr experience
graphically She was standing ON 81
table near the stage, attempting to
restrain rush Of children towards
HE Christmas tree
When she heard the alarm, she
Jumped from the table and ran to the }
man and grasped him by the should 3
srs
Man man, what are you doing37 }
"rhere is i fire. ne replied n
NO, no, keep still" said Mrs s