The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1913-05-27
Inquiry Beginning Thurs
day Will Delve Into the
Charges Of Fraudulent
Construction Made at the
Time Resort Structure
Was Erected in 1o05-1906
AGED PASTOR DIES,
MAKING TOTAL 81
Atty, Completing Relief
Plans, Will Pay Funeral
Expenses and Hospital
Bills - Inspector Asserts
Measured Tread of Thou
sands Caused Collapse

LONG BEACH, May 26.-Relief meas
ures and preparations for investigat-
ing and placing the blame for the Long
Beach pier disaster Saturday in which
nearly two score lives were lost and
about 200 injured. occupied virtually
the entire day.
The coroner's jury Inspected the
scene OF the accident and made ar
rsngements to take testimony Thurs
day. District Attorney Fredericks of
Los Angeles county and the city off,
cials of Long Beach will cooperate with
the jury and many witnesses will be
provided by the British empire day
committee which had charge of the
celebration interrupted by the tragedy.
There will be no grand jury inves-
tigation as it was decided its work
would be duplication of the coroner's
inquiry.
INSPECTOR BLA1IES TREAD
James Twombley, member OF the
Long Beach board OF public works and
building inspector, said today that he
had personally inspected the pier and
auditorium building 10 to Il times each
month. He said that the broken tim
bers showed the presence of dry rot,
but that there was no outward evil
dence of the defective supports.
He asserted that the accident was
dtrectly due to the unified marching of
paraders on the pier as it had often
withstood the strain of larger crowd.
Long Beach municipal authorities
and citizens relief committee an
nounced that immediate reIief would
oe dispensed without any ''red tape"
Funeral expenses will be paid and all
hospital bills taken care of by the
city. Chief OF Police Austin forbids
the showing of moving pictures of the
disaster
The Sons of ct. George met in Los
Angeles tonight to further relief plans,
and the Daughters of the Empire will
arrange a series of benefit performances
tomorrow night. The British Empire
day committee will meet tomorrow to
take similar steps and arrange for the
production of evidence before the cor
oner's jury.
GRAFT HUNT RENEWED
The eoroner's jury viii go into all
phases of the disaster and VIII delve
into the history OF the municipal pier
and the city auditorium, the construc-
tion of which was accompanied by
charges of graft and the prosecution
of one man on the charge of having ac-
cepted a bribe from the contractor.
The structures were completed in
1906 and 1906. ]. B. Losee. a member
OF the city council at that time, was
accused of graft. The same charge
was made against Mayor Emo.
Losee was the only man brought to
trial The jury disagreed and, without
going to trial a second time, Losee
turned $1,000 into the city treasury.
No action was taken against the con-
s tractor and the structures as built
were accepted.
Rev. Ira B. Kilborne, "a years old.
who was injured In the collapse OF the
pier, died this afternoon. This brings
the total number of dead up to 81
Women's Bodies Sent East
Los ANGELES. May 2s.-The bodies
OF Miss Frances Harriet Newell and
Mrs. Mary Ferris Gates, victims Of
the Long Beach pier disaster, were
sent TO their former homes in the east
today. Miss NewelI's body is being
taken to Kenosha, Wis. and that of
Nrrs catar IA Oak Park TIL