The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-12-29
Cry Came From Man in the
Center Of Hall Who RefuS-
ed to Keep Quiet When
Asked 10 Do So.
Mrs. Annie CIemenC Declares
She Saw No One Wearing
Citizens Primary Wit
neSSes Testify Today.

The intmation of President Charles
II. Meyer and other Western Fedora
tion of Miners, that the cry Of fire in
the Italian hall early Christmas eve,
which resulted in the death Of seven
ty-four men, women and children, was
sounded by a man who wore Ciu-
aens' Alliance button was shown to be
a base untruth this morning by devel-
opments at the inquest. Not one OF
the eleven witnesses who testified saw
a button on the man or could even con-
meet him. with the Alliance.
| The charge that deputies stood at
| the bottom Of the stairs and prevented
| the escape of people coming down the
stairs also was shattered by witness
| es. who testified that deputies as
| sisted in caring for the dead and in
| jured and prevented "a greater saugh-
| ter by prohibiting frantic persons from
interfering with the rescue work
II A hundred or more Witnesses will
be examined by the coroner's jury
which was convened this morning In
the town han by Coroner William
| Fisher and the inquest likely win last
several days.
II John Sandretto Testifes
II John Sandrctto. one of the first 20
| arrive on the scene, was the first wit
| ness called To- the stand He testified
/ that he came from Wolverine and went
| to the Italian hall to escort his son
| home. He and Batiste Rastello en-
/ tered the saloon beneath the hall and
! remained there for period Of fif-
| teen minutes. While seated at a table
| hc heard the stamping of feet and the
uvcrturning of chairs. He ran To the
entrance to the hall leading TO the
stairs and behcld mass Of humanity
at his feet and extending nearly to the
top of the stairs. Al about him were
CRYING and yellug.
Above the moaning and groaning, he
heard the cry of fire" At his feet
a little boy was pleading to pull him
from the mass. He could not 60 up
stairs as the mass was so cntangled
that it was impossible 90 move through
liz. lie then ran out onto the street
and i'm few seconds heard the fire
whistles. He saw no one immediately
near the doors but saw four or i've
men a. short distance from the On
trance. lie did not recognize any oi
these men as deputies nor did they
carry clubs or wear stars, lie said q
llinuc girl ran from within, crying that
she had lost her brother. He carried
her into "a store nearby When he re-
turned. the hremen had arrived and
children were being taken down the
ladders Deputies then arrived and
we're assisting In keeping the croWo
from surging into the hall Fifteen oi
twenty men. he said, were in the sa-
loon at the time he tilst heard th'
commotion He said he saw no smok'
and did not see amy one run from th'
saloon or, ing fire"
Alarm From, Center Of Hall
Mrs. Theresa Sizcr, testified that sh'
took part in the entertainment an'
that She was assisting in distributing
gifts Women and children wer'
crowding about the stage, waiting t
receive gifts. She cautioned them Z
stand back. while standing on a desl
near the stage. Whic in that position
she heard man cry fire People II
the rear of the hall immediately hc
toward the entrance She leaped fror
the desk and grasped the man by tn
shoulder pleading that ne be quiet. II
insisted there was dro and continue
to sound the cry. Mrs. slzcr then re
turned TO the stage and In au EFFORT I
rcstorc quiet, she played the piano. I'll
man who sounded the cry she SAT-
was i'm the center of the hall. Some {
the men and women were restraine
from fleeing while others continued
leap down the stairway. she describe
the man as medium height wi
wore dark suit of clothes and oar
mustachc. she did not see a button 9
his coat and said she did not tell an
one ne wore button. She said Il
man appeared to bc unconcerned as
the conmotion which he caused,
Charles Meyers Testimony.
Charles Meyers. manager OF the
lantic a Pacific Tea company, who 4
sides on the first floor of thc ltali'
hall building, testified that he hca
commotion, the stamping of feet, abo
4:SO o'clock. The noise increased al
he ran toward the entrance. The cru
III