The New York herald., 1921-11-30
Four Men Still Missing in
Wreck of Steel and Brick
in Bedford Avenue.
BACK OF HOUSE CLIPPED
Police Fight Back Crowd
Whose Noise browns Cries of
Injured Calling for Help.

What was to have been the Ameri-
can motion picture theatre at 779 to 7S7
Bedford avenue. Brooklyn, collapsed
beneath the weight Of its roof yester-
day, burying In a heap of brick and
steel most Of the fifty men who were
building 1t. The verified records show
that at least six of them were killed
and twenty-five injured. Several Of
the latter have small chance of recov-
cry At least four men are missing.
Sylvester Rosenthal and Samuel
Moskowitz, owners and general con-
tractors, were arrested last night by
District Attorney Lewis. who ordered
charges of manslaughter in the first
degree. Mr.. Lewis had started an in
vestigation within an hour after the
wreck. Other arrests may be made
to-day.
The District Attorney said he would
| insist that the two men be held with
out bail, although both asserted there
had been daily inspections and that
ments of the building inspectors. Mr..
Lewis. however, heard a workman say
that just week ago one of the brick
arches fell carrying with it 5000
bricks. Other witnesses declared that
in their opinion there was too much
sand in the cement used in bonding
the walls.
Arraignment This Morning.
SO rapidly did the stories flow to the
District Attorney that he decided to hold
Rosenthal and Moskowitz pending inves-
tigation Of them all. At least twenty
five witnesses were heard by Assistant
District Attorneys Hemstreet. Wilson,
Hook and Caldwell. The two contractors
were formally charged at the Vernon
avenue station and will be arraigned
this morning.
The earliest inspections of the ruins
indicated that the heavy rains Of the last
week may have had something to do
with the collapse.
IF my theory is correct" said Mr.
Lewis. wind and rain had nothing to
do with It. And II my theory Is correct
some one Is going away for long time.
There Is lot of flimsy building going
on in this city and 1t must be stopped
for it is In violation Of the law"
The dead
Philip Stein. cement contractor. 294
Howard avenue. Brooklyn.
Albert Sheridan, foreman metal lather
111th street, Manhattan.
Cornelius Briney. lather, $50 West
Fifty-first street. Manhattan.
Thomas A Stone, 666 Madison street,
West New York.
william p. Guthrie, metal lather, 1921
Farragut road. Brooklyn.
Isaac Barkin, plasterer, 293 Sutter
avenue, Brooklyn.
The injured in hospital are: William
Synott. 1887 Catalpa avenue, Brooklyn,
decorations of the scalp: James Rider
toni, TIA Atlantic avenue, Brooklyn,
both legs broken: Samuel Sabelise, 173
Harrison avenue. Brooklyn, fractured
legs James Rigelletto, TIA Atlantic ave-
nue.. Brooklyn. fractured leg; Philip
Healey, 343 Ninth street, Brooklyn.
decorations Of scalp Emil Ball. S36 Bed
ford avenue Brooklyn. fractured legs !:
Michael Mortebella, SO Skillman street.
fractured arms and legs: Ellsworth
Keefe, 5518 Fifth avenue, scalp wounds.
Also George Lawson, 52S Sixty-second
street, Brooklyn, scalp wounds Charles
Bauer. sos West Forty-second street.
Manhattan. cuts on head and body I;
Adam Mum, 1888 West Third street,
Manhattan. scalp wounds: Frank Healy,
465 West Forty-sixth street, Manhattan,
cuts on head and body; Joseph Lambert,
4s Reid avenue. Brooklyn, fractured
skull: Louis Drisse. Rockaway avenue,
Brooklyn. internal injuries: Drinin
Casa. 81 Spencer street, Brooklyn.
lacerated scalp; Russo Camalo, 1877 For
1 ctr nj, 40 IL. ID.
Vita Stabello. 173 Harrison avenue,
Brooklyn. lacerations of face and hands.
Injured attended and sent to their
homes: Harry Taper, 1872 Stagg street,
Brooklyn, laceratiens of the head and
body NJ. c. McManus. 729 Ninth avenue,
Manhattan, bruised arms and legs Ed
ward Page. III Bedford avenue general
iacerations and possible internal in
juries Josephine Page, his wife. lacera-
tions Of head and arms; G. Nichalas.
1903 woodbine street, Brooklyn, general
decorations.
Collapse without Warming.
Whatever caused 1t the crash was as
sudden and complete as though the north
wall had been dry cracker dough and the
/ roof a fabric Of lead
The collapse occurred Just before 80.
not long after the smen had resumed
work after the noon layoff The shell
OF the theatre had been erected and the
roof laid on. The north wall stood alone
and without the support of party wall.
on the south the roof girders rested on
substantial old piers that were built into
a heavy party wall. The east wall. the
stage end Of the auditorium, was a
double structure and the front. facing
Bedford avenue. was combination OF
brick and limestone strong enough &c
stand the shock.
composite story OF what happened
was gathered from those workmen who
escaped unhurt. There was no warn
ing, no sagging TO foretell the coming
Continued on Page Six.