Evening star., 1922-02-04
SENATE DISASTER
INQUIRY |NDORSED
BYCOMM|SS|ONERS
Declare Action Is Desirable in
Interest of People of
Whole Country.
LONE CHARGE IMPROVED"
Suggested Amendment of Capper
Resolution Would Eliminate
Inspection Statement.

The District Commissioners, report
ing today on the Capper resolution
for an investigation of the Knicker-
booker disaster, urged such an in
quiry and declared it desirable, mot
only in the interest of the people
of Washington but also OF those OF
the entire country"
The Commissioners recommends
tions were embodied in a report to
Senator Ball, chairman of the Senate
District committee. The only revi-
by them is elimination of the refer
ence to improved charges against the
building inspectors office. In this
connection the Commissioners sug-
gest an inquiry be started into the
departments facilities for conducting
the important work of inspecting
Washington building.
other Developments.
Other developments in the knicker-
booker investigations today were:
Announcement was made by Mai.
Peyton Gordon. United States attorney.
ner's inquest Tuesday. thus deferring
until the conclusion of the inquest his
presentation of evidence in the case
to the grand jury.
At the same time Coroner Nevitt an
nounced that while there would be no
time lost in hearing witnesses before
the coroner's jury. the investigation
before that body would be conducted
with view to covering every inch OF
ground. Each of the score and more
of witnesses to be called will be given
full time to present his testimony, Or.
hewitt announced.
Report to Senator Ball.
The text of the Commissioners re-
IN compliance with the request con-
| tained in your letter of February l.
1922, with which was transmitted :.
Res. 229, the Commissioners Of the
District of Columbia desire to state
| that a thorough investigation of the
| collapse of the roof structure Of thu
Knickerbocker Theater is desirable
| rot only in the interests of the people
! of Washington, but also of those o,
| the entire country, in that such an in
! vestigation should establish at least
the principal causes that led to the
| disaster.
''While the Commissioners have no
evidence that would induce them TO
| believe that the employees OF the
District of Columbia have connived
| in disregard Of the law and have
winked at careless and criminal
contractors, they believe that this
aspect of the matter should also
| be looked into and that fnad judg-
ment should be had. not only As to
| the, integrity of the Office of the
inspector Of buildings OF the District
81 ~11n in hrf nj n he
cheney of that department for the
discharge of the heavy and important
duties that come upon it,
"Unproved CharSes.-
while, therefore, the Commission
ers believe that the above resolution
or one having the same object should
be passed, they suggest that in its
| present form it incorporates an un-
| proved charge against the honesty
and faithfulness of public employees,
and they recommend that those por-
tions of the resolution that contain
such charges be eliminated and that
the resolution be modified somewhat
as shown in the accompanying copy.
"On their own initiative the Com
missioners have already taken steps
to make an adequate investigation,
not only into the .Knickerbocker
building. but also into all the build
ings of unusual character in the Dis
| trict of Columbia. more particularly
moving picture theaters and other
places where large numbers of people
are in the habit of gathering"
Inspectors Report.
Building Inspector John P. Healy
| will submit his report Of the Knicker-
| booker disaster to Engineer Commits
sioner Keller Monday morning, it was
learned at the District building today.
After a week OF searching inquiry
into the plans and specifications of
the structure. and frequent visits to
| the scene, Mr.. Healy and Capt. John
Oehmann. his assistant. closeted them
| selves in their office today to put their
| findings in writing.
| Maj. Cary H. Brown, assistant en-
gineer commissioner in charge Of the
| building department., said today a
| truss support for the roof of the
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