Evening star., 1922-02-10
PLAN SUBSTITUTED
FOR THEATER ROOF
WAS D|SAPPR0VED
Engineer Designing Original
Framework Believes In
adequate Beams Used.
Mr.. CRANDALL DECLARES
HE RELIED ON INSPECTORS
Question as to Whether Rivets or
Bolts Were Used Pressed at
Coroner's Inquest.


Coroner's Inquest.
Use of double beams under all
| trusses and heavy beams in the roof
!, framing of the Knickerbocker Thea
| ter apparently was not carried out.
| as suggested by him, Melvin s. Rich,
| engineer, testified today at the cor
| oner's inquest into the collapse OF
| the roof of the theater. in the board
room Of the District building. Mr..
Rich designed the original roof sup
port, for which the one that collapsed
| was substituted
He did not agree with the substi-
| tuted plans for the roof framing. he
told the jury, but identified note on
| substituted plans as being his. This
| note was to the effect that double 1
, beams should be placed under all
trusses and heavy beams
Examined After Crash.
Mr.. Rich testified that he visited
the theater after the accident. and
that while he did not climb up and
examine the bearings. 1t appeared to
him, from his engineer'- knowledge.
that double / beams " .ot used.
He said that the builatng code called
for "separators' between the beams.
He could not see any, and therefore
came to the conclusion that they were
not used.
John L. Mcdonald. contractor for
erecting the steel roof framing,
couldn't remember whether double
beams were used. He said that If
they were provided for they were
probably put in.
Considerable testimony at the morn
! ing session was around the point as
| to whether rivets were as strong as
| bolts. The opinions seemed to agree
| that bolts were as strong as rivets.
! depending, of course, on the kind OF
! work they were used on.
Relied ON Inspectors.
Harry NJ. Crandall. president of the
Knickerbocker Theater Company,
said that he relied on the architect
| and the building inspection DEPART
ment to insure safety of the build
| ing. He said that the District build
! ing department was supreme in the
| ater matters. and he assumed that II
! the architect missed something
! wrong. the building inspectors woulo
, and it. He had no other assurance
regarding the safety of the building.
| When it was finished the company
| paid for it. he said.
| Frank L. Wagner, the general
contractor for the building, had
| asked him as to letting the. sub
contracts and prices. He was direct
| ed to go through his files and bring
| to the inquest on Monday papers
| bearing on points about which he
! had no recollection.
1890. Following the recess Richard
| G. Fletcher. contractor for the FIRE
| proofing, was put on the stand. He
was the only witness heard this aft
ernoon, the inquest adjourning again
at 2:3o o'clock to permit the e es.; use OF
There will not be a session tomor-
row. Coroner Nevitt announced. the
! inquiry going over until Monday
| morning. 1t looked this afternoon,
! the coroner stated, that 1t would be
possible to conclude the taking OF
evidence Monday morning, when the
| case will go to the jury.
| Reginald W. Geare. the architect Of
the Knickerbocker. resumed his tes-
timony when the inquest was con-
| yened this morning. Producing the
original steel plan. Mr.. Geare under
| took further to expound his theory OF
| how the failure occurred. He said he
| had found the beam over. the stage
had pushed through the wall, and in
| turn pushed the wall out.
4 HE~4 h hoI
! read Col. Kelly's testimony. the re-
| ply was in the affirmative. He dis
| agreed with Col. Kelly's statement
that beam Fl failed first by dropping
| off the wall. Mr.. Geare stuck to his
| theory that the failure of truss IL. at
| a piece Of cardboard he explained how
| the top chord tore or broke when
| beam 81 broke.
| "When did you first see the break?"
! asked Maj. Gordon.
| "Within a half hour after the acci-
dent"
Believes Steel Defective.
"No, saw it and rubbed it of and
saw it was break. I asked Maj.
! Brown to let me cut it out and send
| It to the bureau of standards. 1 be-
| lieve that if it was examined micro
| scopically it would he seen that it is
! defective"
| "How long did you examine it at
/ the time? asked the coroner.
! About three or four minutes"
He said he was up in the ceiling
at the time of the erection of the
roof and suggested the extra beam
| between columns and 8.
Mr.. Geare then read his instructions
| in his contract. which included gem
eral supervision and necessary con-