The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-31
IN
BEAM IS.
BLAMED
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-. Continued from First Page)
sGsury and will not report until the end
'>lof the week. The Jury will take no
action until this report Is at hand.
Shortly before noon today Com
rmissioner James #. Oyster was noti-
flied by the Police Department that
ystho official casualties were 81 dead
slAnd 10 injured. He took this list
s1nto q meeting Of the Board Of Dis
n trict Commissioners,
So The investigations by the coroner,
nrgrand jury and Department Of JUS
= tice are the chief inquiries under
seway. The District Commissioners
are making a separate investigation,
. but 1t Is not expected they will re.
\, No Arrests Made.
~ Pending the outcome Of the inves.
stigations now in progress no arrests
Rhave been made, and there appears
ITO be no inclination on the part of Of.
ficials to detain persons who might
be implicated through. the findings
of the agencies probing the cave-jn.
-District Attorney Gordon. however,
ssaid today that he would be able to
2get in touch with all those concerned
within a half hours notice.
- Major Gordon to-day expressed his
determination to push the inquiry
with promptness. saying, however,
shat in view of the many different
.yRngles projecting into the investiga-
=tion, 1t would take some time before
Sthe grand jury would return its find
fngs.
-: The Morse case, which had the
attention Of the grand jury until the
.Knickerbocker collapse, will have to
.wait until this inquiry has been
finished.
The jury summoned by Coroner
aNevitt visited the ruins today, and
4sxamined portions of the material
that entered into the construction Of
sthe building. but made no comments:
The members were also conducted
through every part of the building
that was not impossible.
~. 1t was feared that some confusion
would arise among the jurors at the
inquest in regard to the construction
of the building, and they were taken
to the scene in order that they
would have first-hand knowledge.
" Faulty Beam Blamed.
- although the investigation which
we are conducting Is not yet com.
'pieted and the engineers in charge
have not yet made u report, II Is my
personal opinion that faulty beam
said Harry M. Crandall, president Of
the Knickerbocker Theater Com
.pany, which Is conducting an inves.
Tigation into the tragedy to determ.
Inc the responsibility, independent Of
The Federal and municipal inquiries.
a.. Mr.. Crandall stated that the COM
pany has employed two construction
engineers to make thorough tnves-
dgation. He did not announce their
names for publication. however, but
said he expected their reports to be
complete by this evening.
While this entire week will be
devoted to Investigations, it Is not
believed any definite information re-
Garding the causes will be known
until next week when the coroner's
Jury holds its public meeting. Scores
of persons are expected to TESTIFY,
and the jury plans to get every bit
Of evidence before II reaches q de-
ctsion on the responsibility for the
collapse.
- since Sunday morning, when the
eoroner's jury was first selected,
members have been investigating.
Twenty QuizzesUnder Way.
At least twenty private investi-
Rations are in progress today.
Lawyers representing families OF
persons killed visited the Knicker-
booker today. Men engaged In the
structural building Of the theater
were being interviewed today by
attorneys, and the lawyers expect
to make q complete analysis OF the
theater construction.
The cave-in Of the ''truss roof"
which is the standard 'construc-
ton in America for all large roofs,
has created interest over the entire
country. The American Association
Of Engineers have obtained permits
sion to make at investigation, and
architects and buildings in this and
nearby cities plan to make an in
quiry. e. F. Schmitt, engineer Of
the Engineering News Record, Of
New York. today was allowed to
conduct a separate inquiry.
The Corporations Counsel office
Of the District Of Columbia Is said
TO be preparing a defense for the
District in event the local Govern.
ment is sued for damages. 1t has
been limited by lawyers that suits
will be filed against the District be-
cause the District officially declared
the building safe for occupancy.
Huge Amount Involved.
It is estimated that suits aggre.
eating a million and a half dollars
will be filed in the District Supreme
Court against whatever person, per-
sons or agencies which the coro-
per's Jury or Federal grand Jury
holds responsible. In the case of