The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-01-31
Senate Expected To
Take a Hand and War
Department Experts
Are Examining Build
ing Plans Death List
Is Now Reduced To
Ninety-seven By Dis
covery of Errors

Ninety-seven By Dis
covery of Errors
Washington, Jan. 31.-Ninety-seven
persons, according to a final and off,
ciaI list issued today by the District
Of Columbia authorities, lost their
lives in the collapse Sa urday night
under burden of snow on the Knick-
erbocker theatre roof Any additions
to the list, it was said, would result
from the fatal termination of injuries
sustained by o.her victims.
Action on The resolution offered in
the senate by Senator Capper of Kan
sas, providing for an investigation by
that body Of the disaster probably
will be de.ayed a day or two. The
resolution has been reported favor.
ably by the senate audits and control
committee but may be referred to the
District of Clumbia Committee if
called upon the floor
Members of the District of Column
biz committee. it was stated, desire
20 make a survey of the contemplate
cd action by the district authorities
b5fore supporting the Capper inquiry.
Tho condition of Edward H.
Shaughnessy of Chicago. second as
&:stant post master general. who with
his wife and two daughters were in
Jured in the crash, was declared today
as greatly improved.
Washington, Jan 31-While the
city began the burial of its dead to-
day, District of Columbia authorities
pushed their investigation of the
Knickerbocker theater disaster and
the senate was expected to take ac-
ton on the resolution of Senator Cap
per, Republican Of Kansas, proposing
an independent inquiry by that body.
resolution for the same purpose al
so was pending in the house.
A re-check of the death list by the
police today showed that the final
total outside of the expected deaths
of injured. of which there are now
three, probably would be reduced to
80 from the total of 105 carried yes
terday. OF the total of 133 injured,
62 remained in hospitals today, with
dozen reported in critical condition.
r. H. Shaughnessy, second assistant
postmaster general, although included
among these. was said to be still
showing Improvement today
In addition to an exhaustive investi-
cation of the disaster being pressed
by the District of Columbia commits
sioners, the federal grand jury was
ready today to call the first witnesses
in its effort to fix the blame The
commissioners requested that the war
department today assign army engi-
neers to make a study of the struc-
ture OF the motion picture theater
which was wrecked Saturday night
when its snow-laden roof caved in on
hundreds in the audience below 80
Preparations to raze the walls of
the theater were under way today,
the search of the ruins for victims
having been completed Yesterday.
Colonel Charles Keller. engineer
commissioner of the District, held the
opinion today that the collapse of the
roof was caused by defect in mater
ial and not by fault of design.
Building Commissioner Healy also be-
l!eved that the plans for the roof
were practical and sound. He said it
was of the truss type of construction
and a standard design used to cover
a large eXpanse of interior where 1t
and columns as supports. Practically
all of the larger motion picture
houses use the same design. he said.
Reductions in the death list which
the police early today believed would
be final resulted from the tentative
elimination of eight names for which
the police have been unable to find
any addresses. There are, moreover,
n
account for these and a careful check
of hospitals and undertaking estab-
lishments had failed to establish any
victims of these names They are
d. n. Walsh, Miss NJ. T.. Walsh, Mr..
and Mrs. Russell Maine, Albert Baker,
Paulus Lamby, w. NJ Crawford and
F. H. Hall. In addition to these,
Miss Gertrude Taylor, of Washington,
was found to have been reported dead
by error and Ernesto Natiello, who
was killed, was found to have been
listed again as Ernest Martello. These
ten eliminations would reduce the to-
tai to 95. r
Begin Inspection
New York, Jan. 31.-Inspec.ors to-
Gcy began an investigation of all
theatres en- New York's famous
White Way is well as all motion
ric.ure houses in Manhattan, under
the direction Of Charles Brady, city
sup rin.endent of buildings. The sur
vey was ordered by Borough Presi
dent Julius Miller to forestall repi-
tion of the Washington theatre dis-|
aster. "a
Similar action is being urged inI
Brooklyn, where officials are now
an inv stigation into fhe
collapse of the American theatre last
November in which seven workmen
were killed and II iniurad