The Washington herald., 1922-02-06
Both Probes Charge In
competent Designing
And Engineering.
CORONER'S JURY
MEETS TOMORROW
Will Place Blame for
Roof Crash Publicly,
Is Promise.

Fedora land District oficials are
prepared to plhce the blame ror the
Knickerbocker Theater roof col
lapse and consequent death Of nine
ty-six persons and injuring Of as
many more. 1t was announced last
night.
Reports from the TWO official COM
raittees which have Investigated the
disaster have been completed and
ocncu rim placing the plane.
Incompetent designing and en-
gineering." seems to be the concur
ring conclusion OF the two reports,
it was unoficially stated by one OF
the chieftains of the two govern
ment committees last night.
VIII Report to Grand Jury.
Col. Charles Keller, Engineer
Commissioner for the District. in
charge of the investigation. said
last night following consultation
with engineers he had reached a
conclusion as to the cause OF the
collapse of the roof. He said his
conclusions and those of the engi-
neers with whom he had conferred
agreed as to the cause of the disas-
ter with the report of the army ana
navy engineers working for District
Attorney Gordon.
The two reports may differ in de-
tails as to how the roof collapsed.
1t was intimated by Col Keller. bu,
they will both name the same causes
for the collapse, he said.
District Attorney Gordon said last
night he had practically determined
IN hafn
oner's jury tomorrow morning.
Up to Cooperation Counsel.
Col. Keller said he would COM
plete his detailed report today fol-
lowing conferences with Maj. Carey
II. Brown. Assistant Engineer Com
missioner, and Building Inspector
Healy. who have made detailed in
vestiEations for the District.
The report will be given to the
public Immediately he said. and at
the same time will be turned over
20 Corporation Counsel Stephens
for any legal action deemed neees-
sary on the part of the District
With the two reports concurring
in their conclusions as to the cause
and the persons responsible for the
crash, IL is not likely. Col. Keller
said. that further action than that
which might be taken by District
Attrney Gordon. in laying his re-
port before the coroner's jury and
the grand jury. will be required.
Plans for Inquest.
Tomorrow morning, within nine
days of the disaster. government
officials will tell publicly the con-
cIusions reached by experts inveS-
tfgating the crash and place the re-
sponsibility. The two official in
vestigating committees have
worked almost twenty hours. a day
in their survey while District At
torney Gordon and Col Charles
Keller, in charge of the two COM
mittees, have set aside all other
demands for consideration of the
crash in an attempt to learn the
cause with view to bringing re-
sponsible parties to account and
to preventing a recurrence.
Coroner Nevitt said last night
plans for the inquest have been
completed and nothing would be
lacking to make the first official
inquiry into the disaster most COM
plete. 1t is expected that the jury
will be in session for a full day,
hearing evidence of the engineer
ing experts and another day heay-
ing evidence of the many witnesses
summoned. Among the witnesses
summoned are the architects. build
er, owner and all other persons
| Connected with the construction,
management, operation and inspec-
tion of the building.
Congress to Begin Inquiry.
As soon as the government gets
under way with its actions in the
case resulting from its investiga-
tions, Congress is expected to start
its official investigation.
Both Senator L. H. Ball and Rep
resentatiye Benjamin X. Focht,
| chairmen of the Senate and House
District committees, respectively,
| who have announced intentions of
| conducting Investigations into the
| tragedy. said yesterday they were
preuared to open their work.
1T is the plan Of Congress to for
nulate legislation based on its in
yestigation which will make less
possible a similar tragedy.
Must strenEthen Force.
Action to prevent other such dis
asters will be taken by the District
commissioners this week, follow
ling completion of the official report
of the affair for the District by
ICol. Keller.
Itis probable the Commissioners
will go before Congress with an
appeal to strengthen the working
force Of the building inspectors
office, and with plans for. safe
Guarding the District from incom-
Ipetent engineers. Col. Keller said
yesterday.
Licensing of architects and con-
Tractors. as proposed in a bill now
before the Senate, is not the cure.
ICol. Keller said. The ability Of
Ithese men cannot be determined In
mere examinations, the Commits
sioner pointed out. He said Il
would be necessary for the Dis
Itrict to strengthen its means OF
Inspection for most thorough check
Iups Of all work submitted to II for
approval.
VIII Call on Experts.
This will mean a marked in
crease In the present force Of the
building inspectors office and win
equire the work of higher-paid
men. IL was pointed out.
Today the Commissioners will
consider plans for scientific in
costinses on Psse fpo.