The Washington herald., 1922-02-08

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{snd Coroner hewitt by the follow
ing opening of his testimony:
~Pians submitted to the building
, inspectors Office and checked on
the construction by me following
the disaster do not. agree. The
trusSes, differ in height and the
members of the steel roof differ"
Discovered After Tragedy.
"whrn in the world was this diff
ferencs discovered" exclaimed Dis
trict Attorney Gordon jumping from
his chair with an amazed express
sion. -....
AFTER the collapse" Davis replied.
The answer produced some laugh
Davis caused another surprise
with . statement that no dimen-
sions had been given in the origi-
nal roof plans submitted to the
building inspectors ONCE.
This is most unusual" he an
swered to District Attorney Gordon,
who epquired as TO the usual meth
od Of submitting plans to the build
ing Inspectors ONCE.
Thet testimony corroborated a
statement printed exclusively in the
Washington Herald last Saturday
morning. fn which Reginald w.
GeareI architect for the building.
declared he had found that his Origi-
nal plans had not been followed in
the construction. Mr.. GeaTe yester-
day corrected the statement issued
az that time. saying he was aware
% the. change in plans.
Seventeen witnesses were called
to testify yesterday. These includ-
- ., -
ter ar the time of the crash and
members of the District and Federal
committees investigating the crash
emplokes of the building inspec-
tors pffice and men who mad been
employed in the construction of the
theatr
Others 10 He Heard
Evidence is yet to be heard from
any party who might be held re-
spOnsble in any way for faulty
conditions outlined by Col william
Kelly.f The inquest will not be
concluded before tomorrow night.
IL was indicated by District Attor-
ney Gordon. The jury will be asked
tn immediatclv determine the cause
Of death of Miss Mary Ethel Atkin-
son. u victim. over whose body the
jury vas sworn. 1t is in the power
OF the jury to order held any per-
sons considered responsible for the
crash.
The action Of District Attorney
Gordon in taking part in the ques-
tiOning OF witnesses before the
corOner's jury is unusual Coroner
hewitt presided at the inquest which
Is being held in the board room of
the District Building. and conducted
the questioning Of witnesses Dis
triCt Attorney Gordon examined the
witnesses for several minutes He
directed the testimony Of Col. Will
lam Kelly.
Some witnesses were also ques-
toned by District Corporation Coun-
sci Francis stephens and Assistant
Corporation Counsel Ringgold Hart.
Coroner hewitt and District AttOr-
ney Gordon occupied the two CEN
tier seats Of the platform in the
frOnt Of the board room. To their
left the six members OF the coTo-
ner's jury were seated. directly In
front Of the witness chair Dis
trict Commissioners Rudolph and
Oyster sat to the right Of Coroner
hewitt.
Crack Seen In Ceiling.
Vivid pictures Of the few seconds
preceding the crash OF the roof were
given by four witnesses. who told
OF seeing a cracking in the ceiling
just TO the left Of the stage. This
was the starting point Of the crash.
according to the testimony Of Col.
William Kelly.
Il was gazing at the ceiling ad-
mirinG the design Of the room when
suddenly noticed an apparent
cracking Of the ceiling about eigh-
teen inches to the left Of the
screen" Arthur Mahaney. 2TIS
Eighteenth street northwest. told
the jury at the opening Of the af-
ternOOn session. 1T was about a
finEer-thickness wide. 4 second
later I heard a shearing sound !
decided it was time to leave. and
jumped from my seat. As left
my seat. to the rear Of the bal
COny. the deafening cash came. l
was seated so near the exit I es-
capped the falling debris" he said.
Robert T McCord. 17II Euclid
street.. Of the Treasury Department
and John McEvily. 2424 Eighteenth
street northwest. both Of whom
were caught under the roof. told
Of their TecOlIectiOns of the few sec
onds preceding the crash. All said
that no more than five seconds
elapsed between the first cracking
in the left front ceiling and the
collapse. McEviIy was pinned be-
meath the debris until , o'clock the
next morning. Neither was seri-
ously injured.
Investigators Present.
Col. Kelly. in company with Comdr.
G. A. Mckay. Mai. L. f. Oliver.
r. F. Bessey and Joseph Michael
son. other members of the joint
board Of inquiry. was called by Mai.
Gordon after the questioning of two
witnesses. He was asked to speak
for the committee. members Of which
verified his remarks. He took the
stand at 2:l5 O'Clock and completed
his testimony an hour later.
Col. Kelly explained his testimony
as he spoke with references to a
DEATH NOTICES.