The New York herald., 1922-01-30
STORM SAVED MANY
FROM MOVIE CRASH
Wrecked Theater Popular
With the Socially Promi-
nent in Washington.
CORRESPONDENTS KILLED
Lewis Strayer and Chauncey
Brainerd Among Dead-A.
j. Barchfeld a Victim.
CORRESPONDENTS KILLED

Special Dispatch to THE New York HERALD
New York Herald Rureau,
Washington, ID. c.. Jan. co. !
The fact that the Knickerbocker The
ater is in one Of the most popular resi-
Dental sections of Washington is re-
sponsible for the presence within it's
walls last night of SO many persons
prominent in the social and public life
of Washington.
In addition to being one of the new
est Of the large modern picture houses
Of Washington--it has been open only
about three years-the Kniclxerbocker
was Of that type of theater which draws
most of its patronage from persons
whose residences are within easy walk
ing distance.
Many Senators and members Of the
House were to be seen at the theater
during ordinary evenings. and 1t was
only the bad condition Of the weather
that prevented 1t from being filled last
night with one Of it's regular Saturday
night capacity throngs.
Among the dead and injured, in addi-
tion to those prominently connected with
the official life of the capital, were many
persons well known because Of their long
residence In Washington and their wide
personal acquaintance.
Lewis w. Strayer, correspondent of
the Pittsburgh Despatch, and Chauncey
c. Brainerd, correspondent of the
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, were the men
of this type. Both had been in Wash
ington many years, and in addition to
prominence in their own profession they
were identified with the life of the city.
Both were killed. Mrs. Brainerd, who
was with her husband. also was killed.
In Washington 20 Years.
Lou" Strayer came to Washington
as correspondent of the Pittsburgh Ga
sette-Times twenty years ago. In 1908
he became correspondent of the De-
spatch and had remained in charge OF
its Washington bureau since that date.
Mr. Strayer was a native of Princeton,
ILL.,, and began his newspaper career
as a reporter on the Akron, Ohio. Bea-
con in 1877, going later to Pittsburgh to
become a reporter on the Post, working
later with other Pittsburgh newspapers,
turning finally to political writing. He
covered practically all the great politi-
cal conventions of the last twenty years
He was n prominent member of the
Gridiron Club and served as its .presi-
dent in 1916.
Mr.. Strayer was a warm personal
friend of the late Senator Philander c.
Knox, who had such keen appreciation
OF Strayer's sense of humor that he
frequently thought up excuses to take
Strayer on trips with him merely for
the sake of his company.
Chauncey G. Brainerd, one of the VIC
tins of the disaster, had been in charge
Of the Washington bureau of the Brook
lyn Eagle since 1911. and was among
the best known of the Washington cor
respondents. His wife. who also was
killed. was Miss Edith Rathbone Jacobs,
daughter Of the late Inspector Jacobs
of. the Post Office Department. Before
their marriage. in 1908, Mrs. Brainerd
lived in Mount Vernon. Mr.. Brainerd's
sister is the wife of Clinton Gilbert. for
merly managing editor of the New York
Tribune and now Washington corre-
spondent of the Philadelphia Evening
Ledger.
Spent Boyhood I'm New York.
Mr.. Brainerd was born in New York
in 1874, the son of Alanson Post Brain
erd and Adelia Corey Brainerd. He
spent most Of his boyhood in New Ro-
chelle. and lived with an uncle in Lee
avenue, Brooklyn. after the deaths of
his, parents. In 1889 he became private
to st. Clair McKelway, editor
in chief of the EdaIe, and later Joined
the editorial staff. He was city editor
for ten years. later managing editor for
some time, and left the latter post to
become the Washington correspondent.
Mr.. Brainerd had a wide knowledge
Of politics and a large acquaintance with
public men In Washington. He had been
for many years an active member of
the Gridiron Club, and in December last