The Washington herald., 1922-02-02
CAPPER IS AROUSED
Predicts Senate Will De-
mand Criminal Pros
ecution.-
LEGISLATORS VISIT
RUINS IN INQUIRY
Charges Rotten Engi-
neering, Designing and
Construction"

Criminal prosecution will be de-
manded by the United States Senate
against persons responsible for con-
struction of the Knickerbocker
Theater which collapsed Saturday.
killing ninety-six residents of the
District and injuring 100 more. IL
was forecast yesterday by Senator
Arthur Capper. of Kansas.
Senator Capper charged rotten
engineering. designing and con-
structing of the Knickerbocker
Theatcr. negligent in nature" !"
caused the collapse Of the theater
roof. before members Of the Senate
District Committee in special ses-
sion yesterday afternoon.
The charges OF Senator Capper,
made following a survey of the
grounds yesterday morning in COM
pany with other members OF the
Senate District Committee and two
disinterested engineers, were backed
up by similar opinions expressed by
other members OF the committee
and engineers who have surveyed
the ruins.
Gordon and Engineers Meet.
No official report accusing per-
sons of responsibility for the crash
has been made.
District Attorney Gordon. in
charge of the Federal government
investigation. conferred for three
hours yesterday afternoon with the
five am OiFanr. anHaf.s.I Ax.
tary of the Navy DENLY and Secre-
tary of War weehs on plans for
completing the investieatIon and to
sum up evidence discovered SO far
crash. from preliminary sur
veys, demands full consideration
by the grand jury with a view to
instituting criminal prosecution
should negligence be found a con-
tributory factor in the disasler.
Mai Gordon declared last night
He will place the case before the
grand jury by the close of the
week, he said
Awaits End of Probes.
The Senate District Committee
decided yesterday afternoon to hold
OF its inyestisa ton pending COM
pletion of the Federal and District
Eovernment probes now being con-
Quoted. The committee decided.
however, to keep in close touch
with the situation and to advise
with District Attorney Gordon. in
charge Of the Federal investigation.
Senator Cappcr was especially
strong in his demands that the
see to IL that criminal
prosecution Is begun IL present
apparent conditions relative to the
of the building are
found true.
Senator L. H. Ball. chairman of
the District Committee. said he
agreed with Senator Capper, fol-
lowing a brief survey Of the ruins
in company with an architect, that
there was faulty construction. He
was not prepared. however, to ask
that the committee demand GRIM
inal prosecution on the basis of
present evidence alone.
Urshsw at Inquiry.
Investigation on the part of the
Senate committee will be extended.
it was indicated. to a city-wide
survey of building conditions. The
is anxious to remedy any
other conditions in the District
which might lead to a recurrence
of the theater disaster. II will
seek through its investigation.
Senator Ball said. to prepare leg
isla ton which will tend to correct
existing defects in the law which
permit conditions which are said
to have been present in the knick-
erbocker Theater disaster.
N led
on his investigation of the ruins
yesterday by Senator Wesley Jones.
Of Washington; Senator Morris
of Texas: Senator o. Z.
Weller, of Maryland, and Senator
Frank +. Gooding, of Idaho, all
members of the Senate District
and Representative
William Upshaw, of Georgia. whose
niece. Miss Caroline Upshaw. was
injured severely in the accident
Calls "Whoie Job Rad,
Developments of the third day
of official and independent investI-
cation into the catastrophe brought
struction of the thenter tending to
of disapproval of con.
charge negligence, from the yari-
Gus Independent investigators.
Il feel the constructor, the ar
chitect and the superintendent OF
the building and officials Of the
building inspectors office are
guilty of negligence in this disas-
ter and should be brought TO JUS
tice," Senator Capper declared. Il
have made only r preliminary sur
vey, although very close, and am
net ready to say that will ask
this action of the District Attorney
or its recommendation by the Sem
ate District Committee. The whole
job was q bad one. l. can see, and
am told by some Of the engineers
with whom I have conferred" the
Senator said.
Maj. Carey Brown, Assistant En-
gineer Commissioner, conducting
examination for the Dis
trict government explained con-
struction Of the roof as developed
during his examination last night
He corroborated statements of SEN.
ator Capper that the huge trusses
Of the roof rested on the terra
Gotta wall unriveted. Maj. Brown
said this was not unusual in roof
He said the trusses
Continued on Pase Tpo.