Evening star., 1922-04-04

The cause of the collapse of the
roof of the Knickerbocker Theater
does not appear in the Indictment re-
ported yesterday afternoon. II the
grand Jurors decided just how the
roof came TO fall or which one of the
beams supporting the roof was the
first to be torn from its moorings,
they do not apprise the court or the
public of their decision.
The real scope of the deliberations
of tho grand jurors was to determine
who was to blame for the fall of the
roof and who was to be called to the
bar of justice to answer for the death
Of the many patrons of the theater
resulting from the roofs collapse:
The charge of manslaughter against
FIVE of the nine men held by the
coroner's jury is the decision of the
pied their attention during the days
in which Maj. Peyton Gordon, United
States Attorney, presented to them
the testimony of experts and others
Absence OF Pillars.
Tho indictment covers sixteen type
written pages and in legal phraseol-
ogy sets forth the decision of the
owner or owners Of the property to
erect an oddly shaped edifice which
would be as free as possible OF col
umns supporting the roof. so that the
view of the screen on which the pic
lures were projected would not be
obstructed. This absence of pillars
and supports for the roof made il
necessary, the indictment points out
that the roof slab and roof should
,be sufficiently supported by trusses
a ~ - ct ct O n o
adequate bearings on the walls and
anchored to tho walls and SO tied and
Ilaterally supported that there should
be no danger Of the collapse or fall
of the roof in consequence of any
vibrations that might be caused by
heavy rainfalls or snowfalls or be-
cause of deterioration in the mate
rials used in the construction of the
theater.
1he proper construction of this
building called for the cooperation
competent persons possessing great
technical and practical knowledge OF
the quality and adequacy of the ma
terials. Knowing all these requisites
the fve men are alleged to have un-
dertaken and assumed the task OF
erecting the building so that 1t would
be safe for the uses for which they
knew 1t was intend ed.
The Indictment charges that the five
accused persons did ''unlawfully. fe-
loniously and carelessly fail and ne
glect" to design and draw the plans
and specifications; to fabr1cate and
furnish the structural steel and Iron
In a careful, skillful and prudent man.
ner: to furnish the cement, concrete
brick. stone and hollow tile in a care
full, skillful and prudent manner: to
properly supervise and superintend
the construction. and to examine and
inspect the work sufficiently.
Knew Of Danger.
From the date of the completion OF
the building down to January IS, it is
charged. the five men knew such
Knickerbocker Theater then and there
was, as result of the several joint
failures and neglects aforesaid, in a
dangerous and unsafe condition" By
reason of this unsafe condition. SO
brought about by the alleged neglect
and failure of the five accused, the
grand jurors charge, the roof col
lapsed and caused the death of a mum
ber Of patrons Of the theater. These
deaths, 1t is alleged, were the direct
immediate and inevitable result OF
gross negligence and want Of skill
want Of caution, Ncircumspection ant
careful supervision Of the five men 4