The Washington herald., 1922-02-14
Theater Roof Couldn't
Have Fallen Due to Steel
Flaw, Col. Kelly Says.
BLAMES DESIGNERS
AND CONTRACTORS
Building Bosses Unable
To Answer Direct Ques-
tion Why 1t Happened.

"A defective piece OF steel could
not have caused Truss T-l2 to
buckle and pull down the Knicker-
booker Theater roof"
Col. william Kelly. testifying for
the joint board of government en-
sineers before the coroner's jury at
the fifth day of the inquest into the
lives so toldtDistrict Attorney Cor
don yesterday afternoon.
District Attorney Gordon had just
called Col. Kelly to the witness
stand and in the presence of .ReGi-
maid W. Geare, architect of The
ruined building, and all other par
tics mentioned in connection with
construction and designing of the
Inflated structure, asked his opin-
ion of the theory that a split piece
of steel was the cause of the COL
lapse
TCoL Kelly explained why he and
other engineers of the government
thought such a theory Impossible" !"
and that the roof collapsed from
defects In construction and engi-
neering. His testimony was al
lowed to stand unquestioned before
the jury, as Mr.. Geare. Frank l..
Wagner. contractor and Richard
Fletcher, sub-contractor, took the
stand to explain theiE, records.
wall. Declared 81 .f.etory.
District Attorney Gordon asked
Mr.. Fletcher:
You and practically every other
man connected with construction
and designing OF this theater have
praised yourselves before this jury
and have sung the praises OF the
men who worked with you. Why did
this roof <alI?" he Numbered.
The walls didn't FAIL" Mr..
Fletcher retorted.
Fletcher was contractor for con-
struction of the walls and roof con-
crete.
You are satisfied then that the
walls which supported this fallen
roof were constructed satisfactor-
ily" Gordon: Continued.
Yes, sir. I am satisfied the work
was properly done" MFR. Fletcher
returned.
Mr. Geare was not questioned by
District Attorney Gordon or Coroner
hewitt
District Attorney Gordon declared
at the conclusion of the hearing
yesterday and following a confer
ence with Coroner hewitt that the
jury would have the case by noon
today.
Outstanding DeveIopments.
Outstanding developments Of the
testimony yesterday were:
Government engineers declared
theory of Mr.. Geare as to collapse,
blaming no one. Impossible
Col. Kelly. speaking for govern
ment engineers. again named start
ing point of failure at juncture of
s. Columbia road wall and stage walls
movements of walls resulting in tip
ping from bearing of beam on Co
lumbia road wall.
Il. c. Ruebsam. expert engineer,
named John II Ford. engineer for
Union Iron Works. as responsible
for faulty structural steel design.
"insufficiency" of which caused the
collapse in his estimation.
AS Col. Kelly took the stand.
for the second time during the in
quest. District Attorney Gordon told
him of the evidence presented by Mr.
Geare. and askel IL he. speaking for
the joint board of government engi-
neers. agreed.
"Other members Of the committee
and 7 have examined very closely
every joint in the steel structure
Particularly near the seat of COL
lapse. and conditions at the end OF
the beams bearing on the walls and
We have reached the conclusion that
defect in steel such as described
could not have caused this collapse.
Truss Tie could not have buckIed
unler its load for the reasons pre-
sented in the testimony of Mr.. Geare
OF which you have told me-" Col
Kelly responded.
Flaw Theory Doubtful.
The shape of this crack in the
top chord of the truss leading from
the Eighteenth street wall to the
main truss leads me to suppose that
1t IS very doubtful that the break
was due to flaw in the steel. II is
almost certain that 1t was not.
col Kelly insisted. upon close ques-
tioning by District Attorney Cor
don.
The theory of Mr.. Geare. a. pre-
Sc nted to the Jury last Thursday.
was that the collapse resulted from
weakening in the six-inch half of
the top chord Of truss T-12, which
runs from the Eighteenth street
wall To the main truss and connects
win beams running to the stage
wall. causing a split in the steel
which resulted in buckling of
the truss at this point. With the
bucklinE the main truss was jerkei
from its place and the roof col
lapsed. according to Geare's opinion.
Geare supported his theory by
introducing pictures showing the
beams running to the stcge wall
and Columbia road wall from the
truss mentioned had first pushed
through the walls and then been
pulled back.
Col Kelly declared members of
the army and navy committee had
personally examined the walls al
the bearings OF the beams running
from the truss and had not found
evidence that they had been first
pushed through the wall.
He described in detail the man.
ner. as shown by marks on tAe wall,
in which the committee believed
the beam running from the east
and west truss. T-12, connecting
with the Columbia road wall near
the stage wall. had slowly slipped
from its bearings and finally had