The Washington herald., 1922-02-12
Another Expert May Give
Theory Before Coroner
Jury Tomorrow.
KELLY TO RESUME
STAND, is BELIEF
Main Pillar Was Out of
Alignment, Senators
50 Are Told.

the inquest into the Knickerbocker
Theater roof collapse. which killed
ninety-seven persons the night of
January 2S, will bring before the
coroner's jury tomorrow additional
evidence Of expert engineers work
ing in cooperation with Senate
leaders to substantiate the theory
Of the joint board of government
engineers that the collapse was due
to a Sefect in designing.
Not only will Col. William Kelly.
who presented the conclusions Of
the joint board of five government
engineers as to the cause OF the
collapse before the jury last Tues
day. be brought back again to the
stand, but IL was intimated last
night by District Attorney Gordon
that conclusions OF a second expert
engineer as to the cause of the
collapse will be heard at the con-
cluding day OF the inquest tomor-
row.
Charges Weak Columns.
Leo Sanders, consulting engineer,
who surveyed the theater ruins In
company with Senators Arthur
Capper and William II. Calder.
probably will be called 70 the
stand to give his testimony. con-
tained in a report issued yester-
day to the effect that ''in the light
Of all the mute and tragic testi-
mony of the wreck itself, am
hound to conclude that the collapse
was due primarily 10 the weakness
Of the columns and othe fact
that the main column was out
OF alignment"
Sanders evidence may be pre-
sented to the jury. IL was indicated
by District Attorney Gordon, con
Quoting the inquiry into tne COL
iap So,'i,, a. d,r.c,.
ing the coroner's Jury inquest, fol-
lowing a conference yesterday af-
ternoon with Senator Arthur Cap
per.
Roth R<port, See Defects.
rno .o,;o y, ,bo nis,ric, .,tor-
a ,,, GnI In .noLSs
" - 80 - orarrmon,
n ao ,as,iaaS Tr..Sax
snsa ,Io 49, ,ha, tbo ,heo,cr
IS ..;.tcsia. ,rorL. a. ,u,on,v-
o,. - - S,Si-
on 81 IN, Iii SanS.r. Ia
aoSaIs -,
sa.,.sos .,;,h par,n.id w cs,rs.s
sIS. ,,,hias
,i.., oo "a ,ha 80,
Dau - -t.,orw corsa 90 ~.
SIsn.,ar
N.SHI ,bo ,os,,r,o,r of "a,
Kelly speakinr for the board Of
engineers, and the report Of San
ders. Investigator for Senators Cap
per and Calder, do not agree as to
the first movement of the roof col
lapse. and primary cause. both
point out defects.
Co,ade,e. I'm Eprtneer,,
5
seha.oi |oPP ~,
po'" th - =,
speaking i0f
government ehshes'
port OIL s a"u
very s~upseahIia ~
senator Capper hia ~,
inVes''ga''oh Vi ehe runs u
- ,,yos,I1atio, h., the
calling lot an inNestIsaoh
senate Ds'et NJ
cause OF the coliaPse' ne nes
an active part IN the oeNeiopheh.s'
81 have great commence IN 'ne
government engineers and feel thelr
report very fair, impartial ana
thorough" he said. He declared
District Attorney Gordon's action
in bringing II before the coroher's s
jury a wise move"
Two Theories offered.
The coroner's Jury has been pre-
,tnd With ,wo theories as to the
$50 ~ the co,,anse To date-one
r. ,o;nt hoard Of eovernment
aoo,orinr thot the dis
e,.;sen,Iv dua to the fall
as'e ,:v,So .me3cieptIy for tho
si,to,. oxI.ting Of the
unusual eonui, 80 .so,nr,hi,
Iuhc'ure Vi 'ne -. Ill" "a
ROAD wal anu M So .,chI.
that OF hesu sIs, ,,,ho
tect OF the rtu a.
attributed the primary eau " -.
failure OF sph'tlns par
half OF the top choro OF one vi tie
trusses, found split atter the aco'-
dent.
Geare, who presented eyloehce
tending 10 pear out ms eopCi
which he declared disproVeo tne
conclusions reached by the govern
ment engineers, blamed no one ior
the splitting OF the steel saying
1t was probably caused oy an