Evening star., 1922-06-25
RAPS- COURT DELAY
i. IN THEATER CASES
House Debates Postpone
ment of Knickerbocker
s Mems Trials.

Delay by the district attorneys
Office in bringing to trial the men
under indictment for the Knicker-
booker Theater disaster was censured
In the House Friday by Repre-
sentative Henry Allen Cooper of Wis
consin. He warned that powerful
influence will delay action as long
as possible. Representative Walsh
Of Massachusetts, replied to the
attack.
Representative Cooper in discussing
the knickerbocker disaster and his
conviction that the trials have been
too long delayed said:
Upward of six months have
elapsed and all the evidence was in
the hands of the authorities few
days after the tragedy. Nothing is
being done or has been done up to
this time. II there is anything that
showed the necessity of reformation
In court procedure, and especially in
criminal procedure, it is the great
delay i'll this case. Ninety-Seven in
nocent persons were cnticed into a,
place which they thought safe, and there
made to suffer an agonizing death. Sol
diers who had served across the seas
were killed there. Some of my own per-
tims-one n young woman. mother of
two beautiful children. The young.
the beautiful. the brave were Slaugh-
tered as the result of Incompetence
and greed. The facts show that it
could not have been anything else.
Six months have elapsed. nothing
has been done and all the witnesses
within few rods of the courthouse
Holds Case Unique.
There could be no other case COM
parable in Importance to the killing
Of ninety-seven persons in that thea
ter. l know that there are powerful
influences which will prevent the
trial of these cases as long as it can
be prevented. I myself years ago was
an officer in charge of prose cutioaS,
and 1 know how money, guilty mon
ey. will DO anything to delay prose-
cultionS"
In replying. Representative Walsh
reviewed the case from the viewpoint
of an attorney, as follows:
There has been something done.
The gentleman probably has not fol-
lowed the Washington papers re-
Gently. There were demurrers flied
in those cases. Arguments have been
had. 1 believe, in all cases except one.
and they are awaiting the decision of
the court.
The gentleman we'll knows that
they were indicted within sixty days
after the accident happened. There
were many other cases pending at
that time, and the district attorney
mas TO nave some OrQer OF pToCeuuI {
for cases.
speedy Trial Expected.
"Mr Chairman. I am sure We are
nation conveyed to the people of the
District that guilty money is proba-
bly, being used to delay the trial OF
cases. when as matter of fact the
indictments were found. l think,
within sixty days after the accident
ha I
official connected with the district at
torneys office in this city. but there
is no reason why these cases. when
the demurrers have been settled. II
sustained. should not receive
speedy trial 1 do not know Of any
thing that has happened which would
furnish the basis of a statement that
any undue or improper means is be
ing exerted upon the prosecuting Off
cer to delay the trial in these cases.
There are other cases pending in the
District where people have lost their
lives as result of willful premedi-
: tation on somebody's part. These
cases have not been tried. or course.
I can understand that people who
= have lost friends and relatives and
acquaintanceS in such catastrophe
should want to take the owner, the
builder, the architect and the In
spcctor out and hang them on the
is considerable of a District 1t has
its full share of crimes. misdemean-
ors. murders. accidents which involve
criminal responsibility, and L be7'
Heve that the district attorneys Of
flee is keeping pace with the work.
The cases are filed in court, and the
orderly way, as the gentleman well
knows. is to take the cases up in
the order in which they are filed.
That was later followed up by the
presentation of the case to the grand
Jury, and I think it hardly becoming
that simply because these cases have
not been brought to trial on insinua-
ton should be made that guilty
money OF improper influence is being
used to keep these parties who have
been indicted from having a trial,
when, as a matter of fact, there have
been several questions of law. raised
which must be determined by the
court. and they are under considera-
tion by the court at the present time.
From what I have read in the local
press a very unique question OF law
was raised in this particular case. l
assume that the court which heard
the argument upon the demurrer is
giving the matter consideration, anu
when the question Is determined, II
the contention Of the prosecution IS
sustained, the cases will be tried IN
due course and the guilty parties
punished"