Evening star., 1923-02-03
CRANDALL DENIES
| UPSHAW CHARGES.
Oheater Owner Declares He
[ Did Not Build Knickerbock-
l. er, But Bought It.
SORRY FOR SUFFERERS
Gave Immediate Approval, He
1 Says, to Suggestion for
4 Holding Benefit.
SORRY FOR SUFFERERS

IN response to the criticism Of his
&nickerbocker Theater disaster made
b. Representative w. D. Upshaw OF
Georgia and printed in The Star OF
January 80, Harry NJ Crandall today
bnade the following statement con-
Serning his position In the matter
both before and since the catastrophe:
"Mr. Upshaw in his attack on a me-
elortal that was prompted by feelings
Of the deepest sympathy and tender
hess conveys the idea that the great
Borrow which SO many feel came
Through an agency of my creation
point out in this connection that the
Inickerbocker Theater was not OF
.Eny creation. 1t was financed and
built by others than myself and /
owlng to my practical knowledge OF
fhe motion picture industry. The
Sheater had been in operation sew
eral months when conditions so
tpon to re-organize the company and
purchase the property. I was not in
kny way connected with the construc-
zion Of the theater.
Planned Benefits.
Mr.. Upshaw also states that my in
tlemoriam came year too late.
Reference to the daily press of Wash
rs and February 8, 1922, will cor
toborate the fact that my grief was
given public expression and that all
or our theaters were closed out of
respect to the dead for five days,
) Shich covered the entire period of the
pbsequies.
1T is stated, also, that have taken
% aggressive step to afford victims
at this time, Is miSStatement. For
many months the idea of benefit per-
TormanceS was In my mind, but never
put into practical operation, because
Y felt that any such proposal coming
from me or any member of my Or
eanization might. not unreasonably,
cause resentment on the part of those
who feel that money cannot COM
pensate for the loss or injury of dear
pnes. However. on July Is. 1922.
Washington newspaper. in an open
letter suggested that the receipts OF
: the first two weeks of operation of
OF the Knickerbocker, be devoted to
D relief fund for the victims of the
knickerbocker collapse. The plan
met with my instant approval. modi-
tie gross receipts Of the first four
weeks Of the Ambassador to the fund
tnstead of two weeks. 1t was then
thought that the Ambassador would
"on July IS, 1922, at meeting at
tended by eighty of the Knicker-
booker injured, this offer was fatty
refused and bitterly resented and q
snce for relief be placed in an effort
to have Congress appropriate $1,000
. 600 for that purpose.
Denies UIshaw Statement.
The injured do not want charity.
They do want compensation for
physical disability and have a right
TO expect such compensation. Being
81 no way responsible for the col
lapse of the theater. I cannot, OF
course. assume the financial liability
cf It's tremendous loss of life.
Mr.. Upshaw's statement of my al
legged callous Indifference to the
plight of injured survivors I refute
as SO ridiculously remote from the
truth as scarcely to justify COM
saent. In this connection I may say
either the nature or the extent OF my
!, charities.
: u would like to make clear one
Other, fact. and that, concerns the
alnick site at 18th street and
Columbia road. My personal prefer
ence was not TO utilize that property
for another theater and our organ!-
cation therefore took no steps to put
such a plan in action. The pleas Of
the business men IN the neighbor-
hood TO reha abilitate the corner by
the erection OF another theater were
tSnoreQ L appcdTeu peISohdiy oe-
fore the proper District authorities
81 an effort TO have property on Mint
wood place zoned for theatrical use.
This was positively refused andrea
<nmendation made that, while my
sentiment in the matter was to be
approved, the former knickerbocker
site was the logical location for a
rheater and should be so used. This
IS susceptible Of proof by docu-
mentary evidence IN my possession
'In the meantime a, petition bear
ing 253 names, representative of all
sections of the city of Washington.
was presented to me in opposition TO
the erection OF new theater on
The former site. This petition /
deeply respected and considered very
thoughtfully. I stated plainly to the
verbal petitioners for a new theater
that only an indication of neighbor-
rion could i1npel me to change my
attitude.
The result OF this declaration on
ny part was that petitions for the
erection OF a new theater were placed
tu their business establishments by
business men in the vicinity of 18th
greet and Columbia, road only. where
they could be signed by those who
wished. When presented to me as
theater these petitions bore approx
,nately 1900 signatures, many on be-
half OF whole families. All OF these
petitions, both for and against, are
= still in my possession.
81 cite this circumstance to make
plain that our decisions have been
made for US by the public, which 1t
fas always been our desire to serve
honestly and efficiently, and whose
herfSh