Chicago's Awful Theater Horror Part 28

Q. Was there any light of any kind near where you first saw the fire?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. What kind of a light?

A. A lens light--one that you throw spot light on people with.

Q. How close was that to the drop that was on fire?

A. That I could not tell--there were three or four drops on fire when I got there for the boy.

Q. They were all close together?

A. Yes.

Q. Too high up for anybody to reach?

A. Impossible.

Q. Were there any other fires of any kind, fires or lights, near those drops or the fire, besides this drop light?

A. That was the only one I saw.

Q. Then there would not be anything else able to ignite those drops, only this light?

A. I should think so, yes.

Q. You are satisfied in your own mind that it was caused from that light.

A. That it was caused from that light.

Q. You have been playing there in the theater since "Mr. Bluebeard, Jr.,"

started, or since the theater opened, haven't you?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Do you know of any drill or any precautions that were taken by the management or parties in charge of the theater in emergency cases in the case of fire--that is, drilling or handling the employees as to what they should do in case of fire?

A. No. I know I couldn't smoke in the theater; the policeman was around there all the time in the dressing-rooms.

SAW NO EXTINGUISHERS.

Q. Did you notice any fire extinguishers of any kind on the stage?

A. No, sir, I did not.

Q. Any appliances of any kind to be used in case of fire?

A. No. I don't think I did; there might have been.

Q. Did you notice any fire extinguishers in your dressing-room?

A. No, sir.

Q. Did you ever notice while in the theater whether there was any policeman or fireman stationed on the stage or around the stage?

A. Yes, sir, there was a fireman there always on the stage.

Q. Did you ever hear while in the theater of an asbestos curtain there?

A. I cannot say that I did.

Q. Did you ever hear of a fireproof curtain there?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Did it take long for this curtain that you say was down and stuck to burn?

A. I couldn't stay there long enough to see if it was burning--it was on fire.

Q. You have had a good deal of experience in theaters?

A. Thirty-five years.

Q. Would you consider that there was as good a protection taken at the Iroquois theater as there was in the average theater throughout the country in cases of fire?

A. You mean in the construction of the theater?

Q. Not the construction, but I would say in the management, and in the furnis.h.i.+ng of fire extinguishers and appliances to extinguish fires.

A. Well, I never took notice of the fire extinguisher. If a man would look at that stage he would naturally think they couldn't possibly have a fire without everybody getting out in front of the theater.

Q. I didn't ask you that. My question was, in your experience in traveling through the theaters in different cities, would you consider there was as good protection taken on the Iroquois stage to extinguish fire, as there was in the average theater throughout the country?

A. Well, I couldn't say; I never took notice of what was on the stage to extinguish fires.

Q. Did you at any other theater?

A. Well, I have seen fire extinguishers around at times.

TALKS OF APPARATUS.

Q. In theaters where you have noticed these fire extinguishers, what part of the theater did you see them in?

A. Well, they were fire extinguishers like a man would put on his back, with a strap to it.

Q. Where were they?