Many Witnesses to be Called in Order That Every Detail May be Brought Out. District Attorney Acheson and State Inspector Delaney Coming
MAY OCCUPY MANY HOURS
Great interest centers in the coroner’s inquest into the Opera House tragedy, in which 26 people lost their lives Saturday night. The inquest is set for Friday morning at 9:30o’clock and will be held in the town council chamber on the second floor of the borough building. The jury is composed of T. M. Reese, foreman; William A. McBurney, James T. Espy, P. C. Hoffman, R. T. Kirk and William H. Dunlap Sr.
Many witnesses have bee subpoenaed, and the town council chamber will not accommodate a great number of people, the witnesses will probably be quartered in the fire men’s room in the rear of the council chamber and admitted to the inquest one at a time.
An effort is to be made to establish the fact whether or not baby buggies or go carts had been left at the foot of the stairway or in the foyer, over which people may have stumbled and fell when the stampede from the building started. Manager C. F. Ferguson of the Opera House has stated that he did not see any of these vehicles; others have said they saw baby buggies there.
There was some talk today that the coroner’s jury may be taken to the Opera House tomorrow in order that the members may see the same film of pictures run through as was shown when the break occurred that caused someone to cry “fire” and thus start the panic. The film was turned over to Chief of Police Sawn, in whose possession it will remain until the convening of the inquiry.
The inquest is expected to take up all of Friday. That it willl be thorough, and that efforts will be made to bring out everything, now seems certain. Coroner Heffran has promised that he will probe to the bottom; District Attorney C. L. V. Acheson will be present to look after the interests of the county, and the State Factory Inspector John C. Delaney will come from Harrisburg to be present at the inquest.