State Factory Inspector Delaney an Interested Spectator at Coroner’s Inquest --- Witnesses Tell of Seeing Baby Buggies in Hallway.
The coroner’s inquest to fix the responsibility of last Saturday night’s calamity at the Canonsburg opera House, where 26 people lost their lives opened at 9:30 Friday morning in the town council chamber. Coroner James T. Heffran and the jury empanelled last Sunday were early on the scene, and in addition there were present W. H. McNary, , deputy coroner; J. C. Delaney, state factory inspector; James R. Patterson of Beaver Falls, deputy state factory inspector; Samuel H. Swan, Jr., chief of police of Canonsburg; Miss Charlotte M. Grimm, stenographer for Coroner Heffran, and a number of newspaper men.
The jury is composed of Thomas M. Reese, foreman; W. A. McBurney, James T. Espy, P. C. Hoffman, R. T. Kirk and W. H. Dunlap, Sr. The jury, having been sworn after its empanelment, proceeded to hear the testimony of the witnesses.
Council Room Crowded
The room in which the inquest was to be held was all too small, and the people were packed into it, Coroner Heffran conducted the probe and interrogated witnesses about baby buggies being on the landings and at the entrance to the stairway. Chief Factory Inspector Delaney interrogated witnesses, as did also members of the jury.
The first witness called was John Ford of (Elm street, Third ward. He testified to being in the Opera House at 5 minutes past 8. He got out of the building by means of the fire escape from the window of the Philadelphia company’s office. He knew nothing about the conditions at the foot of the stairway; he heard no one shout. Saw people coming out. Some one, he didn’t know who, said there was a fire. He went into the building at 5 minutes past 8; the stairs were crowded with people going both ways; he saw no baby buggies on the landing. One hundred people, more or less, were waiting to get into the Opera House, and the crowd going out passed in a single file between the waiting people.
Physician Testifies
Dr. John C. Kelso was called. He gave medical attention to the injured in Kurschner’s tailor shop, on the second floor of the Morgan building. From Pike street, having reached the room by means of a ladder when the panic had subsided. Firemen told him some people had been injured. After caring for the injured he went to the hospital, where some of them had been taken.
William Scott of Houston testified to being in the Opera Hous3e when the last two acts of the first show were on. A crowd was entering and one was leaving. Witness said her leaned on booth in balcony; saw a little flash, and some ###, possibly a colored man behind him, shouted “fire’” and the crowd began to rush out, many people crying fire. The cry of fire was raised immediately after the little flash in the booth; there was no panic before the flash. In answer to a question, witness said he had seen baby buggies in the hallway leading to the Opera House on other Saturday nights, but paid no attention to them. Saw Ferguson come upstairs, and he must have been working hard. This was after the jam in the stairway. Witness believed no one could get down the stairway because of the jam, and he and his family remained until the people got out.
Delaney Compliments Witness
Chief Factory Inspector Delaney here remarked:
“I wish, Mr. Scott, there had been more calm people like you.”
A. Wood was called, but was not present.
E. W. Gessford was the next witness. He was not in the Opera House at the time of the panic, but on the street. When he reached the entrance to the stairway he held back a dozen people who wished to rush in. when the witness arrived people were lying inside the entrance, and others were trying to get out. The bodies were so packed that they could not be removedfrom the heapBelieved he had seen woman and boy lying on a baby buggy; saw other baby buggies crushed in the street.
Carried Down the Stairway
John McNary of Belmont avenue said he was in the upper hallway, or foyer, near the auditorium. The first show was just letting out. Most of the people were filing out in the usual way. He heard no one cry fire, but saw a sudden commotion; the doorway opened and a crowd swept out like a flock of sheep and carried the witness down to near the foot of the stairway; then it went slower. The greatest trouble was to keep one’s feet; the farther the crowd went the greater became the impact. There was no real trouble until the last step was reached. People were leaning forward. The witness got out, but to his right, two women with babies in their arms fell, their bodies halfway out on the sidewalk. The weight bore people down and made them fall forward or fall to their knees.
Witness Describes Sensations
Mr. McNary said that the first commotion was in the gallery but the first push came in force from the auditorium, and it swept him downstairs. When he first went in there was no one on the stairway, and not more than 25 people near the Philadelphia company’s office. Witness noticed no baby buggies.; there may or may not have been baby buggies in the hallway. A man could not go down one step and then go back. Three people climbed to the transom before the crowd became greatly packed. Witness describing the sensation of being swept down the crowded stairway, and especially the weight and crush. Mr. Ferguson called that nothing was the matter, and he did all he could to quiet the people, but no one could stop the crowd. Witness said there would have been no difficulty if people hadn’t fallen at the foot of the stairway. The doors at the entrance swing out and in; they were open, having been fastened inward. The doors caught and injured some people; the jam extended all the way upstairs, and one could see agony in the faces of the people.
Dead Woman’s Husband Testifies
Charles Young, whose wife was killed in the panic, was called. He was on the first landing when the panic started. He said that all doesn’t seem very clear to him. He was caught in the rushing crowd, and was carried down very rapidly. There were about 200 people on the first landing. Witness didn’t recall much that occurred until after he landed at the foot of the stairway; he thought the show was letting out until after he heard the frantic yell and the rush came from the auditorium. He heard no one cry fire. He would not state whether or not there were baby buggies in the hall. He was carried down to the third step from the bottom, and was there stopped by the jam of fallen people near the door. He reached the sidewalk over this fallen jam.
Saw People Fall in Stairway
Harry Kelly was the next witness. Was in the auditorium. He was carried downstairs. He saw three fall at foot of the stairway; saw no obstruction in hallway. The rush of people caused people to fall and this brought on the jam. He heard no cry of fire; and didn’t know of any trouble until he was on the steps. His wife was beside him, and they were among the first to come out of the show. There were alt least 100 people on the landing, witness said; none were coming upstairs.
John Cameron of White Lawn Terrace testified that he was not in the Opera House, but was in front of the Opera House soon after the panic started. He left the entrance in order to care for his daughter. He said he knew nothing of the conditions within.
Tried to Help the People
Martin Dickson was called to testify. He was on the street when the panic started. He ran to the door leading to the Opera House. The hallway was filled with people. Witness said he tried to help people out, and some one threw him into the street. He saw people coming down the fire escapes. He then went up a ladder into the tailor shop on the same floor as the Opera House, and handed out a baby. He said he was told there was no fire escape at the rear of the building. After all was over he went down the stairway.
Turned in Fire Alarm
D. Q. Crawford said he was across the street when the trouble started. He ran to the door. About 20 people came out of the entrance; then a man fell in the stairway, and the crowd piled up; within a few seconds it reached nearly the transom. He turned in a fire alarm, because he was told to do so by two men at the entrance to the stairway; he thought he heard the cry of “fire” from the balcony. He saw a large man fall on the stairway, near the bottom; others fell, and a man walked over people to the transom.
Dr. A. F. McBurney was called, but was not present.
Tries to Quiet People
Charles M. Hull testified. He was not in the Opera House at the start of the panic, but went up a ladder into the tailor shop. He tried to help [people on the floor, and opened the door and saw the crush. He jumped on a banister and called to the people that there was no fire, and for them to keep still. The firemen and others brought people up from the jam in the stairway. The firemen had to fight people to get them up and out of the crush. Witness said Mr. Ferguson, Manager of the Opera House, ordered him to get down and keep quiet, that he was running the place. Witness appealed to Fire Chief Harry Cook and asked him if he (the witness) was doing any good in trying to quiet the people, and the fire chief replied that he was and to keep on. Witness said he was not at the foot of the stairs.
Rescued from the crush
Mrs. Lillian Jones testified that she had been standing on the landing about ten minutes and tat she did not hear any person give an alarm of fire, but everybody seemed to shout. She was pulled into the office of the Philadelphia company, and thus escaped the crush. She had been talking while coming up the stairs and noticed no baby buggies.
Mrs. Christina Hooker heard the shut of alarm and ran into the hall and then returned. She saw a man jump over the seats, and in doing so knock a baby from the arms of its mother. She heard the commotion downstairs after the cry of fire.
George Jones said he was in the hall and that the rush came first from the gallery and at the same time people began pouring out of the auditorium. He was standing in the hall with his wife and other relatives and pulled them into the office of the Philadelphia company. He said that he had seen Mr. Ferguson trying to control the crowd.
Hit by Flying Baby Buggy
Harry Miller, who with his wife had been in the auditorium, testified that they had reached the door when his wife said that she heard a shout of fire. He was four or five steps down when the rush began, and he then realized that there was a panic. His wife fell near the bottom and was pushed outside, where he was struck on the head by a baby buggy thrown out of the door buy some one. He said there were at least two carriages on each side of the stairs; he saw them on the way out.
Elmer A. Friezle was in the playhouse. His wife was seated, and he and his two sons were standing. He saw Mr. Ferguson, after the panic started, rush to the stairway and try to stop the fleeing people, but this was impossible, the people jumping over seats in their endeavor to get out of the hall. He remained in a corner 15 or 20 minutes, and in that time he heard 100 people cry fire. The pictures on the screen disappeared, but started again in one minute.
Flying Wedge of Humanity
Harry Stevens was standing on the corner. He saw the commotion at the door. He saw a man fall and reached up to grab him. In a moment, a flying wedge of humanity descended the stairway, and he himself was caught in it. He told in detail of making five or six trips up and down fire escapes assisting people to leave the building.
Frank Richards was on the stairway, waiting to get into the second play, when the panic hurled itself out of the doors. He heard the crowd coming and succeeded in getting to one side of the stairway; he was knocked down and squeezed. He reached the transom on the east side. On the opposite side of the entrance, a go-cart was hurled to the street.
Tried to Keep People Out
Mark Morrison was on the street. He took a hose real in an effort to keep the crowd from outside rushing to where the people were wedged in. A baby buggy in the right hand corner, he testified, was pushed to him.
William Bowers was in the auditorium. He saw the operator at the booth look to one side, then to the other, of the machine, and heard him shout: “No fire; sit still.” Witness said he saw blue smoke and a little blaze. In a moment or two the pictures were again on the screen.
Walter Olloman noticed no baby buggies.
James Arnold was the first witness called at the afternoon session. he was on the first floor. He saw what looked like white smoke on the canvas. He believed that started the panic. He got under a seat. A good many people cried fire. He saw no obstructions in the hallway.
C. L. McCorkle was not in the playhouse. When he reached it he found the stairway blocked. He went up a ladder, to look for his sister. He was caught in the crowd. He saw C. F. Ferguson and Charles M. Hull try to quiet the people. He saw a young fellow roll down the stairway, over people. Witness tried to get people to come back up the stairway. At the foot of the stairway was a baby buggy with a woman lying partly over it.
Here J. C. Delaney, state factory inspector, made some remarks to the jury, in order that he might leave on the afternoon train.
Deputy Inspector Called
James R. Patterson, deputy state factory inspector, said he had made an examination of the building early in February. At that time a small booth, unlined with asbestos, was used. He directed that this defect be remedied, and it was done. Now the place meets the law’s requirements, except the Pike street door, which is either four feet eight and one-half inches or four feet nine inches wide, where it should be five feet. If he found defects in the construction of the building he would go to Ferguson, while the matter of fire escapes would be for J. C. Morgan, the owner. The department has no jurisdiction over the way the swinging doors at the foot of the stairway should be kept open.
Manager Ferguson Testifies
C. F. Ferguson, manager of the Opera House, was called. The deaths occurred in the public hallway. At 7:15 the first show started. I had a big show, so cut one of the pictures out. At 8:12 the first show was over. The first picture was on for the second show, when I heard a noise. I didn’t know what it was. The people were screaming. I went down ahead of the crowd, and tried to get back. The jam at the bottom could go no further. I went back to the top, then the second jam occurred. I went down a fire escape and returned to the building by means of a ladder leading to the windows in the tailor shop. I got 200 people out the back way. The pictures were shown even while the dead were being taken out. I do not know Mr. Hull, but some one on the second stairway was trying to get the people quiet. Mr. Hull was scaring the people. I pushed him down, and then, after quiet was restored, the people went out the back way.
Five Hundred People in Building
Witness said he thought the man (Hull) was drunk. There were 500 people in the building when the panic broke loose. He heard no cry of fire. Witness said he was in the hallway two minutes before the show let out, and looked downstairs to see if the way was clear, and saw no obstructions. It was not a practice to allow baby buggies in the hallway, but they were brought upstairs.
Witness said there had never been congestion in the hallway; a catastrophe had never been anticipated. A private policeman had been employed once for about three weeks. Witness had always carried out what instructions were given out by the inspector. He had never paid attention to the Pike street door; he had believed it to be over five feet in width. He let the people come and go as they pleased.
Mr. Ferguson was asked a number of questions, as to whether conditions on Saturday night warranted the employment of an officer. He said he had some help, but it was not necessary. There were no ushers in the house, witness directing the affairs generally.
Mrs. Ferguson on Stand
Mrs. Ferguson, wife of the manager, said she sold tickets. She was preparing for the rush of the second show when the outbreak occurred suddenly from upstairs. She inquired as to what was the trouble, and was informed that nothing was wrong. Some people were got back, but the firemen in their uniforms frightened many, the people screaming when the firemen appeared. She did not know of any fire. Many people ran downstairs. There were a few on the landing. Witness kept watch as to go-carts. People left them downstairs, but she or Mr. Ferguson carried them upstairs; these were placed in a corner of the hall when brought up. Several hundred tickets had been sold. The hall seats 900.
Needn’t Play Longer; 12 Are Dead
Mrs. Mary Craig, the piano player at the show, heard a commotion and looked around, and spoke to people in the boxes. Then witness saw a flash on the curtain. This was nothing that should frighten anyone. Witness did not know that any one was being injured, and people were still watching the pictures. Witness kept on playing till a fireman said: “You don’t need to play any longer; twelve are dead on the pavement.” Witness saw only a flash on the curtain; was not in front of the building; didn’t see any go-carts in the entrance; didn’t hear a cry of fire.
Heard Building Was Unsafe
Samuel Lane testified to being in the Opera House. He had heard the building was not safe; that possibly it was crumbling. He was caught in the crowd and carried down on his hands and knees. He did not touch the floor until he reached the ticket office and grabbed the railing. He worked his way back. Heard Ferguson asking the people to go back time and again, but it was useless; thought Ferguson did his best. His grandchildren, who were killed, had been brought in go-carts, but these were left in Beadle’s store. Saw no baby buggies at entrance. He attended the first show.
Owner of Building Heard
John C. Morgan, owner of the building in which the Opera house is located, said that the hall was leased to Ferguson two years ago last February. The building was built 20 years ago. He had made changes at the request of the State Factory Department. He did not know the width of the street door. He had done everything the law required.
Samuel Hoch – was near the booth; saw a flash, like that produced by striking a match; it lasted a few seconds, saw the pictures go ahead after four or five minutes. A number of people cried “fire;” saw no go-cats.
People Left Like Sheep
Joseph Templeton – Was in box on left-hand side. Saw flash; looked at booth; there was no smoke. Sat still; people in gallery left like sheep; waited till stairway cleared; saw no go-carts.
Harry Richards – Saw go-cart, its body crushed, taken out of street door.
Identifies Baby Carriage
Harry Kane – Was in auditorium; heard cry of fire; pushed out of seat; feet never touched floor until bottom of stairs, was one of the first out; saw baby buggy pulled out; it belonged to Melvin Rhome; saw buggies there before. Witness was caught by legs and head outside the door.
George Dardwell was the next witness.
The taking of testimony was completed at 3:45.
Coroner Addresses Jury
After the examination of several witnesses, the coroner gave his instructions to the jury, beginning at 3:45. he read the act of assembly on the matter and said that if the way of egress were blocked and that If Baby Buggies were allowed to stand on the stairs as a general thing, the manager of the picture show might be held by the jury for criminal neglect. If carelessness was found to have been exhibited by the manager or owner, criminal neglect might be charged. However, if there was not sufficient evidence, it would be worth than useless to hold any one.
The jury then began to make up a verdict.