The Daily Notes -- September 1, 1911 Ferguson and State Factory Inspectors are Censured by Jury

CORONERS VERDICT

We the jury find that Murray Hill, Frances Byrd, Marcella Robinson, Arthur McPeake, Mrs. Callie Young, Sidney Rittiger, Lulu Fisher, Paul Mastic, Mrs. Fred Marshall, Mrs. Blanche E. Kelly, baby of Mr. And Mrs. Kelly, Carl Lane, Margaret Lane, Walter Neish, George Kay, Mrs. Charles Miller, Bolus Dubrowski, George Owen Cole, Elizabeth Gleditsch, Elizabeth Green, Elizabeth Gibbs, Stella Richards, Ludwig Nugy, Harold Shaner, Mrs. Mary Ann Laird Campbell And Annie Laird came to death August 26, 1911, from suffocation and internal injuries from being trampled and crushed in the Morgan Opera House, Canonsburg, Pa. We find from the evidence that a panic among the spectators in the Opera House caused by a person or persons unknown, crying fire in the gallery was primarily the cause of the crush resulting in the deaths of the above named. This condition being intensified by the limited means of egress afforded at the street entrance to the building.

“We, the jury, are unable to find any person or persons guilty criminally for the deaths of the above named, but do unequivocally condemn C. F. Ferguson, manager of the Opera House, for his failure to properly police the premises, to prohibit people to collect and crowd on the stairway and lobby, and leaving obstructions in the shape of baby carriages in the lower hall.

“We unanimously agree that the officer or officers of the department of state factory inspection is or are open to severe censure for carelessly approving the main entrance to the Opera House building when the same was not of lawful width.

“We recommend the owner of the Morgan building that the street entrance of the said building be widened to the same width as the stairway leading up therefrom or to a greater width.

“We recommend the owner of by the next session of the General Assembly of this commonwealth of a measure prohibiting the giving or holding of theatrical performances or moving picture shows in boroughs or townships on the floor of any building above the ground floor.”