Long before 3 o'clock, the time set for the meeting, many fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and near relatives of victims began to gather. Nearly every seat was taken when the meeting was called to order. There were perhaps 125 people present, among whom over a hundred lost near and dear relatives in the fire.
Attorney W. J. Lacey announced the object of the gathering by reading the call and suggested the formation of a temporary organization. Mr. Hull was elected chairman and Edward T. Noble secretary.
MR. HULL'S STATEMENT.
Mr. Hull spoke briefly of his reason for calling the meeting.
"The last time I saw my wife and little ones," he said, "was on the morning of the fire. I did not know until late in the evening that they had perished in the flames. There are many others who have suffered as deeply as I have, on account of this horror. There are some families, perhaps, whose means of support have been wrested from them. There is suffering and sorrow throughout this great city. It is my desire that we work together in the effort to find out who the men are that are criminally and financially responsible for our terrible loss and bring them before the bar of justice.
"It was the duty of the contractors who built the Iroquois theater to see that the building was complete in every detail before turning it over to the management. This, in my opinion, establishes their responsibility. The architect may also be held responsible.
"As to the building inspector, I think he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It was his failure to hold the management to a strict adherence to the law that brought about the destruction of nearly 600 precious lives. We have recourse to the courts of justice. Let us stand together and see that punishment is meted out to the guilty."
ATTORNEY T. D. KNIGHT SPEAKS.
Chairman Hull then called for an expression from his attorney, Thomas D. Knight, who spoke as follows: