The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-09-10 00:00:00

THE STAGE MANAGERS STORY.

Mr. J. F. Gra,:am, the stage manager to Mr.
Elliott's Company, who were at the time of the disalter
in possession of the boards, has made the following
statement:

"Up to the end of the third act everything had
passed orf wonderfully well, and with great success.
line third scene of the fourth act had stare i, and all
the stage hands were engaged on a very heavy set '
for the folowing scene. I was holdieg the flats to-
gether, they not having been properly mined, when
the curtain was suddenly dropped in front of me. I
ran nyund to the front entrance and inquired the
rea- on. On moving the wing I found no one there,
and on running back I saw fire falling copiously from
the flies on to the stage. A lad and myself tried to
push the hose on to the stage, but in the confusion, and
owing to the flames spreading so rapidly, we had to de-
sist. I was then carried into the street by a rush of the
people on the stage, which was at that moment fairly
on fire. On getting into the street I immediately
turned back and rushed to the first floor dressing•
rooms, with the view of saying my wsrdrobe. On
reaching the bend of the landing I found a littie girl
cllnging to the bannisters. The passage being full of
smoke 1 at once caught hold of her and brought her
down to the bottom, when a burst of flame caught the
landing and blew the child and myself right into the
street.. The flame caught me on the left side of the
face and scorched me, while the back of my head and
left hand were also burnt. The child escaped in
safety. The flames by this time had such a hold upon
the stage entrance that it was impossible to re-enter
by the stage door. As to the origin of the fire, I can
only conjecture that it was due to the crowded state
of the flies,' the scenes in which were too densely
packed, and the canvas might have been ignited by
one of i he gas battens."

SYNIPSTHY WI CH THE SUFFERERS.-
MESSAGE FROM HEI MAJESTY.

A telegram was despatched to the Mayor of Exeter
on Tuceday at ternoon from the Home Secretary to
the following effect:—"By command of the Queen, I
ask you to express her Majesty's deep sympathy with
the injured in last night's accident an,l with the
families of those who bare been killed.—HENßY
MATTHEWS."

The Sheriff of Exeter received the following from
the Mayor of the city, who was on a visit to Eel-
ston

"Rave just heard of frightful catastrophe at our
theatre. Am shocked and pained beyond measure,
and regret so much to be absent from the city at such
a distressing moment. Am sure you and ex-Mayor
will do all that can be done for me in my absence.
Cod help the relatives of the poor sufferers:"
The Home Secretary telegraphed:
"Please express my sincere condolence with the
sufferers in the appalling disaster of last night. Shall
be glad if you will furnish me with latest particulars."
Telegrams were also received from the Bishop and
Dean of Exeter, Mr. Nortlicote, and numerous others.
A subscription list was opened for the relief of the
sufferers, headed by a donation of £lOO from the Hon.
H. S. Northcote, M.P. for the city.

According to the Registrar-General's returns, tho
death-rate in London last week fell to the remarkably
low figure of 16.0 per 1000 of the population. In the
three preceding weeks the rate had been 23.3, 21.•2, and
185 respectively.
Frederick Dent, a commercial traveller in a respecl.
able position, pleaded guilty at Westminster on
Tuesday to having stolen a few tablets of soap and two
photograph frames. He bore an excellent character,
and it was urged on his behalf that at the moment of
the theft he was actuated by an insane impulse. Mr.
D'Eyncourt sentenced him to three months' imprison-
ment.

Mr. Schnadhorst, the Secretary of the National
Liberal Federation, announces that the annual meeting
of the delegates from all parts of the kingdom will
this year be held at Nottingham on Monday, Tuesday,
and Wednesday, the 17th, 18th, and 19th of October.
Mr. Gladstone has consented to attend and address the
council.
Mr. Justice Grove has resigned the office of a Judge
of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of
Justice, and her 'Majesty has approved of Mr. Arthur
Charles, Q. 0., as his successor.
A sad fatality was reported on Tuesday from
Glamorgansbire. Two little brothers, Edwin and
Willie, sons of Mr. Thomas, Liverpool House, Aber.
came, were playing with their companions on the banks
of a stream, when they were accidentally precipitated
over a wall into the water beneath. Earnest efforts
were made by the youths to save their companions,
but the force of the stream washed them into a cul-
vert, and life was extinct when the bodies were re—
covered.

It having been decided that the armaments of the
forts at Spithead, which practically command the 1
entrarce to Portsmouth Harbour would be inadequate
to repel a powerful and well-directed attack from the I
sea, preparations are now in progress for each fort to be
strengthened by 10 of the new chase-hooped 47-ton I
guns, which are being prepared at a cost of £12,000
each, in addition to a number of smaller weapons. It
is also proposed to connect the forts with the
mainland by telegraph or telephone, and to lay further
subtuarice mines in the channel leading to the road.
stead.
A very sad drowning fatality occurred on Tuesday et
the Isle of Wight. A lady from London, named
Haulbank, who, with her son and nephew, arLived at
Niton on Monday, attempted on Tuesday, contrary to
advice, to pass Black Gang Cliff, but the sea be;ng
very high, the lady was washed away. Her nephew
attempted in vain to rescue her, but both were drowned.
The lady's body has been recovered, but the body of her
terhew has not yet been found.