The Express.
London, England, 1858-09-15 00:00:00

PANIC IN THE MUSIC HALL

PERSONS KILLED.

AT

A most terrible catastrophe happened at Shef-
field oa Yeaday night, six persona being kill= end two
others most severely hurt. The accident was precisely =el-
lar to that at the Survey Mamie Hell, when the Rev. Mr.
Spurgeon preached there ; end It curiously happens that the
building in which this calamity has occurred bears the earns
name.

The Sheffield Barmy Music Hall, which wee previously
a very capacious nrecture, has been recently enlarged, ni-
-1 constructed, and decorated afresh. It Is now capable of
accommodating some 3,000 persona. It wee re-opeasd
after the alterations only on Friday evening; and Monday
night was therefore the third performance since the re-open-
ing. The attractions attendant upon the novelty of the
neoorations and a new company of performers had drawn
together a very large audience, and the hall eras crowded In
every cert. Probably little fewer than 3,000 pawns were
present. It may be well, before describing the accident,
to give a general outline of the interior oometnietka of the
place. The building is planned entirely on the placiple of
• theatre. The audience portioa of the stymies* mein fists of
a pit, a row of boseejnet elevated above it, sad two glee of
galleries above the kiss. There are two entrances. nee at
the front, end the other in Workhouse-lane ; but this latter
is only temporary, until the reconstruction of the hest of
the building is finiahed. The bones and pit are thawed by
pelages which are on the same level all the distance; but
the galleries are of course reached by flights of step, and
here it was that nearly the whole of the tragical portion of
the calamity thawed.
The othwireple originated about a quarter to eight in the
evening. Modems Marietta, a favourite with Surrey Munc-
hen audios% was singing on the slap. accompanied by
the bead. sad the utmost silence prevailed throughout home,
pit, and galleries. In the middle of this lady's song the
patio arose which led to the casualty; but how it originated
is as yet a matter of some doubt. The account which la
current is that a young man fired a pined in the gallery; and
It is said that several persons are prepared to come leeward
and state that they saw him do so. It is also said that one
of the small chandeliers, which was broken sod fell on the
stage, was knocked then by the pistol shot; but another
version is that the chandelier was afterwards broken by some
persons getting down from the galleries In order to moths.
ta ides seem to have prevailed in the place that the large
pledast boon the minim over the metre of the
pit, wee broken, and had fallen ; but this was unfounded, as
the chandelier Y uathiured. Another rumour was that the ri
wee an =liked= of gee.
Hower the eassairophs may in the first instance have
been owned, this feet Is oohs certain, that in the middle of
Madams Marietta's song a great cry of alarm suddenly rang
theengh the bulletin, end large numbers of those present
rosined towards the doors to escape. Madame Marietta tus-
fortesialely parte* of the nano, and ran ameiszolag sad el•
&halm lathed the some, thus adding to the fright of the
andisesth Mr. Taoism, the peoprietor of the asnoldishment
(who was stamiag at disbar sear the MIMIC*. talking to a
pat. ). kerb( the mein, rumba on to the stags, end
salmi what wee the melee, with great proems of mind
preemid to abbess the wedismos Be grand them most
ampitelkethy that waft whatever had happiest le mass
eny danger, that the only inroad of alarm wee thdr owe
hided of der, mad that If they sat still so harm weld moor.
The preemie of shad End energy of Mr. Tooth' at this
crisis mead be too highly eulogised. His in. end emer-
ge* weeds and demeanour had the effect of ashelag the
wane, end three who had not already left the plate in-
wand their Nets. Mr. Toad= also bowleg the rumour
that a pistol bed them discharged cffered to give 61. to any
OM who would ems forward and point out the perm, who
lad dome it. As we have said, the audience beams geld,

and preparations were made for going on with the
performance'.
Scarcely, however, had order been restored. when the
minds of the persons present wee* again excited by a cry that
the building was on tire at the top. Again the panic set In,
this time with immensely increased force. Mr. 'louden
again swayed to calm the multitude, but this time utterly
without effect. For the moment completely wild with terror,
the crowd rushed in every direction towards the doors.
Screams of fright and pain arose on every aide, se the
masses of people, huddled together in heaps, strove to
get before each other on their way from the building.
Wherever a door stood in their way the panels were smashed
in, and the glees shivered. In the passages proceeding
from the lit and boxes there was comparatively little danger.
It was ca the steps leading down from the galleries that the
most terrible same occurred. There are several winding
flights of only about half a doom steps, at right angles with
each other. The turnings being so acute it would appear at
first sight that they were more than usually dangerous to
snob a crowd ; but this was really not so, for though the
sharp creme of the briar/at might hurt the gamma pressed
against than, each of these Sight" included within its own
imits a separate mess of the multitude, and prevented
the pressure behind from becoming so great as to
fora the foremost persons Medicos forward and precipitate
thine behind on than. Had the stairs been straight, this
area have happened, and many would have boa
enthethd ; and had they bow open et the
skim, with the protection of balustrades, wages
mad ham been peolplisted over them, to the great
peril of their lives. Evan with all these advan-
tages, however, most of the injuries which were
mstathed were caused by the pressure on the stairs. The
some was frightful. The shouts of the men were inter-
asinsbd with scream from the women, and frantic en-
bathe the they might be allowed to 'scope. One
rag woman, who is killed, was seen to be precipi-
tated from amongst the crowd down one of the flights
of Mope. She fell on her head on to the brick flooring.
Broken fragments of her oomb and her coral necklace
wen afterwards picked up on the spot where she was
killed. Another woman had a narrow escape. She was
user to the unfortunate creature who was killed, and had
a child in her arms. Inspector Lialey (who exerted
himself zealously) was standing within a doorway at the
bottom of the Sight, helping the people down sad entreat-
ing them to be calm. He saw the woman with the child
n the act of being precipitated forward. He caught her with
the alt lea they were falling ; and thus their lives were
red. Two young men were killed during the struggle an
dim deka Another, who was found dead just inside the
enthetios, was taken to Mr. Todd's, cabinet maker, whence
he was removed to the White Swan. Mr. Booth, surgeon,
who was called in, and most promptly attended, saw him
there, and, perceiving that life was extinct, ordered that be
should be carried back to the hall, when the bodies of the
young woman and the two young men were lying. Mr.
Booth than stationed himself in the building, in medlars to
attend to any injuries that might be indict. d. It most sin-
gularly happened, however, that not a single casualty came
under his notice in which his services could be of any
avail. All who were brought to him were either dead, or
died immediately afterwards. No doubt many other persons
must be injured, more or lees seriously ; bat none ot them
have as yet been beard of, except those whose injuries are
dahribed below.

In addition to those killed two young men were very
seriously injured ; and on being taken up were conveyed at
once in • cab to the Infirmary. These, it is supposed, re-
mired their injnries on the gallery stairs, when the greatest
crush took plant. On their arrival at the Infirmary, in on-
sequins of the house surgeon's (Mr. Hart'a) &berets
they were attended by his assiatent, who immediately mat
for Mr. H. Jackson. Both men were delirious, one being
lltnelly frentic.
Many persons escaped In an almost miraculous manner.
Large numbers made their way on to the stage, and they
into the rooms which overlook Workhouse-leas. They got
out at them windows and dropped to the grouted. Others
proemial into Mr. Yoadan's private rooms in Beat of the
beildhg, mud mowed in like manner by taking hold of the
window dl and dropping to the footpath.
It was more than as hoar before the place was cleared of
people. There was but little left inride to indicate the fear-
ful eatestrophe which had taken place. The broken doors
showed the force of the straggle; end on the stairs than
were sours eaggestive mementoes of the terrible
meas. On one spot there was a long streak of bloat
geld Go wall, while here end there might be seen a button
eir pima et sloth torn off in the struggle. A vast crowd had
minded In Weather by the rumour, which had spread
through the town like wildfire, "The Casino is on fire!"
Very ems, however, a detachment of police was on the spot,
egd the hunt of the building was kept perfectly clear. Still
therm& of pewees crowded the vicinity of the building
until a late hoar last night.
The second panic, that the building was on fire, may
possibly)
be explained by a circumstance that ham nap
that
On the gain of the gallery there wee
found a woman's velvet mantle, partially burnt. Of course
it is sot known how this garment ignited; but it seem
not nalikely that the smell and sight of it burning gave
rise, in the excitable state of the audience, to the peale
which caned the mischief. The regret with which this
tragedy mast be regarded ia enhanced by the tam that
nothing at all happened to cause the slightest danger, sad
hat but foe one of those panics which unfortunately seise
multitudes assembled in buildings no harm could have hap-
piest' to say perms.

About half-part 11 at night, the body of the young 'masa
re recognised by her father, who had beard if the cata-
strophe, sad famed that his son who as well as his daughter
had be preeent at the oateatiophs, was among the lulled.
After identifying his daughter, he proceeded to a public-
house, Q-In-the-Corner, Paradise-square, where lay the
body of a young man about 18 years old, who bad beta
found dead on the causeway in Workhouse-lane. Having
apparently eatiedled himself that the body which lay
there could be no other than that of his Non, he
waited to ask for no description of the body—would give
nose—bet forced his way through the crowd, peel the
pollee et On her, tad upstairs in the most frantic
inasuar. While be was apemen a series of the most
=elb!adds VIM the viz without. Them proceeded
derly-litirsd women, who also had evidently
cents leer realeelea that the theared ins her son, for she
cruel the us* piercing air of Oh my child,
ay ehll4—my defile shild ; I know he's dead, and that
bee here." And then burg her way into the Inn fell back
inesseibia, exclisithri as she fild so, "Oh, I cannot look at
tar" The area Itserbi the sob, and imagining it to be
Ide who, ran tleetnerks, esisioles, 'lt is not he."
Haerieg this, the wear eau& et the hope that her son
wee yet living only to tee it speip, per to the roseatime her
heisheed hir Templesd the body at that of his son, and
orsing downstairs senli net tarsal the fart. Her grief
new knew no boss& Ole beet the table with her hinds,
sierra with hr het, end seeresed fm the most frightful
ressme fee seedy bellsrbeter, and was at length
with dillealry borne beer. Deemer was known
r Abut &be, and wee the eta of a fliscutter
tayd4wa the litr. Osumi%
_el the Cyclops Works, and
reefillsig la We reareusi the father is a
teihnbless end bee a bane family.
The Yawing Is a easipill list of the prier tl lad
• Thrift Media, Ned 18, (dada, Itielei-vosil Ina,
11651M0w.
19alds,g1Wirialroad-lass.
Elks 1117ey, Osetstreek _Werflielirsuar.
Albert Uses, lls sear,Wtertaiderhate.
John Willey, Astmatifrnad.
Urn heiebry at the isilkury we kers that the two Ma
takes dem Dad who re both eafirag Gem conosesien of
the brain, haw teemed awribUity, sad us likely to ties.
24 @Mr of then, berm is yet be a stre to give say par
rulers as to how he received his Warier. One of them in
Thomas Hanks. eget ht. Wader, Haim; the other lo
Thorpe Harrison, sir 16, Inucher's assistant, South-
west, Pea.
- -

A rumour was;;;;;y;;;;iri—tieTtlis seeithat was
cared by the Ibis( of a pistol, sail shot lib was the bea-
sts( cis prroaditsted plan, designed., Ware
_the proprietor.
Whoa this herd, it is said, the aratiaidwrad to abbe wee
ad in to sad left bands. as the issuers, and a ary yea
en op that th• staircase was as the amend posses sr,
pwspared to some forward sad hehleipulthisb. ire they saw
• pistol Bred, and it soma Mesa seaoaeshs haw the
mesas could have bees met Ike sublesemily, as lie w-
ishes an all above rack.
Teettrday shims= a rasportabb hats( yaws sea, amid
fiaaaves, sears to the Pobeerilloe aid raise that be was dr
saddestal mar of the bar; that hi was la dr (*lsm
sad shaskiste as arab of gas bad it with • *bed arub;;
and that as espiseioa followed, which was sertaltea kir the
&lag cit • pima. la support of this statsossat be
his bad, which hr ourtaisiy bras brat, sad
his statamat it was doss by tlie ezpitolea. If this be trek
it tapirs' the whole affair. Bat there are so marks of say
violist* is be tarry.
As bird was opined last night on the bodies ; bat little
was dose amp to identify the remains.