The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-27 00:00:00

LANCHOLY OCCURRENCE AT
THE VICTORIA THEATRE.
LOSS OF TWO LIVES.
i•t, night a catastrophe occurred at the Victoria
•-0, by which two lives were lost and many persons
~sly injured. Many exaggerated statements were
•elation, and owing to the great confusion which
.ied in the neighbourhood it was impossible, until a
,iur, to obtain anything like correct particulars.
The rollowing account was obtained at ten o'clock last
night from parties who were eye-witnesses of the melan-
choly event, and who were at that time lying in the sur-
gery of Mr. Sewell, in the New-cut.
It appears that during the afternoon an immense num.
ber of persons had congregated at the gallery door of the
theatre, anxious to see the pantomime, and the instant
the place was opened a general rush to the top of the
gallery-stairs took place. The consequence was, that in
a few seconds the entire stairs were crowded with men,
women, and children. . For some time they remained
packed together without evincing any riotous disposition,
but at length they felt the inconvenience of being
so closely wedged together that they could scarcely
breathe, and the parties on the upper part of the
stairs made an effort to get out, when the weaker
portion were thrown down and trampled upon. The
of "murder" end " save, oh! save us," at this pe-
i became most appalling. Those who were at the
!,- -)in of the stairs, not liking to lose the position they
1 taken, refused to move an inch backwards. The
vd above cried as loud as they were able to those be-
to let them get down, but without avail, when all of
-ridden the pressure from above forced those below
--inst the hand-rail, which gave way, and about 30
-ons were thrown down upon the crowd standing
were.
At that time the clearance of the lower stairs caused
those above to descend; a general movement from the
top to the lower part of the stairs followed, and two
persons were thrown down and trampled upon at the
landing, just above the spot where the hand-rail was
forced down.
One or two men who were on the stairs, on seeing the
people fainting from the want of air, handed them down
as well as they were able, and they estimated the num-
ber thus rescued at nearly 30. They were forthwith
taken to Mr. Sewell's surgery, when it was fouid that
two of the unfortunate sufferers were quite dead. They
were both lads, apparently about the ages of fifteen and
sixteen. They were forthwith removed to the vaults of
St. John's Church, to be identified.

The other sufferers were also taken to Mr. Sewell's
surgery, and were attended to by That gentlemen, and
also by Mr. Brookes and Mr. Fairbrother, two other
surgeons living in the vicinity. Every assistance was
rendered to the parties, two of whom were sent home,
although suffering from severe bruises. Two others, at
ten o'clock, were still at Mr. Sewell's' one suffering from
concussion of the brain, and in great danger.

DESCRIPTION 07 THE DECEASED.
A lad, apparently about fifteen years of age, dressed
in black coat lined with plaid, black waistcoat, light
brown hair, and of fair complexion. A youth. about
fourteen years of age, light brown hair, fair complexion,
dressed in cord jacket and trousers, red velveteen waist-
coat, pale French white silk handkerchief, and Blucher
boots.