The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-04 00:00:00

THE TERRIBLI? ACCIDENT AT THE

PHILADELPHIA THEATRE.

The Philadelphia Press, describing more fully the acci-
dent, of which an account has already appeared, says :
"An accident of frightful fatality occurred at the Conti-
nental Theatre, in Walnut-street, on Saturday night.
Since the destruction and accompanying casualties of the
National Theatre, some years ago, we have had no
theatrical matters so terrible to recount. A few weeks
ago, Mr. William Wheatley, an old and favourite actor
and manager, leased and refitted the place. At great
expense he produced the stage edition of Shakespeare's
Tempest,' and devoted unusual means to perfecting the
scenic and mathanical arrangements. The ballet corps
was numerous. All at once those accustomed to witness-
ing show pieces saw an unnecessary light glaring over the
top of the rear sc me. Before they had time to speculate
upon it, a number• .of men in shirt sleeves (stage carpen-
ters) made their appearance, and, while the confusion
grow momentarily,-.a sharp scream rang upon the ears of
the people, and a we 'man in ballet costume, with her dress
on fire, emerged froin the side scenes, waving her arms
above her head. LT a moment she fell into the abyss
where the ship was riding. At the same time a suc-
cession of screams ensued. Trinculo suddenly ceased to
joke, and dropped into t lee water, while Stephano forgot to
be drunk, and became as sober as a judge. The girls were
dressing for the ballet. Vie dressing-rooms adjoin Samson-
street, and in one at the north-west corner of the building
the Misses Gale were adjusting themselves for the ballet
for Act 11. Miss Zelia Gal one of the sisters, stood upon
a settee to reach her dress, a nd when in the act of handing.
it down, the flame of gas from an adjoining tube sot it on
fire. The flames communicated to her under-clothes, and
she was all ablaze in an inst ant. Her sisters rushed up to
extinguish the fire, and they, too, were ignited. The fire
mounted to their arms and h reacts, inflicting terrible burns.
Panic-stricken, they ran fro. m the room, through a narrow
passage way, into the next e .ressing-room filled with ballet
ladies. The gauze dresses c.f these blazed up directly, and,
screaming, struggling, wra stling, the poor creatures either
turned and leaped from the Ne -indows into Samson-street, or
ran hither and thither calling • for assistance. Miss Zelia Gale
with her clothing on fire, and uttering loud screams,ran down
stairs and upon the stage, behind. the scenes, falling below the
stage level, where she was caught in the arms of Mr. Thos.
Bayard, the capenter of the theatre. Mr. Bayard, in at-
tempting to extinguish the fire with a 'sea cloth,' was him-
self burned about the hands and arms. Miss Clara Clifton
was caught in the arms of the bystanders, having leaped
down and escaped unhurt, her clothing not having taken
fire. Miss Hannah Gale did not jump from the window
until she was badly burned, And when she leaped she fell to
the ground upon her back, send sustained severe injuries
from the fall as well as from her burns. She was carried
into Greer's tavern, near by, wb ere she lay in an almost
hopeless condition at a late hour., On Sunday, at 10 o'clock,
she expired at the hospital, in great agony. Miss Anna
Nicholls, in her fright, jumped from a platform to the stage,
a distance of about 10 feet. She will not recover. Miss
Abby Carr was burned about Cass breast and waist. Phebo
Forbes died in the morning at nine o'clock ; Miss Anus
M'Bride died at six o'clock in -the morning. Misses Ade-
line Gale and Ruth Gale are badly burned ; their cases are
not hopeless. Mrs. Mary E. Itermon will not live. Her
husband watched her up to ajate hour last night. Mrs.
Anna Phillips died during Sur 4lttlay afternoon. Kate Minis
• was burned slightly. The 11 Ases Gale were young ladies
of prepossessing appearance. Ihoy were excellent dancers.
They were English by birth and they first appeared pro-
fessionally in this city in the ',,Ronzani troupe at the time
' Faust' was brought out as, a ballet at the Academy of
Music. Six of these burned 'ewomen had died up to mid
hour last night, and four more are not expected to survive
the next 24 hours. All of t hem suffered terribly, calling
for water most piteously, tu ad maintaining their senses
unimpaired to the last. Mr. and Mrs. Wheatley were in
the hospital throughout, mir tittering to their necessities,
and doing all in their power to make their last moments
peaceful. The matter was purely accidental, and no
stigma can in any way be a Cat upon the management."
The following additional pate iculars aro from the Phila-
delphia North American :—" .Hannah Gale had lain in
Greer's saloon. Soon after sh a was brought there her pain
increased, the result of inward, mortification. She was en-
tirely tranquil, and calmly asl red those present to read the
Bible to her. An intimate fri ;rid, Miss Annie Wilkes, spent
some time with her reading the sacred book. For herself
she had no apprehensions, but for her sisters and her
mother she felt keen anxiet y. Anna M'Bride died first.
Her mind wandered shortly I titer reception at the hospital,
and at 6 o'clock death rem° owed her to the land of spirits.
Miss Phelps was the next t o go. At one o'clock the mes-
senger came, and she expire d in the full possession of her
faculties, glad to be relieve; from sufferings which words
utterly fail to give a descrip Mon of. Hannah Gale died at
3 o'clock. A death-bed more solemn, yet less mournful, is
seldom seed. The Gale sisters have lived—so says every-
body who knew them—a blitmelss life. Less selfishness in
a circle of sisters, perhaps, was never known. Hannah
during her last moments ma nifested a degree of resignation
too sublime to result from a.vything but sustaining grace.
She had lived a blameless li:fe, and dying, she thee.
He who had been her strength in life was now supporting
her as the veil between life and eternity grew thin. The
dying girl conversed as few people would suppose her cap-
able of conversing, and as the last breaths fluttered upon
her lips, the name of her Saviour was pronounced with it."

COUNTRY MARKETS.

MANCHESTER—OcT. 3.

New English wheat was in free demand, at a reduction
of is per qr. ; foreign held for former rates, with a limited
business. The sales made in flour were at 6d to is de-
cline. Oats unchanged. Oatmeal 6d cheaper. Egyptian
beans and Indian corn held for an advance.