The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-07-04


important advantages gained. The delay, however,
Riyes time 20 the friends Of the slave by nstrucDg
and arousing the public mind to prepare for more
efficient action when the convention snail assemble
The Late FrightSul Accident as the Lsshorn
THEATRE .
correspondent writing from Flnrence on the
Leghorn has been the scene of ftdghtful scct
dent. mimic representation OF the nege or 30
bastopol exhibited last Sunday In the summer thea
bered BY many sorfowing husband and bereaved
father Is long a. any episode in the real warfare OF
the Crmea win BE- remembered by the companions
s fHa y last Sunday about 1000 per-
sons were collected In the summer theatre to wit
ness this representation, 70 be followed BY the
pranks of Htenterello, the Tuscan clown, or Punch
The bombsTd%su o. Ts on
OF small Ore balloons, made OF tow stepped IN
turpentine, and then ignited, were, II appears, d.
rected against q pile OF bastions and psrspets Of
painted canvass mimic Nalakon. From these
balloons constantly falling in the same spot, part Of
the scenery appears to have become saturated with
the turpentine and at last caught fire. The actors,
after an Intellectual attempt to extnguish the flames
hpk of the stage getting safely into the garden At
tnhed to the building. But the current Of fresh air
from the window thus left open, acting almost like
a blowpipe the flames, drove them Ia on the mass
ened the first eight of benches in the pitt, and
then followed tho rush and the crush Of the mad
dened and panic stricken thousands, those In the pit
franiically clambering up into the gallery. those
in the gallery dashiDg wives and children from
the windows into the street-w0rst OF ALL the gcsat
mass of women and children trying to force their
way along the passages to the door, which they found
shut--or more probably Gas the door shut from the
nside) had themselves closed and blocked up 10 the
confusion Of the first terrible fight. According TO
one report, the gate was closed hastily by the sol
diers on guard, who, hearing the tumult, supposed
that some disturbances had arisen in the theatre OF
a revolutionary character, which would be most
easily queled by keeping ali the rioters shut up ua
til the arrival of reinfoi cemeuts but IT IL much
probable that the wretched victims in their biod
haste were the cause Of their own destruction, and
in that destruction many women and children were
sufocated or literally trodden TO death; aud when
at length the gates forced open the crowd from
behind impeled and projected heap OF corpses In
to the street.
The deaths are known to exceed $50, though the
Monitore Toscano, in q very illjudged attempt 70
disguse the extent Of the calamity, stated them 10
be only 43; and the mortality would have oeea even
greater but for the exertons OF several influential
and energetic citizens, who hurried to the scene OF
the calamity and by their personal efforts, succeed
ed In rescuing many who, in all likelihood, would
otherwise have persisted. Amongst these persons,
am happy to say, our consul dr. NJ 5ean) was
conspicuous. Indeed he bazarded his own life in his
generous TO succoe others, for the ladder
by which he had mounted to the top OF the building
ing to descend, and he was left perched on window
exposed to the rush of those attempting to escape
and very nearly himself precipitated into the street.
The deaths, repeat, exceed loo. The wounded
are probably double that number.
The Monitore T0scano OF the 18th of June gives
some further particulars about the great disaster
which occurred at Leghorn on the 7th. Upwards OF
5000 spectators had been on thai day attracted To
the Teatro degh Acqued0tti, outside the Porta Leo
poldo, by the announcement OF grand performance
entitled the taking of Sebastopol," with the bom-
bardment of the Malakoff tower. Nothing occurred
to disturb the equa nimity OF me public nnu sne
The machinsts attempted to put 1t out at once bat
Notwithstanding their efforts the flames spread to
the other scenes, and 1t was then the puolic were
description Of the scene that snsued:-The impeu-
osity Of the spectators, who. with loud cries ana
shrieks, rushed towards the various outlets OF the
theatre, was indescribaole; the strcases. looDies
and vestibules were densey packed. This mass,
which could only move on slowly, trampled upon
those who had had the misfortune to fall during the
first rush, while many Of those who were In the
midst Of the crowd were sufocated. Unfortunately,
the bodies of the first victims In the way OF the
doors, 80 that they could not be opened. The
strongest among the crowd broke down Levery 90.
stable and throwing themselves from galleries and
windows, received dangerous COMMISSIONS. those
who bad remained on the stage, to which the flames
had been confined, suffered much less, since they
were enabled 10 escape Through the back doors with
comparatively less trouble. Without the Panic' an
theatre had six doors, which would have given
free egress to the crowd IL there had been
less violence. The news spread through the
town with the rapidty Of lightning: Every
one was In conformation. The music bands
stationed on the Piazza d'Armi ceased
playing the numerous promenaders on the public
walks disappeared; all the places OF public resort
were deserted every one Fastening to the scene OF
the disaster and then what scene awaited them
Half naked children earned In the arms OF their pa
rents women that had tainted, stretched on tters,
vehicles of oil kinds-nay, even artillery wagons
filled with wounded people the groans OF the dy'
ing the cries of those who had lost their friends or
relations In the midst Of this confusion the hrcmen
we're engaged in mastering the fire, which had con,
sumed ali the scenes and the roof, but had spared
the galleries. The MonifoSe concludes with cor
rectng its former statement Of the humber OF dead
and injured. The former are 81, 10 OF whom had
been trampled 10 death In the theatre the remaining
40 having expired at the hospital. The injured ore
SO, of whom SO have been conveyed to their homes,
and "a are still in the hospitals.