Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-09-19
Terrible Accident at the Continental
Theater-Fourteen Persons Dread-
fully iBurned-Death of Six Of she

Theater-Fourteen Persons Dread.
fully ,Burned-Death of Six OF she
Victims. - ,,.. ..tsi r.r,,,,s,.i f.i,.l,
An incident of ffightful fatality oecurfed at
the Continental Theater, In Walnut street, on
Saturday night. 81 The Continental was formerly
the National Circus" A few Weeks ago, Mr..
William Wheatley, an old and favorite actor
and manager, leased and reftted the place. At
great expense, he produced the stage edition of
Tempest, and devoted unusual
means to perfectlng the scenic and mechanical
arrangements. The ballet corps was numerous,
and many of the dancers beautiful and talented
The rare ingenuity of an English machinist was
employed TO make exhibitions Of color and shad-
ow, and the closing scene was said to be unpar-
alleled for nagni6ceDce and beauty. During
the week the houses were excellent, and on Sat-
urday night about fifteen hundred persons were
assembled to enjoy the entertainment. The
play had proceeded as far as the close Of the
first act. Pfospero had related his misfortunes,
and the pretty Ariel had been instructed as to
her masters behests; had stirred up the ele-
ments, and the lightning and thunder exhibited
to the delighted people the tattered shrouds and
torn spars of q doomed ship. The waves were
rolling, and the vessel began to sway. All eyes
watched the assumed terror of those on board !;
the Jester TIinculo (Chapman), who found time
for joking in the pauses of the storm, and
Stephano, the drunken butler, who swore and
rollicked with seeming death in his face. nlf'i1
All at once, those accustomed to witnessing
SHOW pieces saw an unnecessary light glaring
over the top of the rear scene. Before they
had time to speculate upon IL, q number Of men
in shirt sleeves (stage carpenters) ran upon the
stage, and, while the confusion grew momenta-
rily, sharp scream, that seemed to pierce the
heart, rang upon the ears of the people, and o
woman In ballet costume, with her dress on fire,
emerged from the side scenes, waving her arms
above her head. In moment abe fell into the
abyss where the ship was riding. AT the came
time succession of screams ensued Trinculo
suddenly ceased to joke, and dropped into the
waters, while Stephano forgot to be drunk, and
became as sober as Judge. .tiT asG
The young woman who had fallen into the
waves, suddenly reappeared, and the waves ell
at once assumed the guise of bit of green
cloth that was folded around the young woman,
and while the screams went on faster and fast.
er, the curtain dropped upon the stage and hid
the scene from the audience. Some symptoms
OF alarm had appeared by this time, and one lad
in the gallery cried "frew whereupon he wai
at once choaked by q big fsted man beside him
Two or three women said 30, Lordl' and en-
deavored to edge their way out of the house, but
these slight manifestations were quelled by Man
ager Wheatley, who appeared in front of tb,
curtain and said: : - -
"Ladies and Gentlemen: Be kind enouob n
remain in your seats, and make no unnecessary
disturbance, If ANYTHING has gone Wong.
will return in moment and state the OCCUR
renee" - :. - - .
The screams were prolonged and thrilling in
the Interim, bat directly Mr.. Wheatley re,ap.
peared and said: - 5,.'1 81 Gr,,lr : :
"Ladias- A-A q sutiemvu. Ft. psrs0lmers ..a
somewhat excited, and We cannot 60 on with the
play until we discover the extent of the acci-
dent. You will, therefore, go out quietly"
Ia voice-"Was the young lady whom we saw
Just now much burnedf"l Mr.. Wheatley-"l
eanno. tell. There is great deal OF confusion
pen,nd the curtain. Please 90 ousr' ..easi. o.
The people disbanded quietly Some one de-
scribed their orderly Dismissal as resembling Q
funeral. But scene far otherwise went OF
upon the stage. ! q asss .,.sal i5aosl51 t..t
The girls were dressing for the ballet. The
dressing rooms adjoin Sansom street, and, In Q
dressing at the nogthwest corner OF the
building, tie Misses Gale-amiable and talented
danseuses-Were adjusting themselves for the
pallet ior act IL. MISS Celia Gale, one of-the
sisters, sIood upon settee 20 reach her dress,
ana when In the act OF handing It down, the
name Oh gas from an adjacent tube set it on hire;
tne name communicated to her underclothes,
ana enc was al aolaze in an instant Her sis.
ters rushed up TO extinguish the IRE, and they,
too, were ignited. The fire mounted to their
arms ana breasts, inhicting terrible burns, and
panic stricken, they ran from the room, through
narrow passage-way, into the next dressing-
room, filled with ballet ladies, The gauze
dresses OF these biazed up directly, and scream
ing, struggling, wrestling, the poor creatures
either turned and leaped from the windows into
SAMSON street, or ran hither and thither, calling
tor assistance: s,,j I'd Tsa. >
Miss della Gale, with her clothing on fire, and
pttering loud screams, ran down stairs and upor
the stage, behind the scenes, falling below the
stage level, where she was caught in the arms
OF Mr. Ihomas bsyard, the carpenter Of tbs
tneaser. mr. bayard, IN attempting 70 extin
guisn tne hre WIN Q "sea-cloth," was himself
burned about the hands and arms, .s.,,.sa al \
miss Clara Clifton was caught in the arml
OF Tue pystandere, haying,leaped down, and es
S.p SsPso unnur'' ner clo'ning NOT having taker
windows ss ass un n. as Srps vtss
she iesped she fell to the ground upon her back
and sustained severe injuries from the fall as
well as from the burns. She was carried into
Scs So1ss ssSsu @sss o esTs % she Icy 6 % a.
day at ten O'Clock, she expired at the Hospital
In great agony: s.s gay.i &C..
miss Anna Nichols in her fright jumped from
e plsuorm 70 tne stage, distance OF about Ter
ieec Sne VIII nos recover: phii ,.saa si
.... , IT, ana wSSndeo young aaes were
oAsrieu inso ,ne nslgnponng houses, wnere eve
~ attention that humanity could suggest wal