The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1872-12-19
RECOLLECTlONs OF A TERRIBLE
EVENT.

EvENT.
A correspondent of the Lynchburs Jirginian
in q late issue says:
az am au an old man. Old age dwells much
on the past; and amongst the multitude of re-
membranes of my boyhcOd and youth none are
moro vivid than those connected with the bur
ming of the Richmond Theatre, OH the night Of
the 26th of December, 1911. Two generations
have since come and gone, and perhaps what
write may be of interest to some now living:
Il was then a schoolboy in Richmond, very
nearly twelve years old. My parents, residing in
the country, were in town for the winter. They
generally eschewed the theatre but that evening
were persuaded by some young friends to accom-
pany them. Others from our clearinghouse, to
the number of nine or ten, likewise attended.
The play was over, and the afterpiece had just
begun. The actors paused, and seemed confused;
and at the same time fire fell on the stage. An
actor then came forward and announced, La
dies and gentlemen, the theatre is on fire." In
stantly all was tnmut and terror. Parties sepa-
rated, each rushing forward, to find means of es-
cape. Of those who went from our boarding
house, no two got Our together. The pit of the
theatre was on level with tho street; and es-
cape thence, through the only outcr door, was
easy. Many from the lower gallery clamhered
down into the pit. and saved themselves in that
way. A good stairway. beginning n few feet
from the outer door, led to the galleries. The
house was full; and in the frantic terror that
prevailed, most of those in the first gallery
rushed towards the head of the stairs. Here the
pressure was fearful. Many were thrown down
and trampled to death. My parents We're forci-
bly, separated. My mother, without the slight
est effort on her part, was thrust upwards ON
the heads and shoulders of those beginning to
descend the stairs; and, dense was the mass,
she was carried, in a reclining posture, to the
bottom on her feet; and then the outer door, Just
before her. afforded ready egress. Leaving with
an acquaintance message for her husband she
set off alone for the boarding house, up Grace
street, more than half mile distant. She lost
81, l,nn naf oyAo ansl han nIa1fh .
parlOr she had arrived, and, with her hair strea-
ming over her shoulders, was recounting some
of the terrible scenes of the fire. She the
first to reach the house.
'Thc father of the writer escaped. in n differ
ent way. Just after his wife had been carried
down the stairs, the staircase gave way, and then
masses of frantic beings went rolling over each
other to the floor. Seeing escape by the stairs
deiiyera?cc. While forced along. he felt
rent of cool air, and ookingto the left, he saw an
open window d few feet of. He was stout
heavy man. and BIZ violent effort reached the
window and seated himself OH the sill. He then
wrapped his great cost around him; and, hol-
ding by the outer edges Of the sill as long as
possible, dropped safely to the ground. .
"The writer's half-sister, sixteen years Old,
was in the house with her materna. gfand-moth-
er, with whom she lived. The old lady was
heavy and helpless and, making little or no
effort to escape, was burned. Her grand-daush-
ter sprang to a window and leaped out. The fall
shattered her right ankle bone so badly that she
could not move. After time gentleman from
our boarding house recognized her, and, with
other help, carried her to house one square off.
There she suffered agony for may weeks before
removal was possible; and year elapsed before
she could walk, and was lame for life
"An aunt and cousin of the writer had been
attended to the theatre by young lawyer.
When the alarm was given, fear appeared to de-
priye both of the power to move. In vain the
young man besought them to flee for their lives.
In spite of entreatics, both sat still, whilst the
heat and smoke became each moment more in
supportable. The gentleman remained with
them until his nose, eyebrows and whskers
were badly scOrtched. The instinct of selfpre-
servation then drove him to a window near at
hand. whence he leaped for his life. One knee
was badly spraned. The ladies kept their seats
and met their doom.
"The writer's mother was sometimes reluctant
~ persuaded to describe the horrors of that night.
Just as she left the theatre, she observed large
heavy old man, lying on his back beneath win
dow, perfectly dead. She used to say the look of
agony in that CHASTITY face haunted her for years.
"a touching incident, we'll authenticated,
was this: Lieutenant Gibbon, United States
Navy, was betrothed to the most beautiful girl
in Richmond Gle the son of Major Gibbon,
collector of the port, who, in the war of the re-
voution, led the 'forlorn' hope: Of volunteers,
being Lieutenant in command of the stOrming |
party, in Wayne's attack on Stony POnt.) The |
Lieutenant and his betrOthed were in the theatre;
but when the alarm was given he was not at her |
side. He FASTENED to her rescuc, and. finding |
lady, whom, from her general appearance, he |
fully for her safety, and at length got her with
ont the building. Here to his dismay, the bright |
light revealed the feature of an unknown lady. |
He instantly rushed back into the house, now . |
progress so much, that. just n he had found her |
whom he sought, the roof fell in, and both per-
ished
doctor MeCaw, . prominent physician, was