The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-12-07

ries for missing friends. In some
instances whole families have persisted.
The bodies present every form OF con-
tortion, Just rs they stifened IN the last
agony, when the floor gave way and
they plunged down into the binding
smoke and fame; arms and legs are bent
and twisted in every way, hands are
cIenched and reach out IS If grAsping for
help
The Post says that At about u o'clock
AHerribIe Di.eovery
was made In the middle of whst was
the lobby Of the theatre lay an immense
pile of rubbish, smoulderisg beams and
other things. The heap was nearly op-
poslte the principal entrance to the su-
ditorv of the theatre. Beyond it was An
other heap, marking the place whore the
stairs which led to the gallery fell. I'm
der the heap first mentioned dead body
was found, and the fremen diligently
prosecuted their search in this direction.
With much labor some Of the hcavy
lumber was removed, and horrible
sight was revealed. Beneath that mound,
the corpses lsy in rows, hesped one upou
another and packed together with fearful!
solidity, which told Of the great pressure
10 which they had been subjected. How
many lay there, or whs: their sex or age,
no man could tell and ~ noon only
guesses could be made Another actor.
Claude Burroughs, Is now reported miss'
Ing. Thus far but three corpses have
been identified, those of Hugh j. Dover
and Nicholas Kelly, of III Tillsry street,
and John Woods, of l0l Fleet Place.
The Brooklyn Argus states that up L.
one O'Clock nlnety-iour bodies had been
taken from the ruins, and Others were
still visible lying in layers four docp.
The morgue Is completely filed,
and the bodies sre nov carried TO
the old Market building in Adams
street. They cannot be recognized.
At two o'clock ll5 bodies had been re-.
covered. and there are probably as many
more within the ruins. Some persons
assert that no one IN the upper gallery "
the theatre escaped. The last man hat
left the stairs before they fell ssys taSt
behind was helpless, hslf sufocstei
crowd On Washington street n line OF
horses and wagons sre ready 10 remove
the bodies. Great crowds of pcrsons sr"
gathered IN the nelChborhood of the
morgue t. identify missing relatives and
friends, and their lamentations M" truly
pluml. II requires n force OF police H.
keep them from crowding over each
other. The actors themselves mad great
d fiiculty In etlcCtlng their escape by
goirg 10 the back part Of the stag"
Their advance was cut of by the flames
that PLAYED around the usual place Of
egress ard the struggle from beyond Ia
burst open the door. Miss ClaIton,
another lady, Mr.. Matthews and another
gentlemen succeeded In entering the
dark underground passage wav 10 the
box office and saved themselves with
difficulty. Stuart Campbell Hand, rs-
porter on the Commercial ddUsrh'er 10
among the victims, also police officers
Parnek and Keen.
Up This hour. 2;4OP. ", 1870 bodies
have been removed and others are ETH
IN the ruins.
At late hour tonight 2S6 bodies
have been recovered BY the hre Kate
Claxton loses $4,000, Ida Vernon $4,000
and Shook X Palmer, the lessc., $4,000.
The city authorities were In session to
day, 20 make arrangements for the In
termcut in Greenwood OF tho dead not
identified. Fire Marshal Ready, who
has made exhaustive examination OF III"
Of the fire, Is oi the
opinion that nj least 800 pcrished IN th"
flames.