The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-02-17
The Cincinnati Opera-House Hsrror.
CINCINNATI. Ohio. Hkb.

Ths Cincinnati Opera-House Hsrror.
IA CINCINNATI, Ohio, NIB. S.
The allcgory of "The Grest' Republic"
ha9been upon the stage of Robinson's
OpNa- House for the past two lights,
under the auspices of the Cincinnni Re.
lief Association. The proceeds were to
be applied to the relief of the suffering
poor of the city. The performers, num-
bering nearly 600 children, were taken
from the public schools of the city; and
as the object was worthy one, and those
who took part children of old residents of
the city, vast audiences were present. at
each presentation of the allegory. The
weather this, afternoon being propitious
and there being no session of the public
schools, the matinee audience in most
part was composed of women and chill
dren. About half past two O'Clock, while
the great house was densely packed and the
were at the height sof their en-.
joyment, some boy in the gallery through
mischief or ignorance, raised the cry Of
fire as the. red light from the colorcd fires
used in the piece flashed out from the
wings. Every inch Of the theater was &C.
cupied, and the dense crowd was pressing
and surging about the staircases and in
front of the doors. Some one in the au-
dience took up the cry Of fire, and it was
re-echoed from near the door by some one
who caught glimpse of red glare from
the stage. There was an immediate rush
for the front doors. A child was pushed
down the steps and screamed. Immedi.
ately after man thrust his arm through
a window, and the scream and the crash
was enough to set the panic in full force.
The scene was terrible one in the mar
row vestibule leading to the street. The
people in the rear, mad with fear, pressed
upon those . in front, shouting and ours
ing. Men, terror-stricken, struck down
helpless women and children in front, or
climbed over their heads to the top of the
staircase, and precipitated themselves
upon the screaming and bleeding mass of
children and women in the hallway.
The scene in ard about the Opera
House after the accident was heart rend-
ing. The news of the catastrophe spread
like wildfire over the city, and from ev-
cry direction came people hurrying to
the scene until the squares were impass-
able.
There are many conflicting stories as to
the origin of the panic. The building
was filled from parquet to gallery with a
dense mass, which not only filled all the
seats and aisles, but crowded the stairways,
and hundreds were outside seeking to gain
admission: Behind the scenes were 500
school children, who were to take part in
the performance. When the false alarm
was given the audience became panic
stricken, and a rush was made for the
stairways. Some are said to have leaped
from the balcony upon the crowd below.
The lower circle of the house is but few
steps above the level of the street, but the
stepsare narrow, and soon became blocked
by the surging crowd inside the
house. Multitudes were pressing for the
doorway, and in the panic women
and children were overthrown and
trampled to death by the panic-stricken
crowd. The scene beggars description.
The alarm rapidly spread throughout the
city, and those who had wives or children
there hurried forward to their rescue. A
few heroic men placed themselves near
the doorway and endeavored to assure
people there was no danger, and an effort
was made from the stage to check the mad
career of the affrighted audience, but
quiet was not restored until a number
we're trampled to death and many serious
ly injured. Those able to walk at once
made their way homeward; those more
seriously injured were taken to the Ninth
Street Station House and to the CONNER
cial Hospital, and the dead were gathered
in one of the Offices of the Opera House.
Up TONNE o'clock tonight the following
had been reported:
KILLED AND INJURED.
Mrs. Alfred White and her son Harry
aged twelve; Mrs. Nancy Clark, reported
to have died from heart disease, caused by
excitement; August and Fred. Loesch,
two brothers, ages eight and ten; Hattie
Leslie: age. twelve; James Crowley, age
seven; Anna Mai Rienzi, of Alton, III,
who was visiting friends here; Miss Fer
onica Massatt, age twenty-two; Mrs.
Henry Kessler, suffered severe concus-
sion of the brain and is reported dead this
evening. One unknown woman dead.
Among the injured are Fred. Strasburg,
Miss Pumphey, Master Harry Bliss and a
child named Coddington.
LATER.
The following additional particulars oil
the disaster have been learned: Garry
Uhl had the base of her skull crushed
and collar-bone broken; Mrs. Anna Flood
was hurt in the, breast seriously. Mrs.
Lyon was injured internally; and Mrs.
White, who was killed, had five children
with her, one Of whom was killed, an.
other, the youngest, was found clasped in
her arms uninjured.
Mrs. Rienzi, of Alton, was in the gal.
lery, and was either pushed over the rail.
ing, or jumped to the floor below, striking
on her head.
GINrYNN Fob