New-York tribune., 1876-12-07
THE PANIC IN THE THEATER.


THE scENERY-sPREAD OF THE FIRE-THE RUSH
FOR THE DOORS.
The ruins of the Brooklyn Theater stand near the
City Hall, with the main entrance on Washington
st. and the stage front at right angles on Johnson
st. hotel occupies the corner, the theater having
been built around it. The main features OF the stu
alton of the theater in relation to Washington and
JohnsOn-sts are identical with those of the location
Of the Park Theater in this city with relation to
Broadway and Twenty-second-st. The theater was
bounded on the north by FloOds-alley, which is
parallel to Westinghouse The main entrance
gave access to the parquet. which was reached
from the lobby by three fydOors at right angles to
the main entrance. There was a broad stairway in
the further end of the lobby by which people as
cended to the dress circle, the first tier. Between
the stairway and the parquet there was lobby door
for a critical emergency, opening in Floods Alley
private passage led from the lobby near the box
Office to the stage. There was large and a small
stage door opening on JohnsOn-st. The gallery
second tier) was reached by a stairway
entirely separate, with entrances on the
left Of the main Westinghouse. entrance.
At the first landing the passage crossed
above the ceiling of the lobby to the wall ard by
another flight reached the gallery. This separate
passage was of fair width as compared with similar
means of exit in other theatres The theater was
comparatively new, having been opened Oct. 2,
1871. 1t cost $l2O,000, and was deemed to be
fairly arranged and appointed. Shook & Palmer of
the Union Square Theater have been its lessees.
The play of the 1.-TWO Orphans" has been pOpu-
lar with the people of the two cities, especially with
young persons 1t is not surprising that the Brook
lyn Theater was completely filled IN the cheaper
parts of the house the second presentation of the
play in this revival. The parquet, however was
only two-thirds full, and contained $50 men and
women. There about 300 in the dress circle,
and between 400 and 450 in the gallery, majority
Of whom were young men between the ages of Is
and %. Altogether the theater contained between
1000 and 1. 100 persons One-fourth of all were
never to go forth alive.
The night was beautiful and clear the moon shOne
bright, and all was still outside, except that car
riages rumbled as they drew up near the entrance
in anticipation of quiet termination of the play.
The curtain, which had just been rung up on the
last act revealed a scene of exciting and pathetic
interest 10 the audience 1t was the interior OF the
hoyel boat-house the Seine. The blind Louise
Miss Caxton) lay on bed of straw; on the left of
the stage was the haf-attic room, reached by
short stairway, to which Louise was taken
by Madame FrockaM Mrs. Farren). while
Hearieiie Maud Harrison) was knocking.
Jacques FrochGM MIR. Studleyl completed the per-
sonages of the scene, which approaching tur-
bulcut climax. In few moments more the play
would have been brought TO the point where the
wide doors of the bOat-hOuse are burst open and
crowd of soldiers and people rush in to overpOwer
the F,ochards. Ii was well for the safety Of these
that they were not there.
The roof Of the bOat-hOuse, a canvas covering,
concealed the 1es and drops of the stage from the
actors and from the audience. About 11:20 o'clock,
what is called the moonlight cut-wood dropsn
took fire from the second border light, row of gas
Jets stretching across and above and Illuminating
the middle part of the stage space The fire was
trding when discovered by the stage carpenter. A
dropshifter went out in the groove to extinguish it,
but ONLY served to communicate fire to the adjacent
drops. Then, as is usual, the gnited drop was cut
away but the men did not think that it was to fall
upon the scenes below, the roof of the boat
house, which Immediately ignited, and sent the
flames flying to the left wings.
The tumult that ensued as the stage employees
strove TO put out the fire on the bOat-house roof
with poles conveyed to the audience its first warn
ing of danger Whether the fire was first dscerned
bv the audience or by the actors in the scene the
conduct of the latter equally sefpOssessed and
heroic.
Sparks were seen by the audience to drop from the
roof of the hove to the stage. Men rose in sudden
fright. Somebody in the lobby possibly stage EN-
pIoy6 who had come by the secret passage from the
stage, cried Fire! fire." and raised the alarm. The
actors who had kept on in their dialogue TIL now,
besought the audience with earnest words of assur
ance to be seated, to think the fire was used in the
play. Some took their seats while others hastoned
to the doors, and the brave actors and actresses
made the semblance of continuing, when part Of
RI L. tIntp t,or,1 NJ
Murdoch and Mr.. Strudey called to the audience to
be orderly and save themselves.
The people stood for an instant dazed and spell
bound, as the scenery fell and revealed fre-en-
veloped stage Another instant and they seized
with frantic terror and rushed for the DOORS Miss
Claxton Miss Maude Harrison, and Mrs. Farren ran
through the private passage to the lobby, and
reached the main entrance before the audience was
fairly started. Other actors and the stage attend
ants went the same way, and through the small
stage door and a window looking into the alley. Mr..
Murdoch and Claude Burroughs, who had left
Maude Harrison in the green room, ran TO their
dressing-rooms il is supposed, hoping to save their
stage wardrobes. descending scene-shifter cried
10 them. "Go back" and barely escaped with his
life They had no time to follow. Before the john
son-st. wall fell the fremen thought they saw a
body in the flames below the place where Mr.. Muir
dochs dressing-room had stood.
The indescnbable panic among the audience
lasted possibly ten minutes Confusion followed
on confusion. Thomas Rockford, the head usher,
thought of the doors opening the alley. The one
in the lobby he succeeded in opening. 1t was gate
of deliverance to many. A few gallant men en-
deayored to quell the panic, but human effort was
vain. In less than a minute the passages were
choked up the theater was filed with shouts of
maddened men and the piteous and frantic screams
of women. Men forgot that they were trampling
an tnnir fnllnws and. Indifferent TO ali but their