Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-12-20

She desired no further help than the
placing of him On car, and left the
scene before his name could be ascer-
tanned.
A woman came into the station
house, leadinga man by the hand. His
face was badly cut, the skin of the
forehead falling partially over the
eyes. She stood for minute talking.
apparently trying to cheer him up.
Suddenly she looked, started back, and
gazed earnestly for a moment at his
face, and then dropped his hand and
exclaimed in tones of deepest anguish:
"My God, this is not Jack" She half
staggered into the street and was at
once lost in the immense crowd that
surrounded the doors.
One of the most repulsive features
at the Brooklyn Morgue was the num-
Der OF persons who possibly obtained
passes for admission under the pre-
tense Of having friends OF relatives
there. Showing no respect whatever
Ior those who were really there for the
purpose of identifying friends, they
walked about among the bodies and
now and then cut piece from some
garment as memento, until the prac-
tice was stopped by the police. Strange
to say, these curiosity-seekers were
principally women.
Among the first, and perhaps the
first, of those whose bravery made
them conspicuous in Tuesday night
catastrophe, was Officer Patrick Nc
Keen, who, like Simmons, the engi-
neer hero of the New Hamburg rail
road accident some years since, lost
his life because he would not leave
his post. On the night of the fire this
brave officer station was in the upper
gallery of the theater, At the first
alarm he was up and ready. Eye-wit-
nesses say that he was perfectly COOL
and used his best endeavors to reas-
sure the people. The panic there. how
ever, was beyond the power Of one
man or one hundred to assuage. The
flames were leaping and racing from
pit to dome, while volumes of thick
smoke rolled one upon another into
the upper tiers as if they had been dis
charged from the mouths of cannon.
McKeon endeavored to direct the peO-
pie out, say eye-witnesseS, but to no
purpose. Men and women crushed
about him frantically, and, while he
stood, caught hold of the skirts of his
coat until they almost dragged it from
his back. Mckeon saw that reasoning
with the frightened crowd was useless.
But he made last trial. With an eff
fort he swung himself clear of those
who hung upon him, and sprang upon
a seat then rapidly, but with perfect
self-possession, he stripped off his
coat, which he threw upon the railing
of the gallery, and, giving glance
down at the stage, cried out in voice
o. thunder: Help yourselves if you
can go for the doors" and added,
as the people startled into obedience
by the emphasis of his appeal. ilocked
toward the doors as he had directed,
Now | have done all can TO the
last, as all accounts agree, the brave
officer eXerted himself for Others and
took no heed for himself; and when the
smoke settled thickly around about
him and choked him beyond endurance,
he gave up-not his post, but his life.
His body, together with that of eX-
Officer Lott, was found Yesterday.
with his truncheon grasped tightly in
his hand. His head and side were
burned completely away, and he was
only identified by the truncheOn and his
watch. ". Y. World.