The daily gazette., 1876-12-07
The Burning Of the
BrOOl<lynThcatrc.
R5O Persons Burned.
AN AWFUL CALAMIrY-PANIC AND
LOSS OF LIFE-FULI. PARTICULARS.

LOSS OF LIFE-FULL PARTICULARS.
New YORK, Dec. G.-An extra of
of the fire in the Brooklyn Theatre
tormerly Mrs. Conway's) last night, Mr..
j. B. Studley, who acted the part Of
"Jacques," made an effort to calm the ex
cited audience. Stepping to the foot
lights, he said:-"There is no trouble
here; there is no fire; ladies and gentle
men, keep your Seats" Many of the aud
itOrs resumed there seats, but only for
few seconds. The flames spread rapidly.
Miss Claxton, who was playing the
part of "Louise," the blind girl, showed
great self-possession, as also did Mrs. Far
rem. They resolutely remained upon the
stage until the scenery at the left was
completely licked up by the flames. Then
the company rushed out into johnson
street in stage costume, saving only the
dress they wore. The excitement of the
audience was manifested in n stampede.
The panic became general before The act
ors left the stage, and a wild rush was
made for the doors.
Women shrieked, struggled and tainted
Men plunged over the seats and fought
their way to the door. The asiles were
blocked. The ushers made every effort
to induce the terrified mob to leave in
seconded by the police officers in attend
ance, but all to little purpose. In two
minutes the stage was one mass of flame.
The heat was intense; many who occu-
pied seats nearest the stage felt the scOrch
ing heat and sank helpless to the floor. A
moment sufiiced to SINCE their hair, scorch
clothing and burn the flesh.
A few minutes later and they were
dragged out of the theatre in an insensi-
BILE condition by the police from the First
precinct. Some of the actors sprang out
into the auditorium and took their chan
ces in the struggle for an exit by the
Washington street or Flo DDS alley en-
trance. Mrs. Farren was among the
number. Several lives are undoubtedly
lost. Several women are believed to
have been burned to crisp. The body
of one was recovered shortly before )
o'clock this morning, and sent to the hos
pital in an ambulance.
Two or three of the employees who were
engaged in the flies and in shifting scenes
are said to have perished in the flames. If
every bit of scenery in the theatre had
been drenched in kerosene the fire could
not have spread more rapidly or furiously
Even before the first engine had respond
ed the auditorium was sea of fire. Die
ter's Hotel was damaged $4,000. Every
member of the company loses clothes,
jewelry. and costumes. The members Of
the Brooklyn Building Association lose
some $4,000. Shook 4 Palmer lose the
scenery of the 1,co Orphans and some
valuable properties and costumes. Kate
Claxton loses valuable wardrobe.
Mr.. George Butler; who resided in the
theatre, loses several thousand dollars
worth of furniture and personal property,
This total loss is about 100000. Miss
Ida Vernon lost her war robe and dia
monds, valued at $4,000 to $4,000. The
head usher, who was standing in the lob
by near the centre orchestra, says, on
hearing the alarm and seeing that the
flies over the stage on the left were on
fire, he opened the Flood alley entrance,
and all who were in that part Of the
house escaped in this way. lie then
came in front again and saw the occu
pants ofthe dress circle ponring down by
twenties-fell down, as it were. They
trampled on each other. There was not
much outcry. He got on the outside to
avoid the rush and looked into the house
again. by this time all the orchestra
performers had escaped, and the pai1uette
circle were clear. The stage,was now all
in flames, and, the fire was rapidly ex-
tending over the orchestra into the body
of the house The prosceuium boxes on
both sides were entirely gone.
The police removed dozen or twenty
ladies who had been thrown down by the
rush from the dress circle. He thinks
all were taken out. In few minutes
more the flames would have consumed
them. He saw two men carried out from
the stage dooor. A police officer who
was on duty in the family circle says he
heard cry Of fire; then came a cry, "Sit
still there is no fire." All that could be
seen at this time wasa few sparks falling
down from the top scenery.
The people were very much alarmed.
Then came great burst of fire, and the
panic was intense, one piled on top OF
the other. The landing was completely
blocked. The cries and shouts were per
fectly terrible. Men and woman fell
powerless. The crush was appalling.
Men trampled on the women, and big
men rushed wildly overthe smaller ones.
1t took fully ten minutes to empty the
dress circle, but it seemed like an hour.
/ MANY MEN AND WOMEN
were injured; some of them were severe
ly hurt. Numbers women tainted and
it was necessary TO carry them out. For
tunately there were few children present.
The draft of air through the theatre was
terrible.
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE FIRE MARSHAL.
Miss Kate Claxton testified before the
Fire Marshal this morning that at the
/ beginning of the last act of the Ttco
Orphans, just as the curtain went up, she
heard a rumbling noise on the stage, and
two minutes after sine saw the flames.
She thinks it caught in the flies, and it
Immediately enveloped the stage.
M. Studley and Mr.. Murdoch were on
the stage together and Mrs. Farren and
herself Miss Claxton), and efforts We're
made to quiet the audience. She said to
them-"Be quiet; we are between you
and the fire; the front doors are open, and
4 tl,n ,,o.,aras ora olaarD The flames yyara