The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-10

manager was there to enforce them. His post
near the curtain. From that point he could see
and direct everything.
DID he so stand
Thorpe was captain OF the ship. He repre-
SEM cd the owners. His word was law, and
therefore his responsibility was great. What be
might have done Is one thing. What he did do
~ another. lie snys he on the stage when
the IRE hrst caught. that several men were In
the flies, that two ran no " to put out the fire.
that ono e them climbed ont on the groove and
tried 10 roach The drop that was on fre, but be-
fore ne could do 50 the Ore MA communicated
with the other sc mes and drops. and In less than
ter minute tue whole WAS one Iuass Of flames.
II when that Are was frat seen. Mr.. Thorpe had
rung down the curtain aud dismissed the auui
encc, with promise ~ seats for the ensuing
evening how many would have been lostf
Ten lniuute-i
WIN In rs ,han ten minutes after that ten
minutes. 30 souls had gone to their account.
don cen -uto Thorpe.
Ito ana what seemed to him his duty.
But As We iil see 1t now, tue thng to do was to
lower the curtain
The thing heuceforth for men in that position
Is To love- The curtain.
An audience would much prefer quiet re-
treat rom hoax even rather than n roasting
consequent upon hope that tue fire mi ght be
put Out. lt.s a great thing to have presence ~
mud az such times, aud genius Tor leadership
Is simply priceless.
Mr. Thorpe, IN bis testimony, gives the archi-
tect quiet dig, u.s. follows:
Ine in.lc doy- Of ne stage op,asd fgr1ydy, and
from tue stage to Johns street opened outwsrdJ |
mus tho'c eo'r Neit not opened last night hut can.
sc, ,niodsn IA tiai wsy ''''" ''' '"'''"'' ''"''
There Is conflict Of testimony about the
water suppl. The manager evidently believed
tnefe was ample security. Indeed, know that
Mr.. Palmer regarded the theatre as the safest
ana best an the two cities, and would have pliu
any REM for 10 tn New York but one ~ the chief
men III the place, Master Machlulst Werner, tes-
titles:
Mehalno hose or pails Of water or any other means
no mr. apH'ri ui 90 me ruai1g that snow o. Never
saw uns p.h ui water Kept there. Il hiu uad
aiu flu.n.c ctud hive rut ont tle nre. rhc mon
th't nave nt s my assistants are ali ca eful sulcr
' ' anl "'r s'ni ,ast night l, ga no axe more
!.N iN0 minutes rom tnt ilm tle nrc broke Oui uhdl
men " saved although CimbeisOn ana Layton we're
That looks bad Tor Thorpe aud bad for Rogers.
10 look, haN for the man, whoever he was, who
Was pad bv the owners or the managers to Keep
those slMpest of prcyentives always ON hand.
utsUattd i"hs TINE Dal Sc sivins cfvdence To
tbs strange story. but the following. told bN
neofgV Henry tue property IN ~ cOulrms 1t.
lie says.
ha!r usea connected with theatres nearly an my
HE. VAS DO O. cellar when the nrc started. So fnss
to fAe Ae.lrg. Ihc qucsiou OF having -oue AIT
~ recd its- s,ans. that we're about the irols-
aIes IRON the l,rp out no tsir.. mere We're siar,
a. th't Wi, ,toh rom he dfoss icr ihere were 40
Diner ri 10 MI og q' i6H Ire Ih oat I ana ma
had had a A-su tlefe Nc could have pui tue nru
From this It Is evident that not only was
there 40 nose ready, uut That sir IuOrpe's as-
sistant. were. ~ ne SAID. eudeayOring to put out
the IRE, long uetOro tue audience had any INK
hog vi dan-er. aud before, ia taCt, there was
an, danger 10 them.
Farther evidence on this point is offered as
fOlIOWs:
william Van sckicn. a stage hand testified that the
hre started on cuwuod drop al nj the centre III
saw means q "a IA. n.sAis . Orc ihrit. aad have
whnam si,i. ss.is ant carlsater. te.tieed that ne
ried To tet the sro'ves donn Tor Mr. Van cScn 90
hand Tor eNungul-nins the nrrs tnerc 10 arrausc.
uieut tof eAtt-uis.ins the nrc.. II hose had been
whole stage portion Ma III ms VEN short
II is no part ~ my intention to pursue this
branch OF the c.se. Every word thus far fails
Managers misconcepton Of duty. THAT the
stage man ser should have had his stage proper
~ provided IL beyond question.
Did ne d. sof
lIL-sTRANGE STORIES.
Well no matter how, the fact Is tue Are came
ana conquered.
cstmhhle Young actors. and lhllt 800 people.
iich AM poor. Did ana young. ale and fem ie.
\ careful perusti Of the reports made and the
stories tuid show- that human nature Is ~ de
Of yers poor stun. and we are AL on a dead level
81 seinsnnesr' deeeis, love Of gossip, exAggera-
Re.i the score or more stories told by aud
about di-s IidN on, tur instance. Huf inven-
TON a 'lieF u"sn, aud veA Lite truth. If We
may believe tuvs stories, size ild much 10 re-
assure thc 0Uuiencr, To Ieselt ieupis ulre4oN EN-
Whlcn was Inevitable. ana tAls 81 lime when
ever, inmate w '- an hour.
irtiDs, - teIi-vs that tle 4uill nend tells tho
truth lu ais:
Mssc uto9n Illustrated with thrilling dramatic eG,ct
sra ' a %. "a, o a ' ,S,o Hsr , nao r t
sou 90 fttu tle cntr4hce. lac iut re--l1n pto-
so great t1a ila MOI yet recovered from ne hoce
refuse to believe it hocluse when she ami
her coz panious reached the door there were
no dead oudi--. sue uiau'tse " at didn't exist.
Neither did .he deliver "A sinail Grafton 10 the
audience. sac dounues- thought, unfortunate
ly lon tho le2 lie. tuat the tro would be pat Out,
ana motiou.d mem 20 ne seated. some ut
them ubtNed her and haven't come out ycf.
LIS unfair 10 take "a WOmau's lgifatton at disad-
vantage "a, the reporters dld. pii., tlaNtun Wn-
/ eXceedtug iy netOus-Nho wouldn't bo and
had 1t not been for Mrs. F4rreu inside. ana "a
young gentleman outside she would have Jared
very roughly.
he Alsurdity Of the stcry is evident,
She was m the Il .uOu house ty half past
eleven. II she nad seen my dead bodies, Why
didn't tue police and reporters hear Of IL
ana glad Coz know ais tnat TINS bright little
lady dil not lose $1,000 worth u clothing
Ten thousand dollars u great deal Of mone,,
and the " Two Orphan wardrobe needed oy
both the orphans would be dear at 900.
In the case of Miss Vernon the following Is
grayely pu f"rth
laye YOU my iiea OF tho amount the losses you
I've, 1 suppose know the value OF my diamond.
ny wstdteo i ouined anu most Of my private as9re
e y9a ,yg 9a e # a9o ~ n e9, i
too. rncy we're worth over teooo and hey. loo are
los OF ~ manu- cups aani q which were unplale
You -rla.Ay nave reAsOA 90 s1eve," said the re-
thanks be- 10 G1i. il NJ removed thc arnger nost
and no. nope, r ,-ie ld.r ,he .roup e, wien a.,
nl.'ppi e'tAt Pro D.ea.gt non ais 'nAt is aeoAsoa-
AIlotthat IS a trayestv. Miss Vernon n-es
very uoar ths theatre. Ii she had $500 worth
of diamonds aud valu. manu.cuots sno
would have left them al home. Her ST. gs
costume iu the ulay wasn't worth 50 The
porter probably thought Of one taing ana Miss
Miss Girard, too Is made to appear very ride
uluus py TINS story: