Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-12-14

insertion.
flight OF stairs, there was lady who.
ia coming down, got her leg caught
in the balusters. A large man fell
over her, and others, falling over him
made heap which those in the rear
could not pass. There were full ffty
or sixty persons
PACKED IN A HEAP
at the foot Of the second flight OF
stairs. The stairs were open all the
way down from that point, and above
that point, the stairs was vacant four
or five steps from the top. At this
time the smoke was very dense. 1t
was not three minutes after the fire
broke out. The curtain was lowered
and took fir-, and this had the effect
OF sending the flames up to the gal
lery. looked at it for about three
seconds and then closed the door o
the parquctte. The persons who were
piled up in heap cried to me to help
them. and did get some In the rear
to fall back until l
GOT NAN AND WOMAN OUT.
Seeing these two get out they all
rushed forward again and blocked up
the passage. I tried te extricate
woman whose leg was caught In the
railing. but she was held fast. An
usher came mp to assist me, and we
male small place among them We
tore the dresses of sore OF them. but
we got them all out. Then went up
in the dress circle. / found woman
there and took her out There must
have been other persons there, for
heard cries, but could not see them
on account OF the smoke. / know
there must have been several other
persons in the dress cicle who were
overtaken by the fire. I was then
getting weak and dropped to the
floor to get fresh air. The smoke was
black and had q very suffocating
smell. 1 am an old fireman, and new
er experienced smoke SO sufYocafing.
1 was not in the smoke more than a
minute, and yet could not breathe.
The first aud second galleries and cv-
en- the stairs were at the time
YrLLED WITH sUFFocATrSG SMOKE
No human being could live in that
smoke two minutes. Iheard a thump-
ing noise, as II some persons were
Jumping out OF the windows. At that
time 1t was utterly impossible to get
up in the top gallery. and / was near
ly sufrocated when got out 1 know
that the people were all taken from
the dress circle stairs, but 1 heard
the cries inside. / called oIt, Where
are your" but got no answer. Even
wien got down on the A ,or heard
a humping noise, as though they
were jumping out OF the upper gal
lery. II they had jumped from the
gallery to the dress circle the smoke
was so dense I could not have seen
them. There was no breaking OF the
stairs while was there. 1 am pretty
sure that all In the dress-circle did
mt ves ont aliva
The evidence OF this officer Is the
clearest description OF the terrible
struggle by the audience to escape
from the burning building which has
yet been given.
RELIEF.
NEW YORK, Dec. 7.-Dion Bouci-
cault gives $500 TO the Brooklyn suf-
ferers. The proprietors OF the Park
Theatre and Hooley's Opera House
offered their services on behalf OF the
sufferers. The Academy OF Music will
be used for memorial services on Sun
day at p. m, and ministers from the
different churches will be present, n
mong them Bishop Littlejohn, Bishop
the Rev. DIR. Cuyler, the
Rev. DIR. Scudder. the Rev. DIR. A. r.
Putnam, the Rev. A. 8. Walsh, the
Rev. DIR. Steimie, the Rev. II. r. Nye.
Rabbi Brandestein and many others.
AMEErING or ACTORS
and others was held this afternoon at
the Park Theatre to take action in re-
gard to the calamity. A committee
was appoint d to arrange plays to be
performed in the different theatres
for tie benefit OF the sufferers. A
OF citizens was also ap-
pointed TO relieve the immediate
wants OF those who suffered by the
accident. Over$l. 500 was subscribed
at the meeting towards The relief
fund. A number OF theatres were
rendered for performances. Resolu-
tions OF regret at the loss OF the two
actors, Messrs. Murdoch and Bur-
roughs. and coincidence with their
were adopted.