, 1876-02-06
Many Persons Borno Down and Trampled
On by The Frantic Crowd.
Others Thrown Or Pushed from the
Galleries and Stairs upon the
Mass Below. :
Nine Persons Killed and Largo
Number Injured.
Four Persons Ont Of a Family Of Five
Burned to Death in Bureau
County, I'll,
:" FlRF1";


Il FALSE ALARM IN CROWDED AUDIENCE.
SEeeiat Dispatch to TIE CHICAGO Tribune.
CINCINNATI, Feb. 5.-Tho story OF to-day'4
horror in Robinson's Opera-Houso, this city, car
be told in q few words. 1t WAS tho last perform
ance OF the eighth eoason OF ]. II. Hager's
''Groat Republic alle2ory,' by children Of tht
publlc-sehools, for tho benefit Of the Eelie
Uniop- Thero wcro hundreds Of children ia
costumes on the stage. Tho audiences was iu1.
monee; every available inch was jsmmed Nc
mo.o people could possibly get into tho house
Tho audience YES composed principally OF womer
and Children, ID usually tho case witt, Saturday
afternoon audiences tho red light OF the
calcium, turned Oh suddenly rs the curtain wse
about to riso, alarmed child in the balcony,
rho cried "fre!' Abont third of the vast,
closely packed audience.
SEIZED WITH ALARM,
rushed for the exits, dova stairs from al1 parts.
There wero two death-traps one wns the angle
OF stairway At the second story leading to the
gallery; the other was the main front vestihu}e,
close to the sidewalk Of Ninth street, near Plum
street. Children fell down tho five steps lead
ing down TO the marble tiline Of this vesti-
bule, and in minute the bodies OF
women and children were three deep thore, IN
awful mass in a space 16 feet square- Out Of
this place si1 dead and dying persons we're taken.
At the stairs anglo in the second story there was
+ mass OF children feet high. Three dead
bodies were taken ont Of this place.
TIE KILLED
were Mrs. Albert White, Of Wesley a7enue, and
her son Harry, IL years OF age. They were
crushed to death; Mrs. Nancy Clark, wife Of
George Clark, wcll-known citizen, was
killed; also two li:tie boys, brothers,
August and Fred Loesch, and 10 years
of age Also Hattie Leslie. 1o years old. daueh-
ter of Robert Leslie, gents furnishing goods
business; also James Crowley, years old; also
Feronica Maesatt, an unmarried WOMAN, q years
OF age. servant for Dr. Berry, Of Seventh street !;
also Annie Mai Rienzi, Of Alton, H.. hero on .
visit.
The aged wife Of Henry Kessler, i prominent
citizen, was go injured BY concusaion OF the
brain that her case is called hopeless. In tho
fright sho jumped from the balcony into the
dress circle. Hrs. Clark died OF fright in her
seat Half DOZEN persons wore badly hurt.
There WIS d mid BLOT that the alarm Was
raised BY pickpochcts, to make push, but this
is not credited. However. there we're pickpock-
1Io The Assoeiattd P5ees.l
C1SclNSAT1, O.. Feb. 5.-During the perform
ance Of the nllcgory Of Tho Great Hcpublic,"
at Robinsou's Opera-House this afternoon. q
gsre way, procipitsting number OF the occu-
pants upon the balcony below. The a1legory has
been upon the stage OF Robinson's Opera-House
for the past two nights, under the auspices Of
the Cincinnati Relief Association. The proceeds
we're to be applied to the relief Of the suffering
poor OF the city. The performers. numbering
nearly 800 children, Were taken from the pubic
schools Of the city; and, as the object was
worthy one, and those who took part children OF
old residents OF tho city.
VAST AUDIENCES WERE PRESENT
At each presentation OF the allegory. The
weather this afternoon being propitious and
there being no session OF the public schools, the
matinee audience ia most part Was composed OF
women and children. About half-past o'clock,
wh,le the great houae was denRely packed and
were at the heighth Of their enjoyment, some
boy in tho gallery, through mischief OF lgno-
rauce,
RAISED THE CRY OF TIRE,
as the red light from tho co1ored fires used in |
the piece hssbsd ont from the wipgs. Every |
inch OF the theatre WAS occupied and tho dense
Lhe stair-cases and in front OF the
doors. Some one 10 the audience took up the |
cry OF fire, and it VAS re-echoed from near the |
door by some one who caught = glimpse OF red /
,lare from tho stage. There was IN immediate |
EuBu 4pE kuU 1I0uk AOQIb. II &AAA WAC pA0A~A ]
1own tho steps and screamed. Immediately |
after. a man thrust his arm through window,
md tho scream aud the crash was enough TO SCI
he panic in full forco.
THE SCENE WAS TERRIBLE ONE
u the narrow vsstibu!o leading to the street:
The people in the rear, mad with fear, pressed
Upon those in front, shouting and curainG- hen,
ertor-strickon. struck down helpless women |
md children in front, orclimbed over thelr heads
o The top:of thestaircaae, and precipltated them
'e!ves upon the sc' canning and bleeding mass OF
:aildren aud women. in the hallway.
The sceno in and about the Opera-House after
he accident Was heartrending., The news OF
he catastrophe spread like widtre over tue city. |
nd from every direction came people hurting
o the ecene until the squares were lmpasesole.
There nre many conflicting stories as to the
,ng,n Of the panc- The building was filed
rom pnrquetto TO gallery with denao 1nsas,
vho not only flied nil the Eeats and aisles. but
rowded the stairways, and hundreds were out
ide seeking to gain admission. Bshand tho
Genes wero
FIVE HUNDRED acHooL CHILDREN.
Fho were to take part i'll the performance. As tho
,mo approached for the commencement OF the
1erciees, calcium light in tho gallery flashed
Is glare upon the stage, and immediately the
anic-Btricken. and rush was mado for the
salwavs. Some are said to havo leaped from
10 balcony upon tue crowd boIow. The lower
,rc!e OF tho house is but O few steps aboTe the
evei OF the street, but the eteps arc narrow anu
OOH became blocsed by tho surging crowd inside
lo house. Multtudes were pressing for tho
anl III the panic women
nd children were overthrowa anu
rampled to death By tie panic-etr'eEcn
rowd. Tie scene be2gars description. Tho
larm rapidly spread throughout tho cIts, and
,ose who had wives or children there burned
orward to their rescue. 4 few heroic, men
laced themselves nea1 tho doorway and ell
eayored to assure people there WAS no danger,
nd an effort WAS made from tho stage to check
10 mad career Of the aTrighted audience, but
MET WAS not restored until
NUMBER wEEE TRANPLED TO DEATH
i'd many eerioualY injured. Those able TO Walk .
once made their way homeward; those more
,r1onsly injured we're taken to the Ninth
rect Station House md to the Commercial {
ospital. and tho dead wcro gathered IN one az
10 Offices Of the 0pora-Houss. Up to . o'clock
might the following had been reported:
EnLED AND INJURED: !
Mrs. Alfred White and her son Harry, aged
:; Mrs. Nancy Clark, reported to have died
ON heart disease, caused by excitement;
agust and Fred. Loeach, two brothers. ages i
ID 10; Hattie Leslie, uge u; James Crowley, J
~; Ann. Mai Rienzi, OF Alton. Ill, who Was j
sting friends here; A1ts Fe1onics Msssatt I