The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-02-07
HORRIBLE OCCURRENCE.
THE CRY OF FIRE,
HEART-RENDING SCENES.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN CRUSHED.
OTHERS KILLED AND WOUNDED.

CINCINNATI, February 5.-During the per-
formance of the allegory Of "The Great Re-
public" at Robinson's Opera'House this
afternoon a stampede was caused by the
alarm OF fire, causelessly raised by mis-.
chtevous boy in the gallery. The ailegory
has been upon the stage Of Robinson's
Opera.H House for the past two nights, under
the auspices of the Cincinnati Relief Union,
the proceeds to be applied to the relief of
the suffering poor of this city. The perform
ers, numbering nearly six hundred children,
were taken from the public schools Of the
city, as the object was worthy one; and as
the children who took part In the representa-.
tions were those of old residents, vast sudi.
ences have been present at each performance.
The weather this afternoon being propi.
tious, and there being no sessions Of the
public schools, the matinee audience was for
the most part composed Of women and
children.
About hall. past O'Clock, while the Opera.
House was deusely packed, and thousands Of
children among the audience were at tho
height of their enjoyment, some one In the
gallery, either through mischiefor ignorance,
raised the cry Of fire, and as the red light
from the colored fires used in the piece
flashed out from the wings, some one in the
audience took up the cry Of fire, and 1t was
reechoed from near the door. There was an
immediate rush for the front door. A
child was pushed down the stairway
screaming, and immediately after a man
thrust his arm through the window. The
scream and crash of broken glass was enough
to set the panic in full force.
In the narrow vestibule the scene was q
| terrible one. The people in the rear, mad
| with fear, pressed upon those in front, shout
| ing and cursing. Men, terror-3tricken, struck
down the helpless women and children in
| front, or climbed over their heads to the top
of the staircase and precipitated themselves
upon the screaming mass Of women and
| children in the hallway.
| The scene in and about the Opera.House
after the accident was heart.rendiug. The
| news of the catastrophe spread like wild-tire
over the city, and from every direction came
| people hurrying to the scene until the streets
were impossible.
1t is now reported that six persons were
| killed Ia the stampede.
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE CATASTROPHE
| CINCINNATI, February 5.-There are many
conflicting stories as to the origin of the
panic. The building was filed from par
quet to gallery with dense mass, which
not only filled all the seats aud asles, but
crowded the stairways, and hundreds were
outside seeking TO gain admission. Behind
the scenes were five hundred school-children,
who were to lake part in the performance.
When the time approached for the COM
mencement OF the exercises calcium light
in the gallery flashed its light upon the stage,
and Immediately the cry of fire was raised; the
audience became panic stricken, and rush
was made for the stairway. Some are said
to have leaped from the balcony on the
crowd below.
The lower circle Of the house is but few
steps above the level of the street, but the
steps are narrow, and soon became blocked
by the surging crowd. Inside OF the house
multitudes were pressing for the doorway,
and in the panic many women and children
were oyerthrown and trampled upon. The
alarm rapidly spread throughout the city,
and those who had wives and children there
| hurried to the scene to their rescue. A few
heroic men placed themselves near the door
way and endeayored to assure the people that
there was no danger, and an effort was made
| from the stage to check the mad career OF
| the affrighted audience; but quiet was not
restored until number were trampled to
death and many were seriously Injured.
Those able to walk at once made their way
home ward. Those more seriously injured
were taken to the Ninth-Street station-house
and to the Commercial hospital, and the
dead were gathered together in one OF the
offices of the Opera.House. Ten were Killed
and large number severely Injured.