New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-01
BPOOKLYY THEATER VERDICT

THE MANAGEMENT CHARGED WITH NEGLTCT-CRIT-
CisM OF TIE POLICE FoRCE-MEANS OF SAFELY
RECOMMENDED.
phc labors of the corOner's jury chosen to
investigate the Of the death OF those WHO persisted
i'm the fire that destroyed the Brooklyn Thcaer the
night OF Dec =. 1876. concluded yesterday The
jurymen met the Kings Comfy Supervisors chamber
and rendered 10 Coroner Sim,ns their verdict and find
ng These are signed by all the members Of the jury as
follows: Ripley Ropes Daniel Chauncey, Samuel MoLean
john ]. Drake. franklin Woodruff, Joseph d. NeieS
william Richardson. John J. s,udweI Lnoch George
and Charles : Homer.
THE inr, find, that william Deuche died from burns
and nervous shoca ana John Cuubarsun from eX.iaus
zion consequent upon burns. These two men escaped
from the theaier, bat died few day aftcrward In,
verdict then states:
mat the number Of 2Sl additional TO their death
by sliiu,on al the brooklyn Iictteg building on hc
MINT Of Dec > $50 aud ,a1t t3e conn. c M
that more pcgishc'L
The circumstances OF the fire are thea briefly described
Tie verdict concludes - follows;
That the said buciu,, known us le Brooklyn rheaer
,,.,.trt,rtpl IN - substantial maIuer. admiralty
apirti f0r the purpose winch u intended 50 tar
il, modes oil entrance were ctcstht'' 't - i
There would, ~ our judgment nave Dteh RltaiVi SCou
ritz tie safety 81 the audience u th'Ir IA" b,'i =
isc tom lie auditorium also haudraiis Oh each side
me stairway leading from TIC sli.cit. 49,. LOO,
II. Fire Deuartucu al the City OF ltoo.!n ituIcicu
nroi.. and mos. u.cut service IN the eXtln-Gish1eht
aud
lie unprecedented rapidly OF the DANES ch"'icd 'hcA
20 DO. 49,, IT.. r..,;,,-, ,,,ro
r,Utly al The theatcr aud rendered effective service in
Is,iu IN, audience from the parqUet aud hess eir
,,,st ,nli,r nrcscca n orders wcrc given by t4t
officer i'm command or the force Ia distribute itScu 20
the efforts uon were almost wholly ditctel 40 Ht
main LOBBY and dress circle stairs l3c rlm rGusto ;
of >u.gt. and flame suHeS doubt whether TIE pfber
distribution 0i tue toicc 10 ihiS ease "oud nave aaNV'
m ia tc gallery. BGt there j., ~ OII JuG1.rht no cA-
f.lan fltalf f,tt
rc.ln 10 give Sucl oIdcrS 10 has sG1ordna'r5 as would
nave Afforded elective help TO those IA the gallery
| COMM in contact vii the border light.
tuul,td ncc,lse Of hc cus4b.e ect Il the
.cucE; al the said ucdtcT, which appears III luose V'i Z
Fus,: That there vas responsible head of the en-
SeconR: That there was discipline among the EN-
f6I: That the appliance, for the cNtngnishncn Of
hle upon thu stage or IN tic flies were "B3 itGcTt'
Ioili That the Ere hose formerly 81 hand h1d not
! been .,pi ~ place % usc.
Ija That The stage WAS overctoWded "Iih secnefS
used M former plays, thereby rendering IL condition
extra hazardous ana adding 10 the volume OF lie II ROT
Sim Tna Tie irdliIcrence shown in the neglect TO
recognize ae danger rom are ~ pr1NrS loiII aIP.
renee Of two hrtS-onc TIE stage, tie Othcr IN te
box oihsc-p1l Nee bo!UI' &c III I'm ~, m 49,, NAME
5itutcd Violation 81 li0St 'l u. ~ ~. i' a.,
wno Ju5tll,d IL coniInS ~ the Infringement ioI
! tGc utmost security in that regard.
That t business mandbeiOI the Sa1" tneate was gun!
OF u rupible gcci, ~ t!at the mel 81 cA nom 'Ac
!
cieciuly resist tac efforts OF several per-
! SONS Wa3 attempted 10 force IL.
Yiut 10 - tie special duty 0i managers or places 10
when t!c pub;c invited 10 pat forth every enor' 10
secure saety. and that Tie slightest dc-re o Ees
syu,e criminal Wien contributed ~ prisons
! holding >ucn relations 10 the pablo
lrrugiZiu. grave r1SponsihhllN ~ jurors vi M
inquest through wlirH have ,ougut u discover thc
causes OF the most disastrous Calamity Whch eyer tei
where u property belongs, we reel ltat "" Noan ue
Ia the complete performance ot oHt HiiY We
Jd not warn the public OdcmanN OF he proper aathOf-
sIsb ~ iipf
o,truriiUa OF buildings intended H5 places o. puunc
u.tacment. aud 50 r IN thct power prevent the o.
/ cllTrnc, of any sm,.,r disaster.
Not being experts either on the bNl!"u- OK ihah,-c
ncu 81 places amusement. WCuid hc uiH.cLt ~
giving aN!'c upon the subject di The eN."enr. before
rs not unanimously lead g. III" following conclusions
Farsi: ia tho erection hereafter OF amy binding III
tended ter theatrical purposes tGo:v should ~ DICK
wall extending lrCm cellar 10 root dNi"hs tic Stage
Ercond f+r ,nuud be two ilrc hrdnnts on the sasc,
each side. ut some Cuf rnrnt place; mere SouI
lobby, each OF Wnct by,iHhs thtlr shuuld ~ ~,
tacur,l proper length vi hose, frequent cAaiauOh 81
which saOUid BE- made so rs 10 Insure hH OV'uh az '
/ times ready Tor effective service. 49,,
fhird: there should hc employees oI uea'efs wioSe
sole uuy shod ~ Vud IL t!i'sc hose 20 all tiies
! when there Was an audi, ~ thc buiid!ng.
fon,ta: As third gailc! Is attended with moro Than
ordu.ry dancer, less than tWo VIDE ara coniiuo-
dious siaways should be provided Ms means OF ext
! Edb: Asa scientific discovery and experiment have
DEMONSTRATED the possibility OF rendering ircomb,slib!c
The material used for scenery, hc use oi ANY lhham
mnbio article for thai purpose should be prohibited,
sr Tdcrc should Dc hahdrailS On cach side OF every
s,rS,M There should be iron Tenders nj intervals oi
not more than twelve feet lpOn u the border Ss' 81
that no portion OF the scenery, whether through care
lrssucss or accident could IN contact with the wire
| whicA ineloses TIE gasllshs.