The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-03
AFTER THE HOLOCAUST.
Sad Incidents OF tho Burning of tho Brook
lyn Theater with Loss of Threo Hun
dred Iivea

g6E6BG
CAUSE OF THE DISASTER.
How the fire spread 30 rapidly
through the theatet as to cut off all es
cape in few minutes has been one
of the questions most frequently asked
by the public. That question has been
answered with terrible clearness in the
investigation by the fire marshal. There
was no provision on the stage or in the
theater for the occurrence Of fire. Not
a drop Of water in the flies, not hose
on the stage, not q precaution to com.
bat danger that is always imminent on
the stage-the outbreak of fire: And to
this negligence unquestionsbly is due
the terrible calamity which has fallen
on 30 many homes. There is the more
blame attaching to those responsible for
this negligence because, according to
the testimony of the architect, provision
for q water supply was made in the
erection Of the building, but it seems to
have been forgotten in the lapse oi
time. How fatal the want of water
proved may be judged from the testi.
mony of the chief machinist, who posi-
lively asserts that had there been waite,
at hand the fire could easily have been
e1tinguished when first it was per.
ceived.
HOW THE BODIES LOOKED.
At one time during the night 100
bodies laid in five rows upon the floor OF
the morgue. Candles rested on their
breasts, Pickering and sputtering in the
draughts from the broken windows and
cracks in the roof, and casting shadows
of unearthly character on the boards
and walls around them. Some OF the
departed seemed as if reclining on the
ground catching short nap after hard
days work, with one hand thrown care
lessly behind the head and the other
across the eyes as if to shut out the can
dies glare; others were half turned upon
their sides, with their legs crossed and
their faces buried in the hollows Of their
arms, just as though they sought re-
pose. Bot there were dozens, too, who
resembled nothing 30 much as burnt
logs of green. wood, whose bark had
been consumed and whose inner rind
was turned to a dark brown color. All,
all of them were of this tell-tale hue,
showing unmistakably the cause of their
death. Closer inspection revealed the
shocking effects of the fire upon their
persons.
AN AFFLICTED FAMILY.
The family most afflicted by the sad
catastrophe is that of Morris Solomon,
who fell o victim to the flames, and
whose two daughters, Mary and De-
borah, aged respectively Twenty-Five and
twenty years, his son Philip, aged
twenty-six, AMI his daughter-in-law,
perished with him. The residence of
The family is at No. 103 Boerum place.
Mr.. Samuel Solomon, the only surviv.
ing member of the family who has
reached mans estate, said while tears
filled his eyes and flowed. down his
cheeks "Yes, our family has suffered
more than any other by this. fearful
calamity. My father has been taken
away with two of my sisters, my poor
brother Philip, aud my sister-in-law.
Oh, it is awful l am the only man
left in the family and we, who have
never known sickness, and to whom
death has hitherto been stranger, now
lose five OF our loved ones ina moment" :"
The Mccullough family, of Brooklyn,
lost eveny male member.
MOTHERS GRIEF.
In room on the top floor of q tene-
ment at the corner of Flushing and Grand
avenues, a poor old woman sat and
mourned. Iler two sons, John and
Thomas Pollard, one aged eighteen
years and the other fourteen, were
among the victims of the fire, and she,
old, widowed, and poor, was left alone
in the world. She stated to the writer
that she knew her sons had gone to the
theatar, and with O clother's solicitude
she had sat up to await their return.
The hours wore on slowly, aLd wonder
and fear at tlieir absencegr uron her.
"They were good boys" she declared,
"and I did not know what to think
about them staying out so late. But at
four o'clock in the morning I couldn't
stand it any longer. had to do some
thing, so went to tie station house to
fnd out if there was any trouble. And
then I found out that the theater was
burned. Ever since I have been wan
dering around looking for the boys. I
found poor Tom, but, God help me, I
can't find John yet"
AN ASTONISHING STORY.
William Kerr, of Brooklyn, testified
that he was in front of the theater when
the fire broke out. He attempted to
enter the theater, but was prevented,
and stepping back to the street he heard
q noise beneath the sidewalk. The iron
plate over the coal hole was pushed mp,
and the head and shoulders of q man ap-
peared. he pulled the man to the side
walk, and hs was followed by another
man. He was then ordered off by the
police. The police clapped the plate
back, and nothing is known of the fate
of the men who went back.
ESCAPE OF THE ORCHESTRA.
The members of the orchestra, who
were, rof course, between the audience
and the fire, took their instruments and
went out under the stage. As they
passed under the stage floor fire was
dropping through it, but they all escaped
unharmed.
A strong armed officer stood at the
door of the station house when tall,
fair haired girl stepped up. to him and
said: "I'm looking for Kitty, my dead
sister" The officer told the girl that
she must 90 to the morgue, and then it
was discovered that the fair haired girl
was insane. She sobbed aloud, and
sympathizing bystanders escorted her
out of the crowd. She had mourned
for her lost and loved sister until reason
had left its throne.
THE TWO ACTORS.
The bodies of the two actors, Muir
dock and Burroughs, we're found to-
eethcr and recognized only by the por-
tions Of dress they wore when the fire
broke cut. They no doubt remained
on the stage expecting the fire would be
quenched. At the last moment they
went to their rooms to get their street
clothing. The first stairway was mar
row but easy to climb; the second was
very steep, and even when cool great
care in ascending and descending had
to be used. They fell with the stairway
and died together.
How 1t was Taken.