The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-05-20
THE ATLANTA HOLOCAUST.

THE ATLANTA HOLOCAUST.
Ladies Dressed as Angels-A Gas Jet Sets
Fire to Wing, and Five Amateurs are
Wrapped in Flames-Thcir Wild flight.
The Atlanta Constitution contains the
following particulars of the burning of
five young ladies at the Opera House in
that city:
It seems that just before the time for
the performance to begin group OF
eight or ten young ladies were collected
in one of the upper dressing rooms,
which is reached from the stage floor by
means of a short flight of steps leading
up to q narrow balcony, from the edge of
which rises a low wooden railing. These
young ladies were dressed TO rcpl esent
angels. They wore full flowing tarletan
robes, with very large sleeves, relieved
by long broad wings standing stitfly out
behind, and made of common batting.
The mind staggers in the effort to i'm
agine o more combustible costume. A
gas jet was burning in this room. It had
been lighted for the purpose of burning
cork, which, as everybody knows, is used
by amateurs and professionals, the world
over, in making up the face for artistic
effect upon the stage. Among the ladies
| in this dressing room were Miss Maggie
Chapman, Mrs. Abbie Hammond, of
Baltimore, Miss Madge Ellis, Miss Min
ME Bellamy and Miss Katie Mayrant,
who is visitor here from Charleston.
One of the above named ladies-some
say Miss Chapman, some Mrs. Ham
mond, others Miss Ellis-in turning
about, thrust her wing into the blazing
jet In less than one minute she was in
flames, and in wheeling around in her
fright, had communicated them to the
other two. Mrs. Bellamy, vino was also
in the room, took in the situation at a
glance, and, with the quiclsness of
thought, violently showed the girls near
est the door-her daughter and Miss
Mayrant among the number-out upon
the balcony. The three flaming angels
rushed madly from the room, and two of
them, in passing down the balcony to
the stage, set fire to the wings of Misses
Bellamy and Mayrant. The third, Mrs.
Hammond, frantic from fright, took
shorter path to the stage, throwing her
self over the balcony railing and falling
distance Of nearly ten feet to the floor
below. Having regained her feet she
was making for pile of rubbish in a
corner, evidently with the intention of
throwing herself upon it, when Messrs.
G. S. Barnum, T. F. Hutson and Prof.
Agostini three of the performers, came
heroically to her assistance, and by fold
ing her in coats and stripping off her
fiery garments saved her life. Miss
Chapman ran down the balcony steps,
and was intercepted at the bottom by DIR.
Olmstead, who bravely EMBODIED her in
his own coat, but alas, she pulled away
from him, when Mr.. Edward King flew
to his aid, and nobly striking her to the
floor, the two together fought the fiery
scorpions, which were drinking up her
young life, until they were dead. Miss
Bellamy. as soon as the tip of her wings
caught from the passing flames, with a
coolness which borders on the marvel
lous, threw herself upon her back on the
balcony and rubbed the fire out before it
had time to spread over her dress. Miss
Ellis did not leave the balcony, but with
presence of mind truly phenomenal
made her way to an adjoining dressing
room, and throwing a piece of carpet
around her rolled lover and over upon
the floor until the flames were extin-
guished. Miss Mayrant was doubly un-
fortunate. In her desperate effort to
escape from the balcony she was not only
set On fire, but knocked down. She fell
at the head of the steps leading to the
stage, and Miss Chapman passed over
her. She then rolled heavily down upon
the stage floor, sprang to her feet and
ran in upon the stage proper. She saw
no hope there. The ladies there were
dressed like herself, and she would not
endanger their lives by running to them.
She saw NO man. The thought flashed
through her mind that she could be saved
only by gaining the street. So she shot
like meteor through the stage door,
rushed down two flights OF steps and
reached the pavement screaming and
with the flames shooting high above her
head. The very minute she struck the
sidewalk two brave and stalwart arms,
between which was beating a heart with
out thought of self, encircled her tlan-
ing frame, and Mr.. John Hill stood there
fighting the fire as if it was pleasure.
In Just three seconds another grand man
was by his side clapping his hands over
her mouth and nose to keep the tongues
of fire from piercing her very throat and
tearing away the burning shreds, which
like fiery serpcnts were coilcd about her
failing form. This was Mr.. Fricrsol, of
Frierson & Leak, and in less timo than
it takes to write it he had her carefully
wrapped up and tcndcrly placed upon Il
lounge in his office. And thus another
| life was saved.
Miss Maggie Chapman was horribly
burned about the neck, throat and arms.
She inhaled the flames, affecting most
seriously thereby the bronchial tubes.
She was borne to her home on Houston
street late in the afternoon upon bed.
She is attended by Drs. Wcstmoreland,
Wilson. Olmstead and Howell, who
think her condition extremely critical.
Mrs. Abbie Hammond is dangerously
burned about the neck, shoulders and
arms. She was first taken to the resi-
dence of DR.. Willis Westmoreland, where
she was most tendcrly nursed. Later in
the afternoon she was removed upon q
lounge to the home of her friends on
LucEie street. She is attended by Drs.
Westmoreland and J. NJ. Johnson.
Miss Madgc Ellis was painfully burned
upon both arms, and Miss Mamie Bel
lamy was severely burned upon each
shoulder. These young ladies are at
tended by DIR. Thad. Johnson, who thinks
their condition by no means serious.
Miss Katie Mayrant WAS conveyed in a
carriage by DIR. James Alexander to the
residence of Mrs. Boylston, on Pcachtree
street. She has three very painful burns
ono on either arm and one upon her
right shoulder.
ATLANTA, May 1.-two of the young
lady amateurs burned at the Opera