The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-05-19
A Shocking Scene
THAT APPALLS THE WHOLE CITY.
A Fire Takes Place on the Stage Of De
Gives Opera House, In Which the
Young Ladies' Become EnyelOped-
The Wild Excitement Of the Mo.
mont.
f.iHnntn Constitutional

The Wild Excitement OF the mo-
ment.
[~.ithnnta Constitutional
Yesterday afternoon, n few minutes past
three o'clock, just before the curtain had risen
upon the matinee performance of the spec
ticuIur of Paradise md the Perl, the audience
were startled by the cry Of fire. In n twink
point Of stampcdlng. when Mr.. Edward King.
one of the performers, drew the curtain aside
and advancing calmly to the footlights, up
pealed To them to pass out quietly, stating ut
the same time that the costume Of one OF the
young Indies, who represented an angel. had
accidentally caught fire and had been prompt.
ly cxtingulslIed. but owing to her hysterichl
condition, 1t had been decided 10 postpone the
entertainment. Upon this the audience
seemed treasured to n certain extent and be-
gun crowding to the door. not If people who
are exactly panic stricken. but after the man
ncr of men and women DESTROYS OF quitting
tho building az rapidly as, might be consist
cnt with the preservation OF life and limb.
The admirable %coolncss Of young King. Sec
ondcd by the splendid suppressivc efforts OF
several elderly gentlemen In the house, had n
fine curbing effect, and the audience. which,
happily, WINS small, passed TO the street with
out accident.
4. Constitution reporter. anxious 10 learn the
exuct status Of the affair upon the stage, work
cd his way through the throng which sur
rounded the back entrance nnd passed In be-
hind the scenes. Here he cleaned the pnrtic-
ultlrS OF inc SlQucSL ulu IEOSL ulTTOWl IS
scene which has ever been enacted upon any
stage. 1t seems that just before the time for
the performance to begin II group of eight or
ten young Indies were collected In one OF the
upper dressing rooms. which iS reached from
the stage floor by means OF n short flight OF
steps leading up to n harrow balcony, from
the edge OF which rises Il low wooden railing.
! These young ladies were dressed TO represent
angels. They wore full moving tarleton robes
with very lurge sleeves, relieved by long,
broad wings, standing stlffly out behind, and
made of common batting. The mind sthggers
In the effort to inaginca more .combustlblc
It had been lighted for the purpose of burn:
Ing cork. which, rs everybody knows. is used
by amateurs and professionals, the world
over, In making up the face for artistic effect
upon the stage: Anon NOM Inc iadies IN this
! Mrs. Abbic Hammond of Baltimore, Miss
Madgc Ellis, Miss Minnie Rcllalny and Miss
Katie Mnyrunt, who Is n visitor here from
Charleston. One Of the above named ladies'
some say Miss Chapman; some, Mrs. Ham
mUnd; Others Miss ElliS-in turning about,
thrust her wing into the blazing Jet. In less
than one minute she was In fnmCS, and in
catc,i them to the other Two. Mrs. Bellainy,
who was also In the room, took In the situa-
ton nj Il glance, and with the quickness OF
thought, Violently showed the girls nearest the
d0or-hcr daughter and Miss Mayrunt aIuon
the numbcr-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
Mrs. Hammond, frantic from fright, took Ii
shorter path to the stage, throwing herself
over the balcony railing and Inllingu distance
OF nearly ten feet 10 tho floor below. Having
rcgaine ed her feet she wis making for q pile or
rubbish In the corner, evidently with the in
tcnti0n OF throwing herself upon II, when
Alcssrs. u. :. Darnum, Il. +. Huston and Pro-
lessor Agostini, three of the performers. came
| l. 1,> Io,lI -. ~, Inns nyLIcfpnnn nnfl hy fnltttrur
her in coats and stripping of her fiery gar
ments, saved her life. Miss Chapman ran
down the balcony steps, and was intercepted
ut the bottom by DR.. Olmstend, who brnvely
pulled away from him.. when Mr.. Edward
! King new to his aid, and nobly striking her
to the door, the two together ought the fiery
scorpions, which were drinking up her young
life, until they were dead. Miss Bcllamy, as
soon as the tip Of her wings caught from the
passing fumes, with u GOODNESS which borders
on the marvellous, threw herself upon her
back ON the balcony md rubbed the fire out
before 1t had time tD sprcnd over her dress.
Miss Ellis did not leave the balcony, hut with
n presence OF mind truly phenomenal, made
her way to an adjoining dressing room, and.
throwing n piece OF carpet around her, rolled
were cxtinguishcd. Miss Mnyrnnt WAS dOubly
unfortunate. In hcrdespcrntc effort 10 escape
from the balcony she wns not only set OIL fire,
hut knocked down. She fell At the head OF
the steps leading to the stage. and Miss Chap
man passed over her. She then rolled hcnvI-
~ down up0n the stage door, sprang to her
feet, and ran upon the stage proper. She saw
no hope there. The ladies' there were dressed
! like herself, and she would not cnllnn.er
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 II meteor through The
stage door, rushed down two fights Of steps
aud reached the pavement screaming and
with the Misunderstanding high above her head.
The very minute she struck the side walk two
brave and stalwnrt arms, between whirI was
beating n heart without Il thought Of sell. on
circlcu her flaming rnme and Mr.. John Hill
stood there fighting the fire us II 1t was II
pleasure. In just three seconds another grand
man WIS by lis side, clapping his nnd over
her mouth and nose TO Keep the tongues OF
fire from piercing her very throat, md tear
Ing way the burning shreds. which like fiery
scrpcntS were cOilcd about her falling form.
This was Mr.. FrlcrSon, OF FrlerSun 4 Leak,
and In less time that 1t takes to write II he
had her carefully wrapped up and tcndcrly
placed Upon II lounge In his Office. And thus
another life was shved.
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
upon n bed. She Is attended by Drs. West
mOrrland, Wilson ,Olmstend and Howell. who
think her condition extremely critical.
Mrs. .Abhlc Hammond Is dangerously burn
cu ABOUT TIC neck, SnuuluerS anu arms. she
WAS first taken to the residence of Ir. Wills
WcStmorcland, where she WINS most tendcrly
nursed. Later In the afternoon she was re.
moved upon n lounge to the home Of her
friends on G.uckie street. She is attended by
Drs. WcstmOrclnnd and J. NJ. Johnson.
Miss Mulge Ellis was painfully burned up
on both arms, and Miss Mamie Bellamy was
severely burned upon each shoulder. These
young ladies are attended by DR.. Thld john
son, who thinks their condition by no means
serious.
Miss Kate Mayrant was conveyed In q car
rlagc by DR.. James Alexander to the residence
Of Mrs. BoylstOn, on Pcachtrcc street. She
has three very painful Durns-one on either
arm and one upon her right shoulder.
The reporter cstccms 1t an honor to write
the names of such noble spirits us Olmstcnd,
King. AgoStini. Huston. Barnum.. Fricrson
and Hill. whose heroic conduct In risking
their own lives for others has In 1t the elc-
mcnt OF the true sublime. All Of these gen.
tlrmcn received bad burns about the fingers.
Those OF Professor Agoslinl nre very severe.
the fingers OF each hand being drawn up In Il
most painful manner. lie is Il perfect little
hero, though, and told the reporter that lie
was willing TO suffer, and, If necessary, to die
T., r,,n1, n Hnr.I ~