The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-11-27
PANIC IN A NEW YORK THEATRE.
False Alarm OF Fire-rrantic Rush OF a
Frightened Audiencc-sevcral Persons In
iured.

| jured.
The performance in the London Theatre,
at No. BOB Bowery. was interrupted last
evening by false alarm OF fire, caused by
break in one OF the steam pipes. a panic
ensued, and several persons were injured
during the rush Of numbers OF the specta-
tors toward the doors. As usual on Thanks
giving evenings, the Theatre was crowded
to It's utmost capacity. The sale Of tickets
at the boX-oftce showed that 2,1S0 persons
were in the building. The audience was
composed for the most part Of men end
boys. The crush in the gallery was almost
| intolcrablc before the performance began.
At $50 O'Clock, while Miss Nellie Rich
ards was on the stage singing "The Old
| Fireplace" dense cloud Of steam sud-
denly arose from the pipes used TO heat the
building on the right-hand side and under
meath the gallery. A number Of men and
boys who had been unable to find seats had
crowded into the sidc-aisle at that point,
and some OF them were standing on the
pipes. Their weight caused one OF the
pipes TO break. The persons who had caused
the accident got out OF the way Of the esca-
ping steam without injury. Numbers OF
others who were near the broken pipe ran
I
| c an explosion. Some one cried out " Fire."
and in another instant there was panic.
The actress stopped singing and fed from
the stage. The musicians threw down their
instruments and sprang from their seats to
seek place Of safety. On the main floor Of
the theatre and in the galleries there was
general alarm. Men rushed toward the
aisles, forgetting their hats and oYerconts.
A few women who were in the building
shrieked for help. On every side persons
were seen climbing over the seats and at
tempting to walk on the backs and
heads Of others. The rush ef eX-
cited men and boys down the gallery
stairs was terrific. When the advance
guard Of the crowd reached the outer doors
Of the building the doors were broken by
the shock. Several persons fell and were
irampled on. A few men acted like mad
men, striking blows right and loft in their
frantic haste to get outside. Thomas Do
MADISON, the manager OF the theatre, was
in the rear OF the stage when the steam be-
Gan to escape. llc took In the situation ut
glance, and, springing ont upon the
STAGE. he shouted himself hoarsc in the
effort 10 make the audience understand that
there was no danger. His voice was rot
heard more than dozen feet from the
stage, but his words were taken up
and repeated by a number Of men who
had sufficient presence OF mind TO
keep out Of the crush. Edward Peters,
the engineer. fought MS way through
crowd under the gallery and turned OIL the
steam. lie shouted ont that there was no
fire. When the steam ceased escaping the
alarm soon subsidized, and the audience,
OF
frightened sheep. became quiet again.
Nearly two thirds OF the audience had been
unable 10 get out OF the building, and
when il was known on all sides that there
was no danger, there was general scram-
bling back TO the vacated seats. Mr.. Donald
son ordered the band TO play and The actors
TO continue their performances, but it was
twenty minutes before the actors could be
heard. Nearly thousand persons had lett
the theatre during the excitement, and
they were clamorOus TO be admitted again
when the alarm was over. Detective Hess,
Of police headquarters, who was passing
the theatre when the rush began. had sent
out an alarm Of fire. and the arrival Of the
firemcn soon after created some additional
excitement. Captain Alairc, with strong
detachment OF policemen OF the Tenth pre-
cinct, was soon on hand To preserve order,
and barricade Of officers was made against
the dense crowd that seemed ready to take
the building by storm.
When peace was restored the play in thc
theatre went on without any unusual in
terruptiOnS. II was learned that the break
age in the theatre was confined TO chairs
and doors, and that the damage was less
than 500. More hats than heads had been
broken. An ambulance was summoned
from the Chamber s-Street Hospital, but the
surgeons i'm attendance found no one who
was injured badly enough to warrant their
removal to the hospital Of Com
qDprc9