New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-02
TIE THEATRE DISASTER.
LEo,s BODY FOUND IN THE RUINS.

LOSERS BY THE FIRE-AN
BEGUN BY FIRE MARSHAL SHELDON.
Twenty laborers searched from Tuesday AFTER
noon till yesterday afternoon In the ruins OF the
Park Theatre fol the body of the missing man.
John K. Leo. 1t was known that he had been ID
the carpenter shop and t war supposed that he had
lost his life In trying escape by tho stairs lead
ing down TO the stage. This surmise proved To be
correct Between aud o'clock yesterday morn-
ing Of the aborers, Francis Foy, an employe oil
Nbo's aud friend of the dead man, found burned
shoe in the vicinity of the gas room. This room
was under the stage on the east side and immedl-
ately behind of two brick pillars which sup
ported the prvscenum arch. Search was made In
this neighborhood during the remainder OF the
night without success. There was an immense mass
of twisted gas pipe rcn braces and charred rafters
piled together in this corner. Shortly before four
o'clock yesterday afternoon one Of the workmen in
digging struck n soft substance which, it was at
once thought, was part of the body. After remov-
ing a network OF iron rods, the body was found at
40 lying in the loop Of bent iron brace. All
that remained of 1t IA small portion OF the skull.
the trunk. the stumps of the legs aud part OF the
left arm. All were q mass of charred and bruised
flesh, shapeless and unsigbty. The body was
wrapped IN piece of cloth and wOid was at once
sent to the Coroner. 1t Stated nc the Coroners
office yesterday that the date of tho inquest upon
the bodies of Clark and Leo had not vet been
decided, but 1t probably will take place next week.
Clark " ill be buried to-day, from his house, No.
3S4 East Thlrd-st.
Mr.. Abbey sent $50 10 the widow of Clark yes
teIday and $50 to Mrs. ROwartn, the iantress
whose home WAS IN the burned building. He went
to Boston early in the day to attend the first ap.
pearance of Nine. Nilsson, and so did not know of
the finding OF Leo The ballet girls OF the Park
Theatre and the Grand Opera House are collecting
money for the families of the dead men. The ar
engagements for the benefit for the employees who
lnaf nnpfu in Inn fra hnl nnsnn Tlttlnl
The greatest sufferers were probably the musicians,
who lost two comDlete sets of instruments. Mrs.
Langtry is deeply interested in the benefit move
ment. Daniel ErObman, secretary of the Actors
Fund Association, said yesterday that committee
from the theatrical Mechanics Association had
called upon him to find out whether the Fund AS
soclatIon would cooperate IN paying tho funeral OK
penses of the two men, He had replied that the
association would do 30 and that II stood ready to
do thing in reason for the relief OF the families.
meeting of the Board of Trustees would probably
be called soon to take action IN the matter.
Mrs. Langtiy and her company met at the Grand
Opera House yesterday morning. IL was found,
however. that their nerves we're still considerably
unstrung and matters did not run smoothly; so the
people were dsms.od There will be reheaI sal
of As You Like IL" at l. a. m. to-day. The eA-
change of the Park Theatre seats tor those at Wal
lacks will begin this morning. In the meantime
active preparations are going Oh for the opening
on Monday night. Philip GOatcner and john MAJ
zanOyich Mr.. Wallacks scenic artists, are at work
at his theatre on one OF the scenes. The others are
being painted by Messrs MaedeI, Hoyt Weston ana
Pasted, with. their assistants, at the Grand Opera
House aud Niblo's Garden
telegram from Boston Tuesday night said
that Nine. Nilsson had lost a number of valuable
dresses III the fire. w. W. Tillots jn Mr. AGbeys
manager, sad yesterday tina he know nothing of
any such dresses. C.. w. Matthews, Mr.. Abbev's
book keeper and secretary. SAID that Nine Nilsson
had large basket full of things stored in the ward
robe of the theatre. He beheN ed this basket
had been destroyed, but did not know whether 1t
contained anything valuable.
TESTIMONY TAKEN BY THE FIRE MARSHAL.
When the Park Theatre was destroyed Fire Mar
shall Sheldon was out of town, but as soon as he re-
turned TO the city on Tuesday he visited the ruins
aud obtained from his assistants all the informa-
ton they had been able to collect about the origin
of tho fire. In his Office at Fire Headquarters yes
terdsy Mr.. Sheldon took the testimony of everal
witnesses. Hamilton Weaver, a stage machInist
at the theatre, who on the stage when the ire
broke out, said he first saw the flames in the par
ttOu between the front of the house and the stage.
They about on level With the second pro-
scenium box on the right of the stage. His atten-
ton called To the hre by some other person.
" lille other persons tried t. fight the fire with ex-
tnRuIshers he stretched the water-hose and then
down stairs to start the pump. Upon his return
from the basement he saw that the flies were Oh
fire. He thought the fire had started in one OF the
lower boxes, but he could It guess the caqse.
Anne Rowarth. janitres5 OF the building, said that
she was in one of the boxes placing tides on tue
chairs. Mr. Mcdonald was with her. She saw
smoke coming INTO the boa through cracks In the
partitions between the box and the stage There
was lighted gas jet on The partition OF the box
She 10 the stage and saw the flames teyouring
fire with pals OF water. The red stage curtain was
on fire before she left the stage. UphOsterers had
been at work in the lower box halt an hour before
the fire discoy cred George Il Henry, prop.
erty-maksr. said he saw the flames coming through
the sheathng of the proscenium box the right of
the stage amt about ten feet above the floor. lie
carried eXtlnguiSher to an upper box, but found
no fire there As the smoke became very IN. ok and
the flames were spreading rapidly, he loft the build
ing.
Thomas Weston, u scene painter at the theatre,
said:
There was q dressingroom for the painters on tho
west side OF the proscenum the proscenium arch
about eighteen feet above the stage. There a
wooden shaft about three feet by feet running
to the dTessngrOOm Ii at the top three feet
above the nOor OF the rigging loft Mr. Maeder and le
dressing ABOUT two minutes before the dscOy
cry OF the re There was then no smell OF smoke In
tue ROOM We went across the street Tor moment and
our return discovered tue flames which coming
through the sheathng on the inside OF the prosoenium
ABOUT ten feet above the stage and about feet from
the line OF the pr0scenium. Tue flames through
the cracks and shot up about two feet. They spread
across the prosceDium arcn Ike flash Clark began
to lower The curtain but when he got 1t down about
eight feet the flames caught It, L ran across |
the stage to the alarm box which was
carpenters closet When 1 got there the fire was |
falling from above and tine smoke thick that |
aud pushed the button tnen shut the large doors in
Twenty -secondst ana held them smut to stop the |
draught. The fire got hot that had get outside
held the doors for little while and then ran across the
street. There alarm box the other side Of the
stage which was sounded by smith, the gas filter 1t |
the fire when had to quit the building There no
pants Or oils III the theatre as only dry colOrs
used.
to-day.
An examiner of the Buildings Bureau reported |
yesterday that the walls of the Park Theatre were
dangerously unsafe, and Inspector Esterbrook or |
dered their removal.
"