The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-06-18
SLAUGHTER OF INNocENTs
Terrible Catastrophe at Sunder.
land, Eng, Theatre.
Nearly Two Hundred Children Killed in
Panic.
Most Heartrending Scenes L. and
Around the Building.

VOlVlnS Tue ueatn OF 40 Cnliufeny occurred IN
the town of Sunderland, in the county OF Dur
ham, this evening. From the details thus far
received 1t appears that an entertainment had
been given in Victoria Hall by oonjurer,
which was attended almost altogether by chill
dren. Several thousand were in attendance.
Tue accident which was so direful In its effects
occurred at the close of the performance. The
body of the hall had been entirely cleared OF
its occupants when some 1909 tf the lite ones
came rushing down stairs from the gallery.
AT the top of the first flight of stairs there
was door which opened only 20 inches, and
thus but one child was permitted TO pass
through at time. AT this point while the
mass of children were pushing forward one OF
them fell and was unable to rise, owing 10 the
others crowding ON. The result was that
great numbsr were pushed down, trampled on
and suffocated.
The scene was terrible and no effort could
stop the mad rush OF the atfrighted children.
They came in pell nell, though strangely with
out much shouting, and 1TS of them were
knocked down and suffocated by others tramp
ling upon them. The greater number Of the
bodies, which were badly mangled from the
tram pling, laid seven or eight deep. Many of
the victims and others who we're not killed,
had their clothing torn from their bodies, and
this, together with the bleeding bodies OF the
unfortunates, shows the terrible nature of the
struggle, The ages OF the IT'S children known
TO have been killed ranged from to IA years.
The excitement in the town when the news
of the disaster spread was terrific. Great
crowds OF people rushed to the scene, until at
least 10000 persons surrounded the hall. The
feeling was so intense that the authorities or
dered out the 6Sth infantry TO preserve order.
The work of getting ont the bodies of the VIC
tins was begun Immediately. They were laid
out in the hall, and the parents OF those killed
were admitted for the purpose OF identifying
the bodies of their children. Most heartrend-
ing scenes transpred while the work OF ident-
ticat,on was in progress. The mothers Of the
dead children Constantly uttered piercing
shreks, and many Of them tainted on discov-
ering the bodies of their little ones
LATER
LONDON, June l7.-rhe terrible calamity
that occarrsd Saturday evening at Victoria
Hall, Sunderland, Is the sabiset of universal
and unhappy comment. The hall has been
surrounded today by distressed and excited
crowds. The stairway from the gallery ut the
top of the landing OF which occurred the pres
sure which led TO the cause of the accident,
was from five to six feet wide. and the gallery
door through which the children were allowed
TO pass only one at a time, which circumstance
is regarded as the direct cause of the calamity
was fitted with bolt which lodged in hole
IN the floor, thus narrowing the pasSageway for
the purpose of facilitating ticket taking when
the audience was entering in the hall.
The janitor says the scene behind the gallery
door was fearful. Some OF the children were
fixed upright in heap and actually gasping
for breath so great was the pressure of the
crowd behind them. The majority of the
EhlluNCu III tuo hdtl NCTb ulUGf IL years OF
age. When the disaster happened the ianitol
and his wife and several hastily summoned by
ISLANDERS went to work immediately 20 give the
sufferers relief. They first sent ont of the
building by other exit ways the little ones who
were still in the hall, by this means averting
fears OF a further crush. Those who went to the
rescue oflfhe unfortunate sufferers found the
work OF removing the heap of buried, crushed
and sutfccated bodies no easy task Two hnn-
dred were rescued from the pile practically
uninIurad MaOv nthnFS Wa f0pOd in an mn
conscious condition, but OF these a number
were restored and Immediately taken to their
homes. Nearly all those who were dead, with
a number whose wounds were regarded as IA
tai, were laid out in the main hall, where local
doctors in attendance used every effort TO re-
store those in whom spark of life could be
detected.
An eye witness said he saw lying on the flag
stones short distance from the bottom of the
stairs the dead bodies of seven children Many
OF those who came TO assist in removing the
dead and rescning the living were utterly over
come by the dust rising and the sight of SO
many dead and dying children
A number of deaths have occurred since tue
first report and the fatal list Is now placed at
1856 The rescuers first efforts were directed
towards reSeuing children who apparent
ly alive, but so tightly were the victims
jammed together that it was regarded as dam
gerous to drag them out of the helpless mass
lest the effort would result in pulling off the
limbs of living children as we'll as mntilating
the dead. They therefore proceeded steadily
ard systematically to lift eff the topmost. A
few of those who we're underneath had sur
vived and their meanings and low cries OF pain
could be distintly heard amid the excitement,
and the cries Of bereaved parents and friends
who we're thronging adjacent streets.
The disaster referred too in all the
churches in Sunderland today: and
by many OF the preachers in London and pray
ers were offered for the parents and friends of
tn victims.
1ha ata;-casa f-o,. 41,a ,,alIar,, ,,,a, a .,.d;..
one. Both the audience and officials who were
in the hall ct the time of the disaster were una
ware for some considerable time of the terri
bic tragedy that was being enacted at the door.
They were not informed until the hall keeper,
who was strollng near by the scene of the ca
lamity, was attracted by groans and gave the
alarm. Fay, who gave the entertainment, was
bpsy packing up his apparatus 10 depart when
a man rushed up to him and informed him of
the disaster and Immediately fell down speech
loss in a fit. Some OF the families whose
houses were SO suddenly darkened lost over
three children. One man and his wife pushed
their way into the hall in which lay the bod
les of the victims, and without beirayiDg any
emotion began to scan the faces of the dead
Recognizing the face of one of his children the
father pointing with his finger exclaimed,
THAT'S one; passing on again he recognized
another and then the third. Struggling in a
fit of agony be cried "My God, all my family
gone," and overwhelmed with grief sank to
the floor. In some homes there are five chill
dren dead.
Queen Victoria sent dispatch to the mayor
of Sunderland expressing her grief at the oc-
currence of the disaster. Children OF the
various Sunday Schools also sent telegraphing
sympathy. Flags at half mast One
Sunday school LOSES 30 scholars by the catas-
trophe.
The scene inside Victoria Hall during the
Identification Of the bodies battles description,
ana was painful in the extreme. Many parents
rushed through the police Gordon appointed for
the preservation OF order, and there was
scene of great confusion.
The latest rep rts figure up 1888 dead, and
there are gravest fears that the number will
reach 200. The eagerness of the children to
depart from the hall, caused by anxiety to re-
ceve prizes that had been promised them.
Graham throws the blame for the calamity up
on man connected with the entertainment,
who, it appears fastened the door half open in
order that the prizes could be given the chill
dren one at q time while leaving the hall.