Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-12
NOTHING BUT A TRAP.
The Johnstown Theater Baited With I'm
Gle Toms Cabin Gets Fifteen Victims.

JoHNsTowN, Pa, Dec. 1.-THE opera
house horror here last night was fully as
shocking as first reports made it. The
number of dead positively known is ten
and five of the injured are reported to have
didd this morning at their homes in
various sections Of the town. The number
of injured is about eighty. None of these
now surviving are seriously injured, being
merely bruised and shocked. The doctors
Say that the most remarkable feature of
the accident is that not single bone was
broken in either of those killed or of those
injured
The following is list of the killed:
George Shanaker, Miss Lizzie Coycomh,
John Miller (colored). Isaac Foler, Mrs.
Wesley Burns, Miss Clara Burns: George
Horner, aged II, jumped from the top gal
lery thirty feet down to the parquette and
his neck was broken; Mrs. John w. Mes
tors and Eddie Blugler.
There were 500 people in the house
The cause of the death in every instance
was the crushing at the doorway leading
to the street in the frantic efforts of the
people to get out of the building. The cry
of fire was sounded from the top gallery
when the last act of the play. Uncle
completion. Instantly upon the cry being
raised the audience made break aud
plunge for the narrow exit, Those in
front were thrown forward, and upon
them the whole mass of people tumbled
head long, climbing over them and caus-
ing a jam right at the street door The
scene at this time was simply horrible. A
great crowd at once gathered in the street
and pushed up so closely against the
theater entrance that the. pollcei could not
keep them back. In order to drive them
away it was found necessary TO turn a
stream of water upon them from fire
hose. All this time the yells and cries of
both those inside and out of the theater
were terrible TO hear, and were heard for
squares.
The cause of the fire alarm was smoke
issuing from the chimney in a kitchen in
the rear of a residence several blocks away
from the theater.
\ coroner's jury has been summoned
and viii take testimony this evening. The
street door leading to the theater stairway
is four feet seven inches wide in the clear
This is three or four feet from the foot of
the stairway. On the second step is
double swinging door. This opening is
exactly four feet wide. The stairway lead
ing TO the first floor is twenty feet ard
seven inches in ascent. The stairway lead
ing TO the first gallery is three feet wide
That to the second gallery is three feet
wide at the foot aud two feet and niue
inches wide at the first landing above. The
theater. owing to its construction, has al
ways been regarded as a trap
Henderson morgue. where the dead were
laid, WAS visited by thousands of people to-
day. Many came from curiosity while
here and there in the throIg would be
found = bereaved one mourning the loss of
a parent, child or relative. The funerals
of the victims will take place on Friday.
The theater will not reopen. The city
officials are being severely criticised for
permitting the use OF the building as a
thester, as il is claimed it was known to be
unsafe.