Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-01
KILLED In THEATRE.
TERRIBLE FALL YESTERDAY EVENING
OF YOUNG MAN.
he fumbles Through the Ceiling to the
0rchestra-Floor, Distance
Of Seventy Feet.

A real tragedy was enacted in the Theatre
yesterday evening.
young man made fsIse step, and in an
instant was tumbling and whIrling through
the air for a distasce OF sixty or seventy
feet, and WAS picked up insensible and
dying.
Thousands OF people who have visited the
Theatre have seen a round hole in the cell.
ing. IL seems as II IL might have been
put there to drop a chandelier from; some
tImes 1t is used as a means to suspend ropes
when the Theatre is 10 be decorated, and in
the spring and SKINNER it is left open for
the sake OF ventilation, while In the winter
1t is closed with lid.
IL was down through this opening the
man fell, arousing the echoes in the vacant
hall, smashing two or three OF the heavy
iron seats aud, rebounding, landing 1pon
the register In the middle ise, breaking 1t.
Az oUrGRowTH or THE CENTENNIAL.
In honor OF The centennial day the United
States flag was raised over the Theatre yester-
day morning. II was the duty OF Samuel +.
Ward 10 take II down at sunset.
AZ 5:4j O'Clock y. NJ Ward and Floyd
Rice, another colored man. also an employee
at tho rhes're, started 10 10 lower tue flag
that is 10 say, Rice accompanied Ward to see
how II was TO be done. Ward. however,
SAYS be advised Rice not to accompany him;
suggesting that Rice's place was on the stage
(where he helps to raise the curiains), and II
would be Just as we'll for him to attend to
bis own business.
Rice insisted upon going, and Ward yield
ed bis objections and led the way towards
the rooI.
TIE ROUTE.
By steps back OF the stage the two men
proceeded to the last row OF iolsts IN the
building. They bad gotten in the loft be-
tween the ceiling and the rooi, and it was
very dark, and their way was over the ioisls
amidst piles OF old rope and lots OF stage
fixtures from the rear to the front OF the
building.
Ward led the wsy for some distance, and
being we'll acquainted with the locality met
with no difficulty. Rice, Oh the contrary,
blinded by the darkness ard unfamiliar
with the surroundings, made little headway.
whereupOn Ward told him TO stand still and
I've would 20 forward and open a door at the
front, which would let IN food OF lignt and
make the path plain. While Ward went
forward Rice mUttered that he could dnd his
way and would not stop. The next ward
beard was great crash down in the audi
torium. lie realized that Rice had fallen
through the opening, and so it proved.
DOwS BELOW.
Ii Rice bad followed in the footsteps OF
| Ward all would have been well, but ward,
| walking uuon the iosts. had made a dstOlr
/ 10 avoid The opening, while Rice, following
| him in a straight lne, walked into the hole
| and to his death.
| Iadoes not appear that Ward had advised
| Rice OF the opening; II he did Rice took no
! heed, for after warning be might easily
! have seen IT,
The diameter Of the opening is six feet,
| and downward Rice went with terrific force.
| His fall was heard in the slloon below and
! raised a cloud OF dust, but none OF the IN
! mates knew what had occurred until Ward
came running down.
TIE LANDING.
/ Where Rice landed was on two seats
on the left OF the middle aisle on the second
row after you pass the velvet railing.
! This spot ia six or seven feet out a per-
! pendcuar from the centre OF the opening
thing that puzZels good many people.
! Whether the deviation from the perpendcu-
| lar came from an involuntary spring that
Rice made when on the brink OF the open
| ING: whether from the whirliug motion oi
the body in its descent is not known.
THE INJURIES.
Rice's skull was badly fractured. He
| lived abOuttwenty minutes In an unconscious
and speechess condition.
The ambulance was called and promptly
responded. but there was nothing for the phy-
sicisns 10 do and death occurred IN twenty
minutes: when the Coroner was summoned
| and came and made on investigation ascer-
! tanning the facts here related.
There vas some contention as to whether
| the loft was well lighted.
The fact that Ward volunteered TO 60 for
ward and open a door for the sake OF light
and that Rice mean while fell into the hole
would show that the loft was not we'll lighted.
The covering-a piece OF white nen-kept
over the opening all during the winter was
only removed Yesterday morning.
DECEASED.
FLOYD Rice was tweniy.one years Of age
and unmarried and lived with his mother in
the kitchen OF No 703 east Franklin. The
BODY was delivered TO his mother.
The skull was fractured over the left eye.
| As far as the Coroner could see no other
bones were broken.
The heavy iron chairs upon which Rice
landed were broken into about forty pieces.