The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-12-18
PANIC AT A TIIEATER.
A DOZEN FATALLY CRUSHED AND
SCORES INJURED.


pass down n narrow, walled-up staircase
and through a very narrow door. The
people from the streets rushed into the
door from the outside and many were
crushed before they could lie forced out.
1t was necessary to turn the hose on the
crowd at the door before the rescuers
could get at the dead and wounded. When
the crowd was driven away the following
persons were found dead upon the stairs:
f. BIGLER.
MISS CLARA BURNS.
MRS. HESTER.
GEORGE HORNER.
CHARLES FRAINT.
WILLIAM MILLER, colored.
JOHN Carl
GEORGE sToNAKFR, of Mount Pleasant
LIZZIE CLAYCOMB.
A. FLEASHOUR.
ISAAC TOLOR.
An unknown woman.
Among the seriously injured we're:
CHARLES VAUGHN.
JOHN WIENER.
ALBERT OWENS.
MRS LISTER.
Mrs. PLATT.
RICHARD woRTHINGroN.
CLARENCE ENGBERT.
LEWIS BUNDY.
JOHN DEVIN.
There are about seventy-five others in
1ured. but their names can not be ascer-
tanned.
The dreadful visitation came upon its
victims with even less of warning or time
for preparation than the awful deluge of
May 81. The Johnstown opera-house was
opened to the public less than fortnight
ago. Stetson's "Uncle Toms Cabin was
the play, and there was large audience
present considering the very limited means
which Johnstown people now find at their
nd l. ind Of mn
poses. During the performance the cry
of fire was raised.
To people to whom any sudden warn
ing might mean so much-to those who
had so recently passed through the hor-
rors Of the greatest flood of the century,
this cry was terrifying in the extreme. 1t
spread like wlldfire itself, and was on
every lip in an instant, Mortified and
panic stricken the hundreds of people in
the audience rushed over seats, struggling
bodies, and everything toward the one
means of exit. This was only a single
narrow stairway, and over one another
headlong, the frightened people plunged,
regardless of consequences.
When the calamity became known and
before the dead and wounded could be
taken out people rushed from the OUTSIDE
up the narrow stairs and were crushed by
the CT owd forcing its way TO the street.
Ry lao o'clock nine dead bodies had
been recovered from the wreck of the stairs
and auditorium and dozens upon dozens
of the in jnred had been assisted to doctors
offices and drug stores for relief and re-
storation By 2 o'clock twelve dead
bodies had been counted out and it seemed
as if the number might yet be swelled-
possibly doubled. The number of in
jured at this hour has reached sew
enty-fve and there has been as yet only
the most superficial and hasty searches for
either the rescued or dead.
When the jam occurred large number
OF persons thinking the fire was in the
opera house. cried to get into the theater,
making another jam, and it was necessary
for the firemen to turn the hose on the
crowd to get them away from the door
The screams were terrible and il was
shocking to see small children knocked
down by big men and trampled upon
The theater has always been noted as a
death trap and was condemned twelve
years ago, but the other one was washed
away in the food and this one has been in
use.
The manager tried TO quiet the crowd,
but il was no use. One man jumped from
the third-story window and was seriously
hurt, and many more would have jumped
but for a few cool heads. 1t is reported
that the police injured several persons in
trying to clear the jam. All the dead were
taken to Henderson's morgue and all were
identified.
Coroner Evans and jury of six men
viewed the remains and came 10 the decis-
ion that the victims came to their death
by being crushed and mangled in Parke' 5
opera house.
Among the killed was a colored man OF
Chambersburg, Pa, aged l9; Stonnker of
Mount Pleasant was 20; Lizzie Clayco
10: Clara Burns ~. Mrs Burns, mother
OF Clara, aged 40, was killed. Isaac Tolor
was co. George Horner, IL; Mrs. hester.
%; E. Bigler 8.
1t is likely that the officials will close
the opera house, although had the crowd
kept their wits about them not one would
have been hurt. An unknown man in the
boys gallery did a great deal in keeping
the people from jumping from the third
story windows and doubtless saved many
| lives.
Blame is put on the fireman who rang
the Johnstown fire bell, as the fire was in
| Kernville, but he is not to blame. Post
master Banner, Policemen Becker, Stearn,
/ Harris, and others acted uobly in rescuing
the in jured. Women ana men alike were
frenzied, and there was fighting on Main
street while those inside were being killed.
1t was over two hours after the jam be-
fore the hall was cleared, and some Of the
injured and dead were lying in the build
: ing an hour after the crash. Most of the
injured were taken TO the ad joining stores
and properly cared for.
The excitement is intense. There are
several persons missing, all ladies, but
owing to the confusion their names car
not be ascer; aimed. A large number OF
saloons were open until j. o'clock and
drunkenness added to the horror of the
scenes. Had not the hose been turned on
at the proper time it is hard to tell what
would have been the result.
The house is a small, three story, brick
building, fronting on Main street, and, like
the south fork reservoir, has always beer
considered unsafe. While the new one
was in operation IL was little used and had
but a small exit from the second story by
n narrow pair of stairs TO the street Il
had no fire escape.