The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-12-20
in A TlIEATER.
A DOZEN LIVES LOST IN A MAD
PANIC.

uAA SA0 W W0o hSSSSS~ ~
pass down a narrow, walled-up staircase
and through a very narrow door. Tho
PEOPLE from the streets rushed into the
crushed before they could be forced out.
1t was necessary to turn the hose on tho
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:
T.. BlGLER. i
MISS CLARA BURNS.
MRS. HESTER.
GEORGE HORNER.
CHARLES ERAINT.
WILLIAM MILLER, colorcd.
JOHN Carl.
GEORGE STONAKFR, of Mount Pleasant.
LIZZIE CLAYCOMB.
A. TLEASHOUR.
ISAAC TOLOR.
An unknown woman.
Among the seriously injured were:
CHARLES VAUGHN.
JOIN WILMER.
ALBERT OWENS.
Mrs. LISTER.
Mrs. PI.ATT.
RICHARD W~OITHINGToN.
CLARENCE ENGBEIT.
LEWIS BUNuY.
JONI DEvIN.
There are about seventy-ffve others in
Jured, but their names can not be ascer-
tanned.
The dreadful visitation came upon its
victims with sven less of warning or time
for preparation than the asvtul deluge of
May 81. The Johnstown- opera house was
opened to the public less than a fortnight
ago. Stetson's "Uncle TOMS Cabin'' was
tho play, and there was a iarge audience
present considering the very limited means
which Johnstown people now find at their
comm md fn,, INV hind Of nrn,rcou,onf MIR.
poses. During the performance the cry
of fire was raised.
To n people to whom any sudden warm
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 i'll the extreme. 1t
spread like wlldfre itself, and was on
every lip in nh instant. Mortified and
panic-stricken the hundreds of people in
the audience rushed over seats, struggling
bodies, and everything toward tho one
means of exit. This was only n 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 outsiae
up the narrow stairs and were crushed by
the crowd forcing its way to the street.
~ Isl o'clock nine lead bodies had
been recovered from the wreck of the stairs
and auditorium and dozens upon dozens
of the injured had been assisted to doctors
offices and drug stores for relief and re-
storation. ly . O'Clock twelve dead
bodies had beer counted out md it seemed
as if the number might yet be swelled-
Jured at this hour hns reached sew
enty-five and there has been as yet only
the most superficial and hasty searches for
either the rescued or dead.
When the jam occurred a large number
of persons, thinking the fire was in the
opera house. tried to get into the theater,
making another jam, and it was necessary
for the firenlen to turn the hose on the
crowd to get them away from the door.
The screams wcro terrible and it was
shocking to see small children knocked
down by big men and trampled upon.
The theater has always been noted as a
years ago but the other one was washed
away in the Hood and this one has been in
use.
but it was no use. One man jumped from
the third-story window and was seriously
hurt. and many more would have jumped
but for q lew 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 morguc and all were
identified.
Coroner Evans and jury of six men
viewed tho remains and came to the decis-
ion that the victims came to their death
by being crushed and mangled in Parke's
opera house.
Among tho killed was a colored man of
l. CIu t,1,oVs1N,, d. -rnl ia. t--
Mount Pleasant was 20: Lizzie Claycomb,
IL: Clara Burns, 10. Mrs. Burns, mother
of Clara, aged 40, was killed. Isaac Tolor
was 20: George Horner, IL; Mrs. Nester,
%: Il. Bigler s.
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 q great deal in keeping
the people from jumping from. the third
story windows LII doubtless saved many
lives.
blame is put OF the fireman who rang
the Johnstown fire-belI, as the fire was III
i%Sernville, hut he is not to blame. Post.
master banner. Policemen Becker, Stearn,
Harris, and others acted nobly in r~escuing
the injured. Women ana mon alike were
frenzied, and there was lighting on Main
SshHS0 AoANAS "a oOkiS YAK
1t was over two hours after the jam be-
foro 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 adjoining stores
and properly cared for.
The excitement is intense, There are
several persons missing, al ladies, but
owing to the confusion their names can
not be ascerteined. A large number of
saloons We're open until 12 O'Clock and
drunkenness added to the horror of the
scenes. Had not the hose been turned on
at tine proper time it is hard to tell what
would ave been the result.
The house is a small, tlree-story, brick
building, fronting OH Main street, and, like
tho south-fork reservoir, has always been
considered unsafe. While the new one
was in operation it was little used and had
but a small exit from the second story by
a narrow pair of stairs to the street. II
had no fire escape.