The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-12-12

than the omens that preceded the awful
delugo Of May 8i
Ten persons 10 least were killed and
Heyenty'hyo seriously injured as a result
Of fire panic NJ the Johnstown Opera
house, which was opened 10 the public
only one short fortnight ago, stoaon'a
"Uncle Toms Cabin" was the play, and
there was q large audience present, cons
aidoring the very limited means which
Johnstown people now find AZ their
command for any kind Of amusement
purposes
wild Cry of Tire,
During the performance the cry Of fire
was raised, loa people among whom
any sudden warning mightmcan 10 very
much-to those who had passed through
the food Of the century, and had not
forgotten H. hoTors-this cry was con-
tagioua, II spread like wildiro itself,
and was ON every lip In an Instant Ter
riAed and panic'stricken, tho hundreds
Of people In the audience rushed, over
seats, struggling bodies and everything,
toward the one means Of exit, This,
alasl was only single, narrow stair
way, and over one another, hoadlong and
otherwise, the frightened people tum'
blod, regardless Of the consequences,
Ton nodlcs Taken out
That the loas Of life and limb must be
terrible, was easily discovered long be.
fore all the panicky people had got away
from the fOtod place, BY l45 o'clock q,
M, nine dead bodies hap been recovered
from the wreck Of the stairs and audi.
iorium, and dozens upon dozens Of the
injured had been assisted to doctors
offices and drug stores for relief and
restoration,
by q, m. ton dead bodies had been
counted out, and Il seemed as II tho
number might yet be gwclled-po5sibly
doubled, The number Of injured At
this hour had reached soycnty.ilyc, and
there had been as yet only the most ~.
perloial and hasty Of searches for either
the rescued or the dead.
Tho opera House Was wrecked.
Fire had not contributed as speedily
10 this end, indeed, as tho panic had.
Moreover, for time there was positive
doubt among those who had escaped,
whether the alarm had been q false one
or true, They weren't taking any
chances on its gchalncncss, once they
became thoroughly alarmed. The rush
for lile-lor that precious bocn Of which
the wickcn waters had 80 nearly robbed
them oil on that fatal May day-was the
only controlling motive, now that the
fiery olomont was upon them,
This much has only been written on
the spur Of the moment just as the first
authentic news was passed from mouth
30 mouth IN the multitude that had soon
gathered about the latod spot, Further
particulars follow
Another Report
AZ the performance Of Stot8on's "Unclo
Toms Cabin company in Old Main
Street Opera house robuilt), q panic was
caused 10y the alarm Of fire being given.
The hall was crowded, and In the rush
for the only exit, which was reached by
a narrow stairs, ten persons were in
stantly crushed 10 death and probably
Boventy.hye were seriously injured.
II was found necessary 10 turn q
stroGm Of water In the crowd from fire
engine standing near before the dead
and wounded could be taken out. Poo
pie rushed from the outside up the mar.
row stairs and were crushed by the
crowd forcing It's way out.
sim Another Account
As the performance Of "Unclo Tom
was drawing 10 a close the fire bell was
rung, causing a frantic scramble for the
exit There were 800 or 600 mon, women
and children In the hall, and, 10 gain the
street, Il was necessary 30 pass down
narrow, wal-up staircase and through
narrow door,
The people from the streets rushed
into tho door from the outside, and
many wore crushed before they could bo
forced out II wUs, therefore, necessary
10 turn tho hose on the crowd at the
door before the rescuers could get nc the
dead and wounded When tho crowd
was driven away the following persons
were found dead upon the stairs;
Tho Killed.
Miss Clara Burns,
Mrs, Nester.
George Hornor.
Charles Frank.
John Carr.
Mrs. Lister
John Miller.
A. Weiss.
John Wyman.
Richard WorthingiOn.
Isaac Tolnr.
An unknown woman.
Among tho seriously injured weroi
Charles Vaughn.
Albert Owens.
Man named Weimer.
There are about thirty others injured,
but their names cannot bo asCertainod.
The alarm was false, and there aro
many threots against che unknown"
who started IL.
Itichnrd -. Kyle Arrested.
CINCINNATI Dec. IT. Richard d.
Kyle, lato vice president Of the Andor.
ion-Lmris Carriage company, was ar
'egted charged with emle22lement A |
ew weeks ago he had n rupture with |
he company, aud embesalement was
hen sugBeated Kyle paid tbs company |
10000 and II was supposed by him that |
all charges were withdrawn. But the
books have meantime been examined /
md II ~ now said that his ombezzlement
was nearly $4,000. The charge In the
warrant ~ 8li 600. Gmbezzlgd between
Dot and H. Kyle was given 10 seclt-
ess and eAtravagnnt habits Of living.
Ine Hcrnrins Of Col j. II. Rnthbonc.
CLEVELAND, Dec, it.--A Lima (o)l |
pecinl soysi Tho special trnin, bearing
no remains OF Col ]. II. Rethbone.
oyn1der OF the order Of Knights OF
yi9lps, with its escort 70 Utica, N. Y,
At lima at midnight. Stops wero made
Cleveland, Buffalo and Syracuse, 10 1
nrmit momborn of tho ordar A. .,a.. |