Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-31
FATAL PANIC ~ A THEATRE.


supplied with money.
FATAL PANIC IN A THEATRE.
At a Bend In the Gallery Stairway the
Crush That Proved so Fatal Occurred
Nine of the Killed Were Chiidren--D
tails of the Terrible Disaster.
LoNDoE, Dec. ga theatre in Gates
head, County Durham, was last night
the scene of frightful panic, in which,
according to the reports received here,
at least 10 persons, including nine
children, were killed outright, and
many were injured.
A PANIC FROM A LIGHTED MATCH.
The sight of the slight blaze caused
by man in the audience dropping a
lighted match on the sawdust-covered
hoor caused some one to start the cry of
fire, and terrible panic an once en-
sued.
There was Immediately wild rush
for the doors, which, owing to the
savage crush and struggle, quickly be-
came so blocked that only few sue
ceeded in at once getting out.
CRASH ON A STAIRWAY.
There was an especially violent rush
for the staircase leading from the gal
lery. The passage giving access to this
staircase became blocked almost at once
with persons who were striving their
utmost to escape, while the staircase it,
self was filled with struggling mass of
humanity from the top landing all the
way to the outlet.
cHECK-TAKER's AWFUL FATE.
A check taker was killed in the midst
of his heroic efforts to save other lives.
In trying to restrain the crowd Iii its
mad behavior, he was thrown to the
floor and crushed TO death beneath the
feet OF the panic stricken people.
NINE cHILDREN's BODIES FOUND.
When the panic had subsidized so that
a survey of the premises could be made.
the bodies of nine children, whose lives
had been literally crushed out, were
found lying on the staircase or near u
door leading to it.
A FATHERS AWFUL DISCOVERY.
constable who came In 10 assist in the
work of rescue, on dragging out a boy
who was wedged among the struggling
people, discovered that the lad was his
own son. The boy, though living when
rescued, was terribly injured and died
while on the way to his home.
Meanwhile the fire was easily
quenched The police sought medical
aid and assisted in extricating the vic
tins from the Staircase matter of the
utmost difficulty.
One child, after calling out piteously
Save me, save me, = died before it could
be reached.
The eorpses were laid in an adjoining
building and the injured were taken 10
hospitals and other institutions.
The news of the catastrophe spread
rapidly, and soon thousands of frantic
people were rushing to the scene to as
certain the fate of relatives or friends.
Within a few hours all the dead were
identified All were between the ages
of IL and 10.
The names of the dead are Casely.
Robson (twol, Gregg, Carbon, Watson,
cambridge, Murray, Waddington and
Forster. The last named was the
check-taker.
THE ACTORS ROBBED.
The audience numbered 200 persons.
The company members escaped in
their costumes, and when they re-
turned they found that their dressing
rooms had been robbed of their ordinary
clothing.
The lessee of the theatre announces
that he will give the proceeds of the per-
formance TO the bereavcd and will close
the theatre pending an inquiry.
The performance which was SO
terribly interrupted was the second one
Of saturday, the attraction being the
pantomime Aladdin. The theatre was
literally crammed with people.
At 1920 o'clock the shout of "tire''
created fearful scene. The audience
rose to its feet en- Inasse and there WAT
dire confusion, in the midst of which
were heard the shrielks Of women. many
of whom tainted.
The lessee Of the house then displayed
most creditable presence Of mind. He
stepped onto the stage and shouted tC
the audience, beseechng them 10 remain
seated and solemnly assured them that
there was no real danger if they would
do so.
Al this juncture many others of thu
men present also showed that they re
tanned presence Of mind by forcibl,
striving to restrain the mad rush of thu
crowd for the doors, but their brave
| cHOTlS proved OF no avail.
The occupants Of the pit and, indeed
all spectators whose seats were in III
better part of the house succeeded il
escaping safely to the street.
A PILE OF wRITniSa HUMANITY.
II was sudden bend in the CALLER,
staircase which caused the fearful ian
in the exit. The people who had failei
and were lying in heaps here, screaming
and groaning, We're trampled upon.
AT last, so many of the struggling
people had fallen that all passage TO
exit was eilectually blocked by mass O
writing human beings and those still
remaining on their feet were forced t.
seek other means of escape
The occasion was made doubly mem
orable by several acts of heroism. On
man who had occupied a gallery sea
jumped from the gallery ratings 70 tn
balcony below and slid thence TO Til
stage, all the time holding TO IA child b
his teeth. Other men rescued severa
women by similar means.