The sun., 1891-12-28
FATAL PANIC IN A THEATRE.
TEN PERSONS KILLED As TIE RESULT
OF A SEySELEsS SCARE
A Frightful Scene at Cheap show In the
North OF Engisnd-Men Trampie Women
UsAer Foot and Walk on tho Heads OF the
Crowd-Broken Limbs aud Other Injuries.

A Frightful sceno at n Cheap show In the
North OF Engisnd-Men Trampie Women
UnAer Foot and Walk on the Heads OF the
Crowd-Broken Limbs aud Other Injuries.
LONDON Dec. 27.-A frightful panic occurred
on Saturday night in tho Royal Theatre. Gates-
head. resulting in the loss Of q number OF
lives. Gateshead Is u considerable city in
Durham. in tho north OF England. and, as
nearly tho whole population is engaged in
manufacturing industries during tho week.
the places OF amusement are usually crowded
on Saturday. Yesterday. owing to the Christ
mas season. tho Royal Theatre was thronged
with working people. Tho audience. while not
unruly. indulged in moro license than is allow
cd In most London theatres, and boys smoked in
the balcony without any apparent objection on
the part OF the attendants. The piece on the
stage was OF n sort familiar in tho provincial
manufacturing places. including magic.
slight OF hnnd. and other variety features. One
OF tho boys smoking got interested in the
play that he accidentally dropped burning
match on tho people below him. The match
set fire to some theatrical furniture. exactly
what Is not yet known: but, at any rate. tho
slight blaze communicated to partition.
A woman noticed tho fire. and shrieked that
the theatre wns burning At onco the au-
dience. which had been all attention to the
play. was aroused. and. not comprehending
tho exact danger. made sudden aud simul-
taneous rush to escape. Every aisle and AVE-
nue. became packed and the audience. which
was numerous enough to have made exit slow
and difficult had there been no panic became
one painting. struggling mass OF cursng men
and crying half sufrocated womon and chill
dren. Tho strong. hearty mea from iron
works aud mills showed no pity for
the weaker sex. II a woman fell beneath tho
strain She was at once crushed under iron
heads i aids; and sought to tread over the sGuirming
mass OF humanity to safety. Women pleaded
for their little ones holding them @bovs their
them. were saved in several Instances by, being
hold them with one arm above the crowd.
Down the main staircase the multitude
had rushed to open the door at the foot Of the
stairs. The solid crowd fell on him mlik. an i'm:
KruBp W hm the G
ten ut the head Of the mass, and they. too. had
the life stamped out OF them.
the panic had iittie or no cause. ana they
actor. in the attire OF q magician. cimbed into
tho balcony from tho stage rn and impored 1i the
s ereS IS no e the only danger is
Some 81 those in tho rear turned at his words
and stopped thci share In the mad struggle to
get out. but the large majority Needed not the
warning and pressed on.
Two men. thinking they had no other way of
escape leaped from the windows into the
street and were severely injured. Many slid
down into tho pit by tho supports of the hal
cony. When the theatre was at length emp
tied ana the panic over it was found that ten
were dead. and that many others Ind broken
limbs and were otherwise seriously injured.
The fire itself. which had given occasion to the
horror: was due to slight affair. having only
ea tRa waters
It was sufl Client. however. to make some
smoke. which hung ABOUT the ceiling IN md the
petuating the panic. when 1t might otherwise
have been calned.
The ety q Gatsshesd has been thrown into 5
multitude Of the curious. Many pathetic in
cidents occurred In tho terrible crush for the
doors. but il Is also said that the display OF
brutal sefshness overcame every other feature
OF the awful occurrences.
Constable Caizley while assisting in the
work OF extricating the victims, was horriilcd
son among the dead. A bnby which had been
dragged from its mothers arms in the crush
was saved by man who. unable to gain tho
exit and motioned that he would throw the child
down from the top of tho stnrs IL the other
would catch it Tho man be!ow braced him;
sailing over tho heads Of the. crowd and was
safely caught and soon ont OF danger. Dur.
ing the excitement. whileanany noble acts of
self sacrifice and heroism was boing per.
formed. thieves were at work. and crowd OF
roughs forced their way into the greenroom
and stripped the place of all the valuables left
there by the performers
The theatre was ono OF low prices. and the
very moderate means. The building was
originally a Methodist chapel. and afterward
theatrical purposes. the exits being altogether
ipadeQuute.