Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-28
AN AWFUL Panic.
Ten Young People Trampled to Death
in an English Theatre.
AMAN DROPPED ALIGHTEDMATcH
On the Floor and Ignited the Sawdust Which
Coussd Some Indiscreet Person % Yell Fire-A
Narrow Stairway Became TANNED in the
Rush 10 Get 0ui and the Weaker
Ones Were Crushed to Death.

LONDON, December 2T.-A theatre In
Gates Head, county Durham, last night,
was the scene Of frightful panic in
which ten persons, all children, were
killed outright, and many were Injured.
The sight Of the slight blaze cansed
by man In the audience dropping
lighted match on the sawdust covered
floor, caused some one TO start the cry
of fire, and q terrible panic 81 once
ensued.
There was immediately wild rush
for the doors, which owing TO the saw
age crush and struggle quickly became
so blocked that only few succeeded In
at once getting out. There was an cs-
pecially violent rush for the stair case
leading from the gallery.
The passage giving access TO this stair
case became blocked almost at once with
persons who were striving their utmost
10 escape while the stair case itself was
filled with a struggling mass OF hu-
manity from the top landing all the way
TO the outlet.
A check taker was killed in the midst.
OF his heroic efforts TO save others lives.
In trying TO restrain the crowd In Its
mad behavior, he was thrown 10 the
floor and crushed to death beneath the
feet OF the panic-stricken people.
When the panic had subsidized so that
an examination OF the premises could
be made, the bodies OF nine children
whose lives had been literally crushed
cut were found lying on the staircase or
near door leading TO IL.
A constable who came to assist In the
work OF rescue, on dragging out boy
who was wedged among the struggling
people. discovered that the lad was his
own son. The boy, although living
when rescued, was terribly injured ana
died while on the way TO his home.
The performance which was so terri
bly, Interrupted was the second one OF
Saturday, the attraction being the Pan
tomime aladdin" The theatre was
literally crammed with people.
At 1890 o'clock the shout OF fire Gre
ated fearful scene. The whole audi
ence rose TO their feet feet en- masse and
th, r. was dire confusion In the midst
OF which were heard the shrieks or
women, many OF whom tainted. The
lessee of the house then displayed most
creditable presence OF mind.
Stepping on the stage, he shouted TO
| the audience, beseechlng them TO re-
main -seated and solemnly assuring
them that there was no real danger II
| they would do SO. At this juncture
| many others OF the men present also
showed that they retained presence or
mind, by forcioly striving TO detain the
crush OF the crowd for the doors, but
their brave efforts proved of no avail.
The occupants OF the pit, and indeed,
| all spectators whose seats were In the
better parts of the house succeeded In
escaping safely 10 the streets. IL was
| a sudden bend in the gallery stairs case
which caused the fearful jam In that
exit.
People who had fallen, and were ly-
ing in heaps here screaming and groan-
ing were trampled upon. AT last so
many OF the struggling people had
fallen that all passage for exit WAS
| cffectuaIly blocked by mess Of writh-
ing human beings, and those still re-
naming on their feet were forced to
seek other means OF escape.
The news OF the catastrophe spread
rapidly, and soon thousands OF frantic
people were rushing TO the scene 10 as
certain the fate OF relatives or friends.
Within few hours all OF the dead
were identified. All were between the
ages of thirteen and sixteen. The
names OF the dead are; Casely, Robson
| (2), Gregg, Csrten, Watson, BaiEbridge,
Murray, Waddington and Forster. The
last named was the check taker.