The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-16
KATE oLAxroNs FIRE ALARMS.
The Charming Little Actress Tells of
her Experiences in Panics-

The Charming Little Actress Tells Of
Her Experiences in Panics-
From the Louisville Courier-JournaL
For over fifteen years Kate Claxton has
been pursued by peculiar form of ill-luck
! In spite Of the little woman's pluck, which
has made her a heroine Of several fires and
a dozen or so Of panics. she rather shrinks
from the su 0ject, and it il with difficulty
that she can be persuaded TO tell OF some OF
the escapes from flames that she has had.
Her experience at Harris theater last
Mon tay night, when the CRY of fire caused
panic, Is only one OF several through
which she has passed since 1875, the year OF
the celebrat ted Brooklyn fire She had Just
been dragged from the stage last evening
by La Frochard, the bag, in THE Two Or
phans," when COurter-JOufndL reporter
sought her out. The excitement Of the false
alarm had left her nerves a little shattered,
she explained. When reference was made
TO her apparent GOODNESS she said that her
manner showed nothing of what she
really felt. II was very much wrought
up. No one can tell what the cry of fire
meant to me. I had begun TO think that
my evil genius had forgotten my existence.
Il seemed SO long since the last panic.
was In no exceptionally good humor, and
was sitting on the steps of the platform
when the stampede began As is always
my first impulse, rushed TO see the flames.
did not doubt that the building was ablnze.
At one glance, however, l saw there was no
danger. except that which comes with
every panic.
You know she said, shat dread
panic worse than do fire. My expert
once has been that more people are crushed
to death In their efforts TO get out, than are
ever burned alive. The escapes l have
made which some seem to think almost
miraculous were the result Of GOODNESS and
presence of mind. When the cry of fire is
given, never allow my impulse to run
with the crowd to govern me. l imperil
my life somewhat in order 70 seek out the
danger and choose the best method of
esca ping from IL. Often, 10 seemed to me
afterward shat had l followed the mad
rush for the main exits | would never have
escaped. l try to impress everybody with
the same idea. First view the situations
and figure up the chances for escape. When
the Southern hotel, in st. Louis, was burned
for instance, at which time twenty-seven
lives were lost, never did any of the res
markable feats which have been attributed
to me. The story Is generally believed that
rollod down the burning stairs in wet
blankets. The fact was staid In the burn
ing building until l discovered a safe means
of escape. The fact that l was one Of the
last to get out caused dozens of reports to
be spread.
my reputation as a fire fiend began the
second year / acted in The Two Orphans )
was playing in Brooklyn. had thrown
myself on the straw bed to sleep. | had
| closed my eyes and for this reason did not
discover the fire at first. When l was
awakened and ordered to get up, l saw the
| fire creeping along the top of the theater.
Every one remembers the fatal ending.
| Four hundred persons were burned or
! trampled to death, among whom were
three Of the company. The next year, 1871
was caught in the st. Louis fire. Ever
since then / have been considered a fore
runner of fires. l can only account for the
numerous false alarms and panics from
| the fact that there are always some
superstitions person in the audience, who,
believing me to be followed by an evil genius,
| shouts fire at the slightest pro vocation.
More panics have been caused by fights in
the streets and alleys than in any other way
Just short time ago there was panic in
| Lacrosse, Wis, caused in the identical way
as the case here Monday night. Another
panic which came near being disaster was
caused bya street fight in front of the
| Owens Academy Of Music in Charleston, S.
| G. When one starts it is impossible to
| check ii. l have tried screaming to the
| audience, but it only makes 1t worse
| My presence often seems to check q
| stampede At the close Of the scene
| A0Sb hASdS h1eAOO up Ahtid W haNO AlC u
big sign printed with the words: 1t is only
a fight OF all the theater panics l have
been in only three were caused by fire.
Several times the flies have been ablaze
without any one in the audience knowing
| it. have become morbid on the subject Of
| fire, and no matter how late at night it
is if an alarm is sounded always dress
aud go. When the Fifth avenue tbeater in
New York burned l was present, and
watched it to the end. II had been seen it
would probably have been said that my
presence caused it. | do not deserve the
reputation of being brave in fires, for am a
great coward, so great a one that it often
enables me to seem self-sustained. After
such fright as lest night am left com
pletely uunerved"
Here Miss Clsxton was forced to stor
talking, for the call boy had come to give
her the cue in the last act. Miss Ciaxt0n
has been playing the Two Orphans" of
and on since 1875. She owns the drama
and has copyrights on it under six different
titles. She says that she has spent far more
money in preventing othsrs from using the
play than she paid for it in the beginning.
DIsSIPATED CONNEOTICUT COWS
Sad P-nariau "a Of tba Preztd ant oF tbn