Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-01-07
PLAY House Panic.

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according to reports received here, at
least ten persons, including nine child.
rem. were killed outright and many were
injured. The light of slight blaze
caused by a man in the audience drop
ping lighted match on the sawdust
covered floor caused some one to start
the cry of fire and q terrible panic at
once ensued. There was Immediately q
WILD RUSH FOR DOORS,
which, owing to the savage crush and
struggle, quickly became so blocked
that only few succeeded in at once
getting out. There was especially q
violent rush for the staircase leading
from the gallery passage giving ac-
cess to this staircase. It became
blocked almost at once with
persons who were striving their
utmost to escape, while the staircase
itself was filled with struggling mass
of humanity from the top landing all
was killed in the midst of his heroic
restrain the crowd in its mad behavior
he was thrown to 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 out, were found lying on tie
staircase or near the door leading to it.
A constable, who came to assist in the
work Of rescue, on dragging out boy
who was wedged among the strug-
Cling people, discovered that the
lad was his own son. The
boy, although living when rescued, was
terribly injured and died while on the
way to his home. The performance,
which was so terribly interrupted, was
the second one of the Saturday attrao
ton, it being the pA ntomine Aladdin"
The theatre was literally crammed with
people. At 1890 O'Clock the shout of
fire created q fearful scene. The whole
audience rose to their feet en- masse and
there was dire confusion, in the midst
of which
WE'RE HEARD sHRIEKs OF WOMEN,
many of whom tainted. The lessee of
the house then displayed the most cred
liable presence of mind. Stepping on
the stage he shouted to the audience,
beseeching them to remain seated, and
solemnly assured them that there was
no real danger if they would do so. At
this juncture many others of the men
present also showed that they retained
their presence of mind by forcibly
striving to restrain the mad rush
of the crowd for the doors,
but their brave efforts proved of no
avail. The occupants of the pit, and
indeed all the spectators whose seats
were in the better parts of the house,
succeeded in escaping safely to the
streets. It was sudden bend in the
gallery stairs which caused the fearful
jam in that exit. The people who had
fallen and were lying in heaps,
SCREAMING AND GRoAN1Na
were trampled upon. At last so many
OF the struggling people had fallen that
all passage for an exit was effectually
blocked by the mass of writhing human
beings, and those still remaining on their
feet were forced to seek other means of
escape. The occasion was made doubly
memorable by several acts of heroism.
One man who had occupied gallery
seat, jumped from the gallery railing to
the balcony below and slid thence to
the stage, all the time holding to a
child by his teeth. Other men rescued
several women bp similar means. Mean.
while the fire was easily quenched. The
police sought medical aid, and assisted
IN extricating the victims from the
staircase, a matter of utmost diff ,uIty.
One child. after calling out piteously,
SAVE ME, SAVE ME-"
died before it could be reached. The
corpses were laid in the adjoining build
ing and the injured were taken to the
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 of the dead were
identified. All were between the ages
OF thirteen and sixteen. The names of
the dead are: Cosely Robson,
Gregg, Carler, Watson, cambridge,
Murray, Waddington and Forster. The
last named was check taker.
-, The audience numbered 1 200 persons.
The company members escaped in their
costumes. and when they returned they
found their dressing rooms had been
robbed of their ordinary clothing.
Tbe statement is made that during
the performance two youths seated in
the balcony insisted on smoking. They
were warned to desist several times.
They finally desisted, but relit their
pipes soon afterward. The smoke of
their pipes was seen issuing from the
balcony and some women, being
frightened at the sight screamed ''fire. !"
A man sitting near her Immediately
gagged her with his hand but the mis-
chief was done. The gallery was ocou-
pied by 500 hundred spectators, mostly
boys. Check Taker Forester rushed to
open the door which had been fastened
The struggle which ensued was awful
Men thrust aside the weaker lads who
were crushed to death. Two men were
badly injured by jumping from the
windows.
| Whole Family Burned to Death.
| ~