The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-30
DIGGING OUT THE DEAD.
WORK BEGUN AMONG THE BURNED
RUINS OF THE THEATBR.

The First Corpse Found 80 Badly
Burned That Nothing Was Left But
the Trunk-It is Supposed to be That
of Nine. Lorella-Work Suspended
on Account of Threatening Walls.
PHILADELPHIA. Pa, April 90. The
search for the victims OF the Central thea
ter fire began at Z o'clock this morning.
Upon belief that the bodies would be
found close to where the stairway on the
right leading up from the rear Of the stage
was located, work began at that point.
The rear wall of the theater and the still
higher wall of the Times building being
threateniugly over the workmen great eau
ton was necessary in digging around the
base of the theater, lest it should be shaken
down upon the crowd of men laboring at its
base. After two hours and q half Of slow
and laborious work the searchers had the
melancholy satisfaction of unearthing part
OF body. Half an hours more work
brought the body completely into view, but
the charred and blackened mass of flesh bore
so little likeness to human being that it
could not be told whether it was q man or
woman.
ONLY THE TRUNK LEFT.
Little more than the trunk of the body
was left. The head was gone, both arms
were burned Off to the elbows and both
lega to above the knees. All the clothing
was burned away. When the workmen
attempted to raise the trunk the baked
flesh came away in their hands. The ut
most care was necessary to prevent the
body from breaking open when it was
raised, but it was finally deposited in the
waiting coffin without suffering further
mutilation.
THE SECOND BODY.
Beneath the spot where the body lay was
found some burned pieces OF clothing and
protruding from a pile Of bricks was an
arm. few minutes rapid work served
to show that the arm was connected with q
body and the work of uncovering IL was
proceeded with.
The body of the first unfortunate person
found was taken TO an underuaker's, where
il was found to be that of a woman. The
clothing found beneath it was identified by
the wardrobe woman of the theater as that
of Nine. Flora Lorella.
George s. Thatcher, who was In the audi
ence and who was reported missing, re-
turned to his home last night.
THE DAMAGE TO THE PRESSES.
Enough of the ruins Of the Times build
ing have teen removed to allow q partial
examination to be made of the press room.
The double ceilings of the room, on which
80 much dependence was placed in the event
of Just such an accident as has occurred,
were found to have been crushed in by the
falling building.
Two of the presses we're completely COW
cred by debris and it is faarad that they ore
damaged beyond repair. The third press is
not so much damaged aud may possibly be
ct to use again. The two destroyed presses
cost S42, 900 each.
The search for the bodies was stopped at
noon because Of the danger that the over
hanging walls might fall on the searchers
These will be taken down at once and the
search resumed.
Thomas Acheson, aged 81 years, who
was burned while making his escape
from the burning theater, died to-day at
the Pennsylvania hospital. Acheson is the
first Of those severely burned to die. AL
though several others are in dangerous con-
dition it is believed that they will all re-
cover.