Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-01-02
RUSHED TO 7HHIRDEA7H.
Children Killed ia a Panic in an
English Thsater.


f7f'tAAn tAFt't anu FNfNN
Make for the Door.
A thest in Gateshesl, County Durham,
Eng, was The scene Of irishiful panic, in
which, according = the reports received in
London, at iess, ten persons including nine
children, were lille outright and many were
injured The sigh of the slight blars caused
hy man in the audience dropping lighted
match on the sawju t.eovered floor caused
some one to stnr; cry Of FIRE." and ter.
fible panic AT once ensu, d. There WAS i'm
Inediately wild rush for the doors, which,
pwingio the savage crush an struggle, quickly
heeam 70 blocked that only a few succeeded
~ at once getting out. There was violent
rush from the staircase leading from the ga
terry. The passage giving access to this stair
Ease became blocked m lst at once with per-
ms who were striving their utmost to escape.
while the staircase itself was filed with a
ttrusSing mass o humanity from the top
landing all the way to the QUITE
7 A checktaker was kil,eI in TIE mi lst Of
his heroic efforts TO save others lives In
trying to restrain the crowd in its mad be.
bayior, he was thrown to the q ,or and crushed
10 death beneath the fest of the panic stricken
people.
: When the panic had subSiled 81 that an
examination of the premises could be made,
ihe bodies of rine chi dren, those lives had
been literally crushed cut we're found lying
On the stair, ase or near door leading to l..
y constable who came to assist 10 the work
OF tue rescue, or dragging cut boy who was
medged among the struggling people, discov
cred that the lad vas his own son The boy
although living when rescued, vas terribly
injured, and died while on the way 10 his
home.
The performance which was 50 terribly 10.
terrupied vas the second one Of Ssturd y, the
ldtraction being tbs pantomine Aladdin"
hhe theater was literally crsmmsd with PEG.
pie. AZ 1880 O'Clock the shout Of Fire"
created fearful scene. The whole audience
rose 20 their feet en- masse, and here was dire
confusion, In the midst Of which we're heerd
me shrleks Of women, IA my Of whom tainted
The lessee Of the house then displsYed most
freditsbls presence of MUD. lie stepped on
10 the stage and shouted 10 the andiencc. Be.
feeching them TO remain seated and solsmnlv
fssured them that there was no reai danger II
lhey would do So AZ THE junclure many
pthsr' Of the meu present also showed that
ihey retained pr SERGE Of mind by lorcbIy
striving 70 restrain the mad rush OF the crowd
.or the DOOR, but their brave efforts proved Of
no avail The occupants Of the pit, and IN.
Heed, all spectators whose seats we're IN the
better part Of the house succeeded In esoaping
tniely 10 the street.
1t was a sudden bend IN the gallery stair.
case which caused the fearful jam In that exit.
People who had fallen, aud we're lying In
heaps here screaming and grosning, were
tranpled upon. At last, so many Of the
struggling people had fallen that all passage
FOR exit was efiectuslly blocked by mass Of
wriihing human beings, and those still re.
mPining on their feet we're forced 10 seek
other means of escape. The occasion was
made doubly memorable by several acts Of
he-oism.
Meanwhile, the fire wa' easily quenched.
The police sought medical aid, and assisted in
eHiricatinR the victims from the staircase, a
matter Of the utmost difficulty. One child.
after calling out piteously. Save me, save
me, died before II could be reached. The
corpse were laid in an adjoining building, and
Ihe injured were taken 70 hospitals and other
institutions