Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-16
D EATH IN THE PLAY
A Juvenile Circus Performance That
Ended Tragioally.
How Little Bertram Curtin Was Fa.
tally Burned-His Costume of
Straw Caught Fire.


body Of Bertram Curtin will be laid at rest
in Glenwood cemetery. Bertram was nearly
eleven years old and he died at O'Clock this
morning, after nearly forty-eight hours Of
intense agony. The little boy was unusually
bright for his age. attending Sunday school
at the United Brethren Church. and day
school In the Twining building. His father,
Thomas Curtin, is conductor on the Eek
ington and Soldiers Home electric railroad.
and resides at No. IL N street northe EAST.
Being SO bright a boy, Bertram was a gen.
eral favorite both In school and among his
playmates. who reside in the neighborhood
of his parents home.
Only few days ago the circus came to
the city and gave exhibitions on the North
Capitol street lot only a few hundred feet
from the Curtin home. Bertram went TO see
the circus with some companions, and tie
wild west show and trapeze performers took
hold OF the fancy Of the children to such
an extent that they concluded to give a per-
| formance themselves. Visions of fine per-
| formances and good play made them in
dustrfous in the line of holding an exhibit
tion, They knew that the children of the
| neighborhood would all attend, for a one
cent ticket could be sold without any trou-
bic, especially to those who had not had the
pleasure OF seeing a real circus with wild
animals. clowns and Indians. and SUCCESS
was certain.
The Exhibition.
Accordingly the children COMPLETED all
their arrangements and determined to hold
the show in the woodshed in rear of the
Curtin home. Bertram's parents were per-
fectly willing that the boys should use the
shed.
From the roof Of the shed, a small frame
structure. a trapeze was suspended. This
was made of a piece of rope and a round
stick. but 1t served every purpose. The floor
xpfr he ha xyiucrs FROM he
circus ring, and In one end of the shed the
promoters OF the show had constructed a
paper house. Little Bertram was to play
the part of an Indian, and his costume was
made of straw bagging, such as Is used in
covering tea chests
Everything was ready for the show and
the doors were opened Monday afternoon
about ]: 80 o'clock.
| One little boy, who acted ringmaster.
made the usual announcements and the lit
tie children were as happy as they could
finally, when the scene showing the destruc-
ton of some ancient city was announced.
the torch was applied and the paper house
was burned to the ground.
His Costume Caught Fire.
1t was in this scene that the Indian, the
| part taken by Bertram Curtin, figured. and
walking through the ruins his light costume
caught fire. and he was fatally burned
Just exactly under what circumstances
the burning took place is not known, for
the badly frightened audience left the place
In a body, Dave Pike being the only COM
panion of the unfortunate boy to remain
with him.
| After his costume took fire he went to the
opposite end of the fire. and it is stated
that he was then tied to a gate In the
shed before II was discovered that the
straw composing his Indian costume had
ignited. But whether this is SO or not the
| boys father is unable to tell. A piece of
| pitf- -r,<,rlS MAS N he he'd
| Il rs believed. was used In tying the little
one who on that occasion was supposed
TO be an Indian.
His father was not at home at the time
but his mother was in the house. and she
heard the agonizing screams of her boy
| as he rushed from the little shed. His cos
tune had then been burned entirely of him
| and his clothes were fast disappearing.
Mrs, Curtin, although almost frantic. had
presence Of mind enough to do what she
could for her suffering one. And little Dare
Pike rendered able assistance. The hydrant
| in the yard was turned on and TO the
| mother there seemed to be an exceedingly
! light flow of water. But the water was
thrown on the burning boy as fast as II
came from the pipes and finally the flames
were extinguished.
Through all this the sufferer had remained
conscious. but soon after he was taken in
the house. The shock proved more than he
could stand and he was unable to tell un-
der what circumstances he was burned
Terribly Burned.
DR.. Bradfeld was soon at his bedside and
he found the boy so badly burned that he
expected death at any moment. But under
the doctors treatment the patient regained
consciousness and then he told his parents
and the doctor how he had played circus
and was burned. He said nothing about
being tied.
Dr. Bradfleld found that fully two-thirds
of the boys body had been burned. He was
scorched and SCARED from head to foot
Both arms had been almost burned TO a
crisp and some of his finger nails were gone
Then there was an excessive burn of the
back and abdomen; his legs were almost
charred, and his face dsfigured
All day yesterday the patient was con-
scious, and DIR. Bradfield left him In pretty
good condition last night. Much to the
Doctors surprise, the patients suffsriags
ended at about 4 OF clock this morning.
Coroner Woodward was notified, and De-
tective Rhodes went out to Investigate the
case. All the circumstances show that the
affair was purely accidental
Many friends of the parents called at the
house today to offer words of sympathy
Playmates of the deceased will probably
act as pallbearers tomorrow