The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-12-28
DEATH WAS MET MAPANIC
MANY PERSONS CRUSHED AND TRAIYPLED ON TN 4 THEATER.

MANY PERSONS CRUSHED IND TRAIIPLED ON " 4 THEATER. Lca!, in Gas Pipe and the Excitement That followed it Resulted in Great Loss of Lire-strong Men Acted Like wild Beasts--A Wild Fight Took Place for several Minutes.
 Baltimore, Dec. 27.-TwenW-thre per sons were crushed and Wampled to death in d panic at Front street theatcr t-night Several others were injured, some of whom will die.
 The United States Opera and Dramat- ic company of Boston, under the man agement of A. Schongold and Abram Taryman, was billed to present the Jewish opera "Alexander,' and the thcater was filled with q motley throns About twenty-five hundred persons were in the house when the orchestra began playing the introductory.
 A strong odor of gas was noticed in the second gallery of the theater and one of the attaches of the place was seen hunting for the leak with lighted torch. Suddenly a jet of flame flashed out as the torch came in contact with the punctured gas pipe.
 Cries of fire" were heard in the up- per galleries, and in an instant the eX- citem2nr became intense. Some one rushed to the gas meter and turned off the supply, plunging' the main body of the house into darkness. The stage jets alone remained lighted. being fed through another meter.
 Instead of allaying the excitement caused by the sheet of flame from the leaking pipe, the turning off of the gas and consequent darkness only served to add to the confusion. The audience arose cn maese and made mad rush for the exists. The actors ran down to the footliehts and shouted "sit down, there's no danger" but the excited thr ng raid no heed to the advice and continued it's wild scramble for the 6oors
 The gas was quickly turned on at the meter, and as the thcater again became illuminated an indescribable scene of horror was presented. Men, women and children crazed by fear, were fighting and struggling in the aisles and on the stairways in their efforts to reach the open air. The actors on the stage and few cool heads in the audience added to the turmoil by shouting sit down, and cursine those who were most viz oIcus in their efforts to get out.
 The struggling mass of humanity made little or no headWay for q few minutes. every aisle was congested and every doorway damned with the frantic Poles and Russians who mainly con- priSed the gathering.
 Strong men in the rear of the panic stricken mob climbed upon the should CTS of those in front. crushing the weak CT men, women and little ones to the floor, to be trampled to death by those still further in the rear, For several minutes the wild fight continued. Then a few policemen forced a passage to the main entrance and began dragging forth those who were damned in the dCors A rushing stream of humanity flowed out on Front street, until all those who were able to move reached the open air. A hurry call for police men had brought a large squad to the theater by this time, and a fire alarm had also been sent in bringing some en- zines on the scene.
 The excitement in the street was al- most as great as in the theater, as rela- tives began searching for those from whom they had become separated Fathers and mothers rushed about looking for their children and attempt ed to re-enter the theater in their search for the missing ones.
 The crowd grew so great that the police, fearing a riot, ordered the fire engine hose to be turned on, and in that way the struggling mass was driN- ell back from the theater entrance.
 Meanwhile officers had entered the theater and encountered a sickeninG sight. In every direction were found bodies from which life had been crush cd and trampled. A majority of the victims were young men. gills and chil- dren.
 They were tenderly carried to the front of the house and taken to the City hospital and morgue as fast as the ambulances and patrol wagons could make the tElpS. TltdL ciO"uS lOilONtu the ambulances and patrol wagons and stormed the entrances to the hospital and morgue in their anxiety to learn if their relatives or friends were among the injured or dead.
 Twenty-three dead bodies were finally taken from the theater.
 Ten persons more or less injured are Q the City hospital and two may die.
 Several others were taken to their homes in carriages suffering from con- tUsions Or broken bones.
 At a late hour tonight fourteen Of tho dead had been identified
 FORCED TO THE T.ILL.