Evening journal., 1895-03-01
REAL TRAGEDY STAGED.
Actor Fatally Burned In Sight
Of the Audience.
THEY THOUGHT IT IN THE PLAY.


his Clothes Were Set ON Fire by Clumsy
Torchbearer, and In . Moment Re Was
Wrapped In Flames Dresses Of Two Ae-
tresses Caught Fire Also.
NEW YORK, March The large audi
rnce which filled the Columbus theater
la West One Hundred and Twenty fifth
street last night was startled by an awful
spectacle not down on the bill, aud which,
but for the presence Of mind and prompt
action OF a policeman, might have ended
the evening Of enjoyment with disaster
They saw the clothes Of an actor on the
stage catch fire and burn furiously, In
second enveloping the unfortunate man In
flames but, calmed BY the assurances Of
one cool head. they sat quietly through
the rest Of the performance and did not
know when they left the theater that they
had witnessed a tragedy
Tho play was the melodrama !" On the
Mississippi The second nct--nrst scene
lis laid In New Orleans just at the timo
Of the Mardi Gras festivities It is q
front" scene showing a square and
streets Of the city, and the drop curtain
leaves only few feet Of space behind tho
footlights for eight performers, who march
In with great deal Of noise and clamor,
representing the Mnrdl Gras procession.
They are all negroes grotesquely costumed
to represent clowns, kings, Asiatics and
oannibals.
Two men carrying lighted fambeaux
prcoede the group, and burlesque band.
comprising a bass drum and kazoos, fol-
lows. Behind the torchhoarers and in
front Of tho big drum Horny d. Arnold
marched last night dressed as Zulu
chief. Ills costume consisted Of brown
tights, with long silk fringes along the
sides, and a bushy belt and collar Of the
same stuff.
Torch Touched Ills Clothes.
Tho performer walked across the mar
row space, halted, danced aud sang 70 the
great amusement Of the audience, and
Il turned 10 march or when the man carry
ing the big drum stumbled and bumped
into Arnold, throwing him against one Of
the torchbearers. The torch slipped from
tho hand Of tho carrier and foil upon Ar
nold's shoulder
The blazo touched the silk fringe. 1t
1 lgnited, and tho next instant the flames
/ spread all over Arnold's clothing. Before
any help could reach him tho man was a
pillow Of fire, whirling and tottering in
front Of the startled audience.
A woman screamed. and the fright was
communicated through the entire house.
Tho first cry Of fire was caught up by 9th
ers. and several timid persons jumped from
their seats and started up the aisle. Sew
eral more soon followed, and IL seemed as
though tho whole audience was on the
point Of rushing for the doors, when Po-
liceman J. A. Smith Of the East One Hun.
dred and Twenty sixth Street station
rushed down the center aisle shouting
Keep your soats
Reaching tho stage, ho turned to the au
dienco, and "a calm voice said Ladies
md gentlemen, don't be alarmed. Thh
Is all In the play. "
His words acted like charm. A hroas
smilo ovorsprcad the faces Of those whit
had started 70 leave their seats. and think
ing they had been deceived by realistic
stago trick they sheepishly resumed thei
places.
Two Actresses on Fire Also.
Meanwhile what was taking place oi
the stagc was equally assuring. Arnold
companions at the sight Of flames ran int.
the wings, and the blazing man followe,
them. Once behind the scenes tho twi
fremen stationed ON the stage threw hin
to the floor ana smothered the fire witt
blankets
But the flames were not easily extin
Riished The silk fringe burned like drie'
grass, and before it could be extinguishel
the blaze communicated to the dresses O
. Miss Gail Forrest and Nina Hayward
who stood in the wings. Their companions
however, pulled off the burning skirts be
fore their wearers were injured.
The play proceeded smoothly TO the end
and as the curtain descended on the los
act the audience slowly sauntercd on
without knowing that they had seen
man burning 70 death before their eye
and having almost forgotten the unusua
Incident
Behind the scenes, however, the TRACED
had been enacted. A hurry call was sen
in for the Harlem hospital ambulance bu
, while IL WAS coming poor Arnold role
about in agony on the floor, apparentl
experiencing no rolief from the applicatio
that was administered by his friends. HI
, whole body was horribly burned froT
head TO foot, and his groans were hear
| rending. Arnold was carried out an
hastily driven to the hospital. There, ar
er careful examination, the doctors sal
I he would probably not survive. Arnold
80 years old and lives in Washington.