The herald., 1896-09-07
A HOLOCAUST IN MICHIGAN
The Benton harbor Opera House
Destroyed
ELEVEN FIREMEN KILLED
Others Are Injured, Some Of Whom
Will Die
Men Crushed by FalIlng Walls or Roasted BY
Electric Wlres-The Fires Origin
Mystery
Associated Press speciad wire

Associated Press speciM Wire
DETROIT. Mich, Sept. GA special
to the Free Press from Benton Harbor,
Mich, says:
The most horrible holocaust that has
ever occurred in this part of the state
took place last night at midnight, when
Yore's opera house took fire, and In
the fight to save the building and other
blocks adjoining. eleven flremen, one
a volunteer. met their fate at one time,
death being instantaneous with five of
them. Six lived only a few hours in
awful agony, while several others met
with severe injuries.
During the evening the play A Fac
tory Girl had been given by local talent
and had closed but half hour before
the fire was discovered, when the build
ing was filled from the basement to the
fourth story with suffocating smoke
which burst into a sheet of flame
throughout the entire audience room
before the fire department could respond
with a single stream of water. There
was some confusion at the outset, owing
to the lack Of hook and ladder facilities,
although the local fire companies had
Just closed a two days tournament,
exhibiting great skill in quick work.
st. Joseph was called upon for as
sistance at the outset, the men approach
ing the building through an alley. un-
loading ladders in the rear Of the build
ing. While hoisting them the upper
walls fell over without warning, COW
artp tIn 3e 4 {,
hundreds Of spectators.
Killed:
Frank Watson. st. Joseph, Mich:
leaves a widow.
John Hoffman, Benton Harbor, crush
ed into an unrecognizable mass; leaves
widow and five children.
Thomas Kidd, Benton Harbor: un-
married; killed by live wires.
Frank Woodley, Benton Harbor;
killed by live wires; leaves widow and
three children
Ed H. Hange. st. Joseph: drayman;
head crushed.
Scott Rice, bell boy at Benton notel;
skull fractured and internal injuries;
lived but q few minutes.
Will Millen, Benton Harbor; leaves
Louis Hoffman, Benton Harbor; head
smashed; leaves two small children.
Arthur c. Hill, st. Joseph; foreman
st. Joseph hose company; legs broken,
badly burned; lived one hour.
Frank Seaver, st. Joseph; leg broken;
badly cut and burned; lived three hours.
Robert Rofe, st. Joseph; burned; in
ternally injured; lived one hour.
The injured:
John A. Crawford, Benton Harbor,
ex-chief Of fire department; overcome
by heat and smoke; will recover.
Will Fecund, st. Joseph; leg bruised.
Frank Woodley and Thomas Kidd
were on top of adjoining buildings with
hose when they encountered live cleo
trio wires, on which they were hanging
when found.
Policeman Charles Johnson narrowly
escaped, as falling bricks tore his coat
half off, while another was protected by
telephone pole.
The work of removing the debris was
commenced at once and those pinned
down were removed in few minutes,
except c. A. Hill, whose body was re-
covered at o'clock this morning. 1t was
believed that several more bodies were
under the pile of brick and search was
continued until every doubt was passed.
The cause Of the fire is a mystery. Guy
Prescott is under arrest as being one
who knows of the origin but when asked
by reporter as to the cause he remark
ed that he was not going to give any
body away, assuming that he was in pos
of 70 hot dafa
ton.
The building was comparatively new,
having been erected seven years ago at
a cost Of $4,000 A two-story brick
building adjoining, owned by Joseph
Frick, was demolished by the falling
walls which crashed through to the base
ment. The opera house block was occu-
pied by the Evening News, S. nj. Austin's
bakery, j. Bernstein, clothing; John
Holmes, barber shop, and fruit packing
in the basement; the Frick block retail
boots and shoes and dwelling. The losses
will aggregate about $4,000.
A high wind which prevailed, caused
the walls to fall out and adjoining build
ings were saved only by the greatest
efforts. A large quantity of stage seem
cry belonging to Harry Emery of the
Kate Putnam company; j. A. Simon and
w. c. Hooks, was destroyed without in
surance.
Thousands witnessed the conflagra-
tion and with difficulty the crowds were
kept out of dangers way The work of
clearing up the streets was continued
throughout the day.
A RAILWAY HORROR.
ENGLISH, Ind. Sept. 6.-An excur-
sion train from st. Louis was wrecked
at Taswell this morning, either from a
worn rail at curve or from the spread
ing Of the rails. The baggage car and
three coaches jumped the track and roll
ed down an embankment. The fatally
injured are:
John Gibson, St. Louis.
William A. Kane, St. Louis.
Seriously injureN
J. A. Connoghey, st. Louis.
Chris Hendrick, st. Louis.
Mrs. F. B. Jordan, East st. Louis.
Thomas w. Murray, st. Louis.