The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-09-10
Eleven Persons Killed and Sew
eral Injured.
THOUSANDS WITNESSED THE SCENE
ereat Loss of Property - The Origin OF
the Fire Mystery-One Man Under
Arrest-Many Sad Scenes Occurred In
Identifying the Dead.


took place when Yore's opera
house took fire, and in the fight to
save the building and other blocks ad.
joining II fremen, one volunteer, met
their fate at one fell swoop. the death
instantaneous with FIVE of them, six
lives only few hours in awful agony,
while several others met with severe
bruises and burns. During the evening
the play "a Factory Girl" had been
given by local talent and had closed but
half hour before fire was discovered.
When the building was filed from
basement to fourth story with a suffo-
eating smoke, which burst into a sheet
of flames throughout the entire audi.
ence room, almost instantaneously be.
fore the fire department could respond
with a single stream of water, there be-
ing some confusion at the outset owing
to lack of hook and ladder facilities be-
ing short, although the local fire COM
panies had that day closed a two days
tournament, exhibiting much skill in
quick work. st. Joseph was called on
for assistance at the outset, they ap.
preaching the building through an alley
unloading ladders in the rear of the
building, and while hosting them. the
upper walls fell over without a second 8
warning. covering the men, which was
witnessed by hundreds of spectators
The following were killed:
Frank Watson. of st. Joseph, legs
broken, skull crushed leaves wife.
John Hoffman, Benton Harbor,
crushed into unreconizable mass leaves
wife and five children.
Thomas Kidd, Benton Harbor, un.
married; killed by live wires.
Frank Woodley, Benton Harbor,
killed by live electric wires leaves wife
and three children.
Ed. II. Gange, st. Joseph, drayman,
head crushed legs broken.
Scott Rice, bell boy at the Benton
hotel, skull fractured, internal injuries /;
lived but few minutes.
Will |. Mitten, Benton Harbor, botl
legs fractured, internal injuries lived
two hours leaves wife aud seven chill.
dren.
Louis Hoffman, Benton Harbor, head
smashed, thigh crushed widower !;
leaves two small children.
Arthur O. Hill, st. Joseph. foreman,
st. Joe hose. company legs broken,
terribly burned lived one hour.
Frank Beaver, st. Joseph, leg broken
badly cut and bruised lived three
hours.
Robert L. Rofe, st. Joseph, compound
fracture left leg, burned, internal inju.
ries; lived one hour
The injured are:
John A. Crawford, ex-chief Benton
Harbor fire department; overcome by
heat and smoke, burned about head
will recover
Will Freund. st. Joseph; cut about
head
Frank Paget, st. Joseph, leg bruised
by falling brick.
Frank Woodley and Thomas Kidd
were on top of adjoining building 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
a telephone pole. The work of remov.
ing the debris was commenced at once,
and those pinned in We're removed in
few minutes, except @. A. Hill, whose
body was recovered later. 1t was he.
ieved that several more bodies were
under the pile of brick and search was
continued till every doubt was passed
The cause of the fire is mystery. sew
eral theories from cigar stub to a
lamp explosion are given.
Guy Prescott is under arrest as being
one who knows of the origin, but when
asked by reporter the cause remarked
that he was not going to give anybody
away" assuming that he was in posses
sion of facts that caused his detention.
The building was comparatively new,
having been erected seven years ago at
a cost OF $4,000 by Patrick Wore, q
wealthy farmer, who had since leased it
to j. A. Simon who had charge of il for
six years A two-story brick block
owned by Joseph Frick, which stood
adjoining. was demolished by the opera
house walls falling on top and crashing
through to the basement without appa.
rent resistance. The opera block was
occupied by The Evening News, S. M.
Austin's bakery. j. Bernstein, clothing;
John Holmes, barber shop, and fruit
packing in basement The Frick block
was used for retail boot and shoe busi.
nsss and dwelling.
A high wind prevailed which caused
the walls TO fall outward, and adioin.
ing buildings were saved only with
greatest effort. A large quantity of
stage scenery belonging to Harry
Emery, of the Katie Putnam company.
j. A. Simon and w. O. Hooks was de.
stroyed with no Insurance.
Thousands witnessed the confiagra.
ton, and with difficulty crowds were
kept out OF dangers way. J. V. Howe
lassoed one of the st. Joe firemen, who
was half buried with bricks, and pulled
him out Of the intense heat that was
cooking him.
The property loss willEreach $50, 900,
and the insurance will cover about
$4,000.
Many were the heartrending scenes
as wives, parents and children scanned
the distorted and mutilated remains of
those lying cold in death upon the floor.
The physicians of this city were uanble
TO care for the injured and the St,
Joseph doctors responded promptly to
the call.
The st, Joseph funerals were held to.
day, while the Benton Harbor unfortu.
mates will be Inferred tomorrow, with