Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-01-02
TWENTY-SEvEN PEOPLE KILLED.
Crushed to Death During a Panic
In Baltimore Theatre.


of Fire and the Awful Panic Followed
Twenty-three Killed and Many others
Injured. some of Whom May Die.
Baltimore, Nd, Dec. 81 Twenty
three persons were crushed and trampled
to death in a panic at Front Street
Theatre tonight. Several others wero
injured, some of whom will, it is be-
lieved, die.
The United Oriental Opera and
Dramatic Co. of Boston, under the
management of A. Schongold and Alb
ram Tanzman, was billed to present the
Jewish opera "Alexander, and the
theatre was filled with motley throng.
About $500 persons were in the house
when the orchestra began playing the
introduction.
A strong odor OF gas was noticed in
the second gallery of the theatre and
ono of the attaches of the place was
seen hunting for the leak with lighted
torch. Suddenly jet of flame flashed
out as the torch came in contact with
the punctured gas pipe
upper galleries, aud in an instant tho
excitement became intense Some ono
rushed to the gas meter and turned off
tno supply, piuuBlnS tno llaln pouy ol
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 fame from the
leaking pipe, the turning off of the gas
and consequent darkness only served to
add to the confusion. The audience
arose on masse and made a mad rush
for the exits.
The actors ran down to the footlights
and shouted, sit down, there's no
danger" but tho eexcited throng paid
no heed to the advice, but continued
their wild scramble for the door.
The gas was quickly turned on at the
meter, and, as the theatre again be-
came illuminated, an indcscribable
scene of horror was presented. Men,
women and children, cra2ed by fear,
were fighting and struggling in the
aisles and on the stairways in their
efforts to reach the open air.
The struggling mass of humanity
made little or no Roadway for few
minutes. Every aisle was congested
and every doorway iammed with the
frantic Poles and Russian Jews who
mainly composed the gathering.
Strong mon in the rear Of the panic
stricken mob climbed upon the shoul-
ders of those in 'front.' crushing the
weaker men, women and little children
to the floor, to be trampled to death
by those still further In tho rear
For several minutes the wild flight
continued. Then few policemen
forced passageway to tho main en-
trance and began dragging forth those
who were iammed in the doors. 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 policemen had
brought a large squad to the theatre
by, this time, and fire alarm had also
been sent in, bringing some engines on
the scene.
The excitement in the street was
almost as great as in the theatre, as
relatives began searching for those
from whom they hau become separated
during the mad rush. Fathers and
mothers rushed about locking for their
children, and attempted to re-enter the
theatre in their search for missing
ones.
The crowd grew so great that the
police. fearing riot ordered the fire
engine hose TO be turned on, and in
that way the struggling mass was driven
back from the theatre entrance.
Meanwhile officers had entered the
theatre and encountered a sickening
sight. In every direction were found
bodies from which life had been crush
ed and trampled.
y majority of the victims were young
men, girls and children. They were
tenderIy carried to the front of the
house and taken to the City Hospital
and the morgue as fast as the ambu
lances and patrol wagons could make
the trips,
Twenty three dead bodieswere finally
taken from tho theatre. Ten persons,
more or less injured, are at the City
Hospital. Two of them may die.
Several others were taken to their
homes in carriages, suffering FROM con-
tusions or broken bones. The death
list will probably exceed 25.
baltimore, Md, Dec. %. The horror
at the Front Street Theatre last night
is increased. rather than abated by To-
days developments. The list of identi-
fled dead has grown TO 81, and two or
three more who are lying in tho City
Hospital are SO desperately injured that
their names may serve TO swell ere
another night has passed.
The morgue, however, is clear. and
all the ghastly array of disfigured
human forms which lay there last night
have been recognized by living friends
or agoudged relatives