The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-16
THEATRE CEILING FALLS.
THREE DEAD AND A DOZEN HURT
FIrILLY IN CINCINNATI

Fart orthc Dome or Robinson's Opera House
Fails Into the Centre of tho Thentre-Two
Persons Killed OutriEht-Probably FIuy
Hurt-Thc Darkness Caused - Stampede.
CINCINNATI, Oct. 15.-About $3.50 o'clock this
evening, shortly after the curtain rose AT itooln'
sons opera House, part OF the celllhg anu 'ne
framework of the hugo dome fell upon the occu-
pants OF the orchestra chairs and parquet seats.
Most OF the lights were eNtinguishcd by tho
accident. 4 light was turned on the audience
from the stage, and this caused the alarm OF lire
to add TO tho horror OF tho situation. Many OF
the audience were injured seriously by the fall
ing ceiling, but many more were crushed and
tramplcd under foot during the rush for the
doors.
Three persons are known TO be dead and sew
cral arc not expected TO live. 1t Is said that II
dozen may be hurt fatally.
THE Dangers OF a Great City" was the name
OF tho play being given. A little girl, Alice
Opie. was singing n song with n bass drum &C.
commandment when the crash came. With the
dome and ceiling the immense central chandc-
licr camc down.
All Of the debris fell within q circle Of about
thirty feet diameter in the parquct. Tho
crash was as loud as n thunder clap. Great
clouds of dust added to the terror Of the dark
ness that followed, and wild cries came from all
parts Of tho house.
Several fire engines and half a dozen patrol
crews responded TO the alarm. The flremen ana
police quickly began the work removing those
too badly injured to help themselves. Exag.
gcrated reports soon spread and thousands OF
persons quickly blocked the streets.
Very many had relatives and friends among
the audience. About twenty victims, some OF
them wounded fatally, were quickly taken out
sod .r... g. A. -..- -.-.A1
large number OF those who were not hurt SO
seriously ran through the streets. black with
dust and with torn clothing.
On account OF the disappearance of these to
their homes II was difficult to get even n tolor-
ably accurate list OF the wounded, but two were
killed outright. One of these was an unidcnti-
fled aged man who wns almost cut in two by a
falling timber. The other was an elderly lady.
name also unknown, whose back was broken.
Many of the injured received their hurts from
being trampled under foot by the terror stricken
audience. The attendance was not very large.
None of the members of the theatrical company
was injured.
About twenty years ago there was a similar
accident at this opera house at q holiday matt
nee. A false alarm Of fire at that time caused a
stampede during which about thirty-tive persons
were killed. The house belongs to the estate Of
the late John Robinson, the noted circus owner.
Tho latest reports tonight place the number
Of probably fatally injured at twelve and the
moro or less severely hurt at from thirty to
forty. Strangely enough, the play TINT was
booked for next week is called Under the
Dome" The theatre will not be opened again
for some time.
The following are at tho hospital, all supposed
to belong to this city: One unidentified man.
dead, brought by patrol wagon; Mrs. George
Kleeman dead; unidentified woman, dead; man
named Goldman. will die.
The following IRE more or less seriously hurt
Della Allieicr and her children. Joseph and
John; Daisy Fairhcad. Mrs. J. Fairhead S. +.
Long. Mary Scudder. Newport; Pearl Hall.
Grace Conpers, c. J. Weiss. Will Motcn, Fred
jerks, T.. C. Wiley, w J. McCahe. Clinton
Deal. Jacob We'll. Mary Hess. John White,
Amclie We'll. Mary Howe, and Mary Moormnn.
Manager c. A. Shaw was seated in his Office
at the time Lieut.. Poppe rushed in from the
street and took charge OF the house employees,
who, under direction Of Major Cass. the door,
keeper. and Robert Roberts, the chief usher
and Charles Morgan. property man. at once be-
gan helping the injured ones out.
A score were carried back into tho dressing
rooms on the stage. 4 call was sent in fol
every patrol wagon in the city. Several women
sat on the steps Of the City Hall near by and
tainted away. They were revived by passcrs
by. Mrs. Kleeman died ut the hospital al Il
p. VI.
Archbishop Elder and Father Mackey arrived
at the hospital at 9:45 O'Clock and ministered tc
the wounded and dying. A mob OF excited PEG
Pile surrounded the hospital, crying for thciI
friends, at midnight.