The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-23
PANIC AT MATINEE
cpY OF FIRE sTAMPEDES LOUIS
VILE THEATER AUDIENCE.
THE INJURED ARE THIRTEEN.
,rARED THAT ONE OF THESE
WILL NOT SURVIVE INJURIES.

In the Mad Rush for the Street Men,
women and Children TrampIed
Upon and Fell Over Each Other.
orchestra Plays and Actor Dances
While Panic Is at Its HiSht-Hun-
dreds Checked at Entrance by
Main FOrce-The Play Was Finish
ed without a Hitch.
Louisville, Oct. 22.-Hundreds of peo-
n,e attempted to rush out of the Tenn
rle Theater this Afternoon because the
cry of fire was raised when a little
fame was seen about the polyscope
machine. In the scramble scores of
neople were knocked down and thir-
teen injured, three seriously. OF the
latter. one may die. A number of other
nersons were bruised or cut, but their
injuries were slight.
The injured: Frank Mcdonald, head
injured, may die; Mrs. Leonora Roth,
two ribs broken and right eye injured,
condition serious; Mrs. Charles Gross,
head cut and otherwise injured, con-
diton serious; Omar Pulliam, colored,
right ankle injured by jumping from
the balcony; L. Fine, operator of the
nolyscope, face and head bruised;
Frank Latch, head cut and back in
tured: Mrs. Pat jennings, head bruis-
ed; Mrs. George Schnitt, head cut; A.
vear-old daughter of Mrs. George
schnitt, back injured; Mrs. Mary
Welsh, leg and arm bruised; Mrs. Mary
Hulzer, back hurt; Mrs. Mary PUNK,
head hurt; infant niece of Mrs. Mary
PUNK, back hurt.
1t was $3.50 O'Clock, just after the
first act of "Tennessee's Pardner," and
while the polyscope was being prepared
for its exhibition, that the little flash
of flame came that caused the panic.
Many women and children made a rush
for the door. The panic seized the gal
lery, and in a moment the occupants
were plungng down the stairway in a
heap, or We're taking the swifter meth
cd of climbing down into the audito-
rum proper In their haste many fell
and landed on those beneath. Several
were badly hurt in this way.
Meanwhile those who had regained
their presence of mind endeavored to
II
theatre attaches acted with great cool
ness. The orchestra played and Charles
IT. Bates, a member of the stock COM
danced This was effective in
#quieting those nearest the stage. The
#great crush occurred where the stairs
come down from the gallery. Here the
two crowds met and were packed into
space not large enough for half of
81 them and all were trying with des-
# #peration to reach the street.
81 The weaker We're son knocked down
s. and trampled under foot. Those who
realized the state of affairs were try
Ing their best to check the rush, but
the crowd went on pell-mell through
the doors and literally rolled down the
q long fight of stairs.
As soon as the rush was over the
n care of the injured began. A big room
4 was converted into a temporary hos
pital The greatest haste was made in
removing the injured from the build
ing in order to prevent panic when
4 the audience was dismissed. Every pa
Il troll wagon and ambulance in the city
Il was soon engaged in conveying the
4 more seriously injured to the hospit-
ais, or their homes. The members of
the stock company showed the great
i est presence of mind and the play was
finished without a hitch.
Thirty policemen promptly prevent
ed disorder after the panic.
Clarence Meffert. an attache of the
theater closed the wide exit doors as
the rush began. He called a number
of men and by main force held the
crowd back. But for this hundreds
might have been injured.
Just as the doors were closed Mrs.
O. w. Blunt pitched her 4-year-
child through the exit to a policeman.
lie caught it in his arms, but it slip
pea to the floor, sustaining however, no
INJURIES except slight bruises.
There was no damage from fire. 1t
IS said the cause of the flame was the
oloWlng out of fuse on the polyscope.
-S-a-e-