Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-10-23

| |. j. Weatherford.
| Mrs. Mary WEIGH.
| Mrs. George Schmidt.
| Miss Smith.
| Miss Kate Hober.
Two unknown boys, about 10 years
old; unconscious.
| - Mcdowell, dangerously hurt
about the back and chest.
Orma Pulliam. colored, jumped from
balcony. compound fracture of leg.
Frank Blaecht, hurt about back and
chest.
| Infant of B. Bernham, Shippingport,
trsmpled upon and badly injured.
Mrs. Mary Plunke, Shippingport.
trampled, bruised about ankles and
shoulders.
| Edward Plunke. four years old, Ship
pingport. deep cash in head.
one-year-old son of Mr.. o. II, Plunke,
crushed.
| Mrs. Charles Gross, badly cut about
the face and feared to be internally in
jured
Miss Kate Hulger, cash in her head.
George Meyer, aged IA. trampled
about face.
Joe Fine. operator of the polyscope,
badly bruised about the face. uncon
scious.
D. C. Schneider. bruised about the
face.
| 1t was about $3.50. Just after the first
act of "Tennessee's Pardner," and while
the polyscope was being prepared for its
exhibition, that the little fash of fame
came that caused the panic. Many wo-
men and children made a rush for the
door. The panic seized the gallery and
| in a moment the occupants were
| plunged down the stairway in heap
or were taking the swifter method of
| climbing down into the auditorium
proper. In their haste many fell, land
ing on those beneath. Several were
badly hurt in this way.
Meanwhile. those who had retained
! their presence OF mind endeavored to
! stop the mad rush. The ushers and
| theater attaches acted with great COOL
ness. The orchestra played, and Chas,
T. Bates, a member Of the stock COM
| pany, danced. This was effective in
quoting 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 them, and all were trying
| with a desperation born of fear to
| reach the street The weaker were
soon knocked down and trampled under
| foot. Those who realized the state of
affairs were trying their best to check
the rush. but the crowd went on pell
nell through the doors and literally
rolled down the long flight of stairs.
As soon as the rush was over. the
care Of the injured began. A big room
was converted into a temporary hospi-
tai. The greatest haste was made in
removing the injured from the build
ing in order TO prevent panic when
the audience was dismissed. Every
patrol wagon and ambulance in the
city was soon engaged in conveying
the more seriously injured to the hos
pitfalls or their homes. The members of
the stock company showed the greatest
presence of mind and the play was fin
ished without hitch.
Thirty policemen promptly prevent
ed disorder after the panic.
Clarence Meffert. an employe 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. 0.
w. Blunt pitched her one-year-old child
through the exit to policeman. He
caught it in his arms, but it slipped to
the floor, sustaining, however, no in
juries except slight bruises.
There was no damage from fire. 1t
is said the cause of the flame was the
blowing out of fuse on the polyscope.