New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-31

trampIed her into inconsistencies She khan
Samaritan Hospital. when she at once begged
for her children. While she was asking Tor
them one OF them was brought to the hospital
seriously burned The other escaped uninjured
r. W. Wilson. who assisted in taking the IN
jured from the theatre to the hospital. said that
many Of the deaths were caused by falling from
the balcony steps in the efforts Of the crowd to
reach the exits
WOMEN AND CHILDREN KILLED
.-rhe first evidence Of the fire." he said. was
a thin column OF smoke which hoated from tbs
stage This was followed by sheet OF aarna
which mounted to the ceiling and envsloped the
hangings about the front Of the stage. Ths
peoule in the parquette started for the door IN
an orderly manner. Tie people on the stage.
the ushers and a number OF spectators arose 70
their feet and shouted for order. and ala every
thing IN their power to prevent panic. Then
somebody screamed. and everybody apparently
lost all control Of themselves and ran for thu
doors 7 was knocked down twice by men who
seemed to have list their minds Men spFans
to the stairs apparently -ardiess OF the women
and children who were going down al the time.
Many women and children were knocked down
in this way who might have been saved had
they not been pushed to one side by men Who
thought of nothing but themselves
Herbert Cawthorn. member OF the cast. as
sisted many Of the chorus girls from the stage
exits In the panic. After being driven from the
building he made two attempts TO enter bis
dressing room. but both times was driven back
by the hrenen. who feared he would be over
come by smoke. Mr.. Cawthorn said:
ct was in a position 10 see the origin Of the
fire, and feel positive that It was an electric
calcium light that started the blaze The cal
cium lights were being used to illuminate the
stage in the latter part of the second act when
the song In the Pale Moonlight was being sung.
I was standing behind a wing on the left side
OF the stage. when my attention was attract
ed by a peculiar sputtering Of one Of the cal
ciums Above the stage. perhaps twelve feet
higher than the top OF the curtain. exposed 20
the audience. was q swinging platform. from
which twelve calcium lights had Jared up. and
the sparks sSnited the lint OF the curtain IN
stantly turned my attention toward the stage.
and saw the song was being carried out, and
that many OF the actors and actresses had not
yet discovered the blaze
"Just then the fireman who IS kept behind the
scenes rushed up with some kind Of patent
nrs extinguisher. Instead OF the stream from
the apparatus striking the flames. IL went al
most IN the opposite direction Up to this time
the flames had not been In sight Of the audi
enee. While the stage fireman working In
an endeavor to use the chemicals. the flames
suddenly swooped down and out Eddie" FOy
shouted something about the asbestos curtain,
and the fireman attempted 20 use IT. and this
stage hands ran to his assistance. The asbestos
curtain refused to work. and then the stage
hands and players began TO hurry from the
theatre. In my opinion. the stage fireman might
have averted the whole affair il he had not oe7
come so excited The chorus girls and everyt
body else. TO my mind. were less excited than
he There were at least i've hundred persons
behind the scenes when the FIRE started I
sisted many OF the chorus girls from the the
atre and some OF them were only partially at
tired. Two OF the young women IN particular
were naked from the waist up. They had alb