The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1904-01-07


Two Of thess dOorways are at the
end OF the balcony, and one being IN
the center.
Frautic Rush for Exits
Responsible fer Death Of Many.
The audienca In its rush for the out
sr air seems to have, for the greater
part, chosen to a. to the left en-
trance and TO attempt to make its
way down the eastern stairway lead
ing into the lobby Of the theatre.
Outside 4 the people burned and
stuff 1csted by gas, 1t was in these two
doorways on the first and second bal
comics that the grtatest loss OF lille
occurred.
When the fremen entered the build
| ing the dead were found stretched in
a pils reaching from the head OF the
stairway at least eight ieet from the
door back to a point about FIVE feet
| in the rear OF the door.
This mass Of dead bodies was in
the center OF the door, which reached
to two feet Of the top OF the passage
way.
Allui the corpses at this point were
women and children.
The fight for life which must have
takan place at these two points Is
something simply beyond human
power to adequately describe.
Only a faint idea OF Its horror
could b. derived from the aspect OF
the bodies az they lay,
Women on top OF there masses oil
dead had been overtaken by death
as they were era wiling on their hands
and knees over the bodies OF those
who had died hfore.
Others 10y with arms stretched out
lin the direction toward which lay life
and safety. holding in their hands
fragments cf garments not theiI
own.
They were evidently torn from, til,
clothing of others whom they hat
endeavored to pull down and t am
pied under food as they fought fol
their own lives.
As the police removed layer altel
layer OF the dead in these doorways
the sight became too much even iol
the police and firemen, hardened al
they are to such sights, to endure.
The bodies were In such an inextri
cable mass and 20 tightly we're they
!, damned between the sides OF the dool
; and walls that it was impossible tt
lift them one by one and carry then
out.
The only possible thing to do wa
, to seize limb or some other portion
) Of the body and pull with mail
strength.
Police and Firemrn Broke
Down and Wept While Working
II The men worked at the task wit
tears running down their cheeks, an
, the sobs OF the rescuers could b
, heard even in the hall below wher
this awful scene was being enacted.
Il Anumber Of men were compelled t.
aoandon their task and give it owe
TO others whose nerves had not a
vet been shaken by the awful expel
fence.
As one by one the bodies were drag
ged out OF the water.soaked, blacl
ened mass Of corpses, the spectacl
), became more and more heart reno
h ing.
: In the first and second balconie
: the bodies we're filed up in the aisle
three or four feet deep, where one ha
fallen and the other tripped over th
q PROSTATE forms.
All had died where they lay, ev
IDENTIFY suffocated by gas.
Il Others were bent over the backs {
. seats, where they had been thrown b
the rush Of people for the doors an
y killed without hardly a chance t
rise from their seats.
,,l In the aisles nearest to the dool
the scenes we're narrowing in the e.
IRENE.
= The bodies lay in every conceivab
: attitude, half naked, the look c
= their faces revealing some portion
: the agony with which must hayepr
coded their death.
u There were scores and scores