Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-06-09
STORY OF AN ESCAPE
AN INCIDENT OF THE CHICAGO lRO-
QUOlS THEATER HORROR.

Children Were saved From the
Hurricane of Flame and Panic by
Stranger Who Was intoxicated.
All great connagrauons that are at
tended with loss of life have. as a rule,
their Serio comic as well as their tragic
incidents. Many peculiar escapes have
been recorded. but the following story
of how one woman and her two chill
dren were saved from death in the
awful horror of the Iroquois theater in
Chicago, where so many hundreds per
ished in the hurricane of flame and
panic, as told by Miss Elizabeth a.
Reed in the Chicago Record Herald
shortly after the fearful tragedy, Is
unique in many ways:
Mrs. Henry Stirling, with her two
children. sat in the fateful Iroquois
theatcr on that dreadful afternoon.
Little Bob was next to the aisle, then
the mother, and Dorothy sat on the
other side. Beyond the siX-year-old
girl there was vacant seat, but little
heed was given to it as the spectacular
drama went on and the wondering III
tie folks looked open eyed upon the
scenes before them.
At last an uncertain step came down
the aisle and well dressed man
lurched into the vacant seat. The cur
tain was up, but he was an old theater
goer, and as the extravaganza was not
entirely new to him he turned to the
child. Her coniiding blue eyes an
swered his appeal for friendship; there
was wonder in the expressive little
face, but no fear, even when he ven
tured to lay caressinG hand upon the
golden curls.
Mrs. Stirling shrank from his CON
taminating touch upon DOrothy's head.
He saw or felt her loathing and said
brokenly, Don't you be 'fraid-ish all
rlght-all right-sweetish iii girl ever
| shaw-sweetish III girl ever | shaw"
The gay drama went on, the crowd
cheered, the children clapped their
hands, and their merry laughter min
gIed with the applause, but the stran-
ger still kept his bleared eyes upon the
lovely child Every few minutes his
hand would stray lovingly over the
sunny head and some expression Of
endearment would fall from his uncer-
tain lips. At last Mrs. Stirling called
the attention of an usher to the pro-
longed annoyance, and a remonstrance
was made, but the answer came, You
go way-ish all right-all right-sweet-
ish lii girl ever l shaw-sweetish iii
girl ever l shaw"
Again the big hand touched the gold
en- hair, and this time it strayed down
ward and took the little hand in low
ing clasp. The child looked fearlessly
into his face and smiled.
The mother grew more and more
nervous. Again an usher was called
and a complaint made. The slender
young man looked at the big fellow
and concluded that prudence was the
better part of valor," so he went to
consult with another about effective
methods of getting the intruder out Of
the house.
The stranger looked at the stage
again; this time he saw a tiny fame
rapidly spreading to the scenery. Ris-
ing instantly, he took little Dorothy in
his arms. Stepping beyond the mother
and unheedng her frightened remon-
STRANGE, he swung the child upon one
shoulder and with the other hand
caught up little Bob then with both
Of them pressed closely in his strong
arms he walked out Of the house. The
doubly frightened mother involunta-
rlly followed him.
This precious instant was the mo-
ment of salvation. Another minute
another half minute-and it would
have been too late. They had nearly
reached the entrance when a cry Of
horror rang through the house, follow.
ed by screams OF terror and shrieks OF
pain.
Without further volition of their
own they were swept into the street.
Wholly daZed by the awful shock Mrs.
Stirling pleaded, Put them down-put
them down now"'
NO thash all right. Where do you
want to go?'
Right up this way TO the Ashland
block" she answered. Then the
strange party pushed on through the
crowd which was already rushing
with helping hands to the scene Of thF
disaster.
Lurching from one side of the walk
to the other and apparently in con.
stant danger of falling he still carried
his precious burden safely. Once
within the protecting doors of the
great Ashland block the elevator car
ried them to one of the higher floors,
where Mrs. Stirling rushed into her
husbands office crying, 'Oh, Henry,
the theater is burning, and this man
has brought the children Out"'
Although not half comprehending
the horror, the father put his hand in
his pocket and drew out a twenty dol
lar blll which he offered with profuse
thanks. But he and his money were
alike ignored. With a majestic sweep
of the hand the drunken hero answer
ed "GO way-I don't want your mon
ego way-thash all right-thash the
sweetish III girl ever | shaw-sweetish
III girl ever | shaw" and then he stag
gered out of the office