Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-01-02

lIiN 80 sNi iooAl
y pathetic incident occurred, today
on the Cottage Grove Avenue cable
me This passes Withim h;:lf Il square
OF lsolstonS Elo.@uc. Late, this after
noon. Il man, haggaced and worn.
walked UP 10 u Cottage Grove lVenue
car and climbed aboard. carrying i'll
his arms the body OF a little golden
haired girl, partially wrapped in Il cam
vas cloth. AS he took his seat With
the child in his arms the conductor
eyed him otoubtflly. then approach
ing. touched him on Che shoulder, say
ing:
II am sorry. but tie rules of the
company do not permit the carrying Of
Bodies in thi:; manner. / must ask you
10 leave the car.
Without changing his expression in
the slightest, without showing a trace
of excitement or irritation. the man
rose to his feet. still holding on one
arm the body of his child. With his
free hand he thrust into the face of the
conductor Il large revolver and said in
!; tone which betokcned utter weari-
ness and almost lack of interest III the
proceedings:
This is my daughter. l have looked
for hvi Ill Of last hight and ell Of to-
day. have tliod III vain 10 obtain a
cab or Il carriage. | am taking my
baby home 10 her mother and intend
to take her OH this ear. Now so on.
Other men on the car intcrcedcd with
the conductor and the latter. realizing
the situation, gave way and in tht
crowded ear the father sat and car
rieG the corpse CT the child to his home.
The police. today. made several other
arrests of stage hands, among them
William Nc Mullen, the operator of the
light which started the fire. He was
locked up at the central station ana
Wilson Kerr. Il fly man at the theatre
was also placed in cell.
Fifteen members of the double oc
tette which takes part in the song
In the pale moonlight" have been
placed under arrest by the police.
They are wanted merely as witnesses
McMullen. the light operator, under
Went a searching examination by As
sistlnt Chief of Police Schuettler. this
afternoon.
McMullen's story was as follows:
Il was standing on TIE iron bridge
at the right side Of the stage from
which the spot light is operated. Tie
lamp seemed in good condition. but III
;hc middle of the second act just as
changed nom u whit" light to Il blu"
one, the car between the carbons aplut
;tr,. ANA jumped. 4 spark struck the
friycd edge on the inside OF the border
of the curtain dr"pcry. a fame which
| should say WAS l. inches long. shot
up. | abandoned the lamp and clap
ped my hands upon the tlames. but
they spread i'll spite Of me. l called to
have the fire curtain lowered and yell
cd to the house fireman to help me.
He came with patent fire cXtins,iish-
or. which had no effect on the flames.
Finally | jumped from the bridge 10
the stage. A little child in one of the
front boxes had already been badly
burned. ] seized her and carried her
out and then returned to the theatre.
Here ] worked. pulling people out Of
the chokcd exits until it was useless to
stay any longer
+ With the arrest of McMullen. the
police believe they have the last i'm
portant witness among The theatre
employees who are essential to q COM
rlete inquiry ut the coroner's inquest
Superintendent of School Cooley an
! nounced tonight, that the Iroquois
| theatre had killed - teachers in the
| Chicago public schools and six teachers
| arc still reported missing, making to-
/ tai of 20.
/ Mayor Harrison. today. in company
with Building Commissioner Williams.
/ Alderman HavOr and several archi-
! tccts. visited the Iroquois theatre
I building and Went over it thoroughly.
| The mayor went out on the fire es-
| capcs. tried the exits and finally
mounted the rigging loft above the
stage. The dressing rooms were visit