The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1904-04-13
APRIL -, 1904.
STORY OF AN ESCAPE
AN INCIDENT OF THE CHICAGO tRO-
QUOlS THEATER HORROR.


The Way a Woman and Her Two
Children Were Saved From the
Hurricane of Flame and Panic by
IA Stranger Who WINS IntoNi cnted.
All great conflagratiOHs that are at
tended with loss of life have, as rule,
their serlo 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 We're saved from death in the
awful horror of the IroquoiS thcatcr in
Chicago where so many hundreds per.
ished In the hurricane Of flame and
panic, as told by Miss Elizabeth \.
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
theater on that dreadful afternoon.
Little Bob was next to the aisle, than
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 ii as the spectacular
drama went on and the wondering lit
tie folks looked open eyed upon the
scenes before them.
AT last an uncertain step came down
the aisle and Il well dressed man
lurched into the vacant seat. The cur
tain was UP. but he was an old thcater
goer. and as the extravaganza was not
entirely new to him he turned to the
child. Her eonfiding 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 curs.
Mrs. Stirling shrank from his coll
terminating touch upon Dorothy's head.
He snw or felt her loathing and said
brokenly, Don't you be 'fraid-ish all
right NIL right sweetish Ill girl ever
| shaw sweetlsh III girl ever | shaw
The gay dramn went on, the crowd
cheered, the children clapped their
hands. and their merry laughter min
gled 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 uneer
tain lips At last Mrs. Stirling called
the attention of an usher To the pro
longed annoyance. and II remonstlanee
was made, but the answer cHmc, You
go wny lsh all right all right sweet
fish HI girl ever l shaw sWcctsh Ill
girl ever ! shaw"
Again the big hand touched the gold
en- hair, and this time 1t straYed down
ward and took the little hand in 10y
Ing clasp The child looked fearlessly
Into his face and smiled
The mother grew more and more
nervous. Again an usher was called
and complaint made. The slender
young man looked Mt the big fellow
and concluded that prudence was the
better part of vnlor," SO he went 10
consult with another about effective
methods of getting the Intruder out of
the house.
The stranger looked Mt the stage
again; this time he saw II tiny flame
rapidly spreading to the scenery. RIs
ing Instantly he took little Dorothy in
his arms. Stepping beyond the mother
and unheeding 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 WIS the mo-
mcnt of salvation. Another minute
another half mlnute-and 1t would
have been too late They had nearly
reached the entrance when cry of
horror rang through the house, follow
cd by screams of terror and shricks of
pain.
Without further volitlon of their
own they We're swept into the street.
Wholly dnzed by the awful shock Mrs.
Stirling pleaded, Put them down put
them down now
NO. thGsh all right. Where do you
want to goY"
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 the
disaster
Lurching from one side OF the walk
to the other and apparently in con
slant danger of falling. he stlll carried
his precious burden safely. once
within the protecting doors of the
great Ashland block the elevator ear
ricd them to one of the higher floors,
where Mrs. Stirling rushed into her
husbands office crying, oh, Henry.
the thcatcr is burning, and this man
has brought the children out"
Although not half comprehendlng
the horror, the father put his hand in
his pocket and drew ont n twenty dol
lar bill which he offered with profuse
thanks But he and his money We're
nike ignored. With majestic sweep
OF the hand shc drunken hero answer
cd. Go wayl don't want your mon
ey 20 way thash all right thash the
sweetish Ill girl ever | shaw -sweetish
III girl ever shaw" and then he stag
gered out of the office.
Correct Address.
"Isn't Columbus dead. popI'