The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-01-02

gas. Others were bent over backs Of
seats where they had been thrown by
the rush OF people for the doors and
killed with hardly a chance to rise FROM
their seats One man was found witn
his back bent nearly double, his spinal
column having been fractured as he
was thrown backward. A woman was
found cut nearly in half by the back
OF the seat. she having been forced over
1t face downward.
In the aisles nearest to the doors he
scenes were narrowing in the extreme.
Bodies lay in every conceivable atti~
tude. half naked. the look on their
faces revealing some position Of the
agony which must have preceded their
death. There were scores and scores Of
people whose entire face had been
trampled completely of by the heels
OF those who rushed over them, and
in one aisle the body OF a man was
found with not a yestige OF clothing,
flesh or bone remaining above his
waist line. The entire upper portion
of his body had been cut into mince-
meat and carried away by the feet
of those who uampled him. A search
was carefully made with a hope ot
finding his head. but It has not been
discovered. and all that will ever tell
his friends who he was Is the color and
appearance Of the clothing on the lower
limbs. and this is in such condition
as 10 be hardly recognizable
Struggle For Life on Fire Escapes
The theatre had been constructed but
a short time and all its equipment wa
not yet in place This was unfortu-
nately the case with a fire escape In
the rear OF the building. The small
iron balconies To which the iron ladder
WAS TO be attached were up. but the
ladder had not yet been constructed.
When the panic was at It's height a
great number of women ran for these
fire escapes, only TO find as they
emerged from the doorway upon the
little iron platform that they were -
TO 30 feet from the ground, fire be-
hind and no method OF escape in front
Those who reached the platform first
endeavored 10 hold their footing ana
10 keen back the crowd that pressed
upon them from the rear. The ehort
was utterly useless aud In Few mo-
ments the iron lodges were jamm'd
with crowds Of women who screamed
fought and tore at each other like
maniacs This last was but BRIEF
interval. and the rush from the in
terror of the building became so violent
that many Of them we're crowded on
and fell TO the granite pavement below
Others leaped from the platform, frac-
turing logs and arms and two were
picked I'D nj that point with fractured
skulls. having been killed Instantly.
George II. Elliott. secretary OF the o.
den Gas Company. was in a building
directly opposite from the theatre
across this alley. and noticing smoke.
went down 20 ascertain its cause When
ne reached tho street the women were
already drOpplns mo the aury, ara
Elliott Immediately rushed for a lad
der In the effort 10 save as many ne
possible. Nc ladder was available, and
the only method Of assistance they
were able 10 devise was 10 hurried'y
lash some planks together and throw
them across 10 the a6righted women
on the platform. with instructions 10
place the end firmly on .he iron frame
work Before this could be done fear
ful loss Of time ensued. the women
were being pushed every instant into
the alley. and by the time the bridge
was constructed but few remained TO
take advantage OF it. However. about
two dozen, II IS believed. made their
way across this narrow causeway.
The members OF the theatrical com
many. being on the first floor. had COM
paratlvely little difficulty in reachine
the street although their situation Wa
for a moment highly critical because
of the speed with which the flames
swept through the mass of scenery in
the flies and on the stage.