The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-01-21

Boyertown, Pa, January 16.-Th1s
little borough, which lost one-fifteenth
of its population in the opera house
horror Monday night, today turned TO
the task of burying its dead. Because
of the condition Of most Of the bodies
the borough authorities have asked
the bereaver relatives to bury the dead
within three days All night long
scores of men worked in the morgues
preparing the identified bodies for re-
moval to their late homes or to the
cemetery. AS early as five o'clock a
long line Of death wagons moved here
and there about the town distributing
the corpses and before nightfall most
of the dead will be ready for interment
The relief committee working in
conjunction with relatives, has re-
moved more than fifty bodies from the
morgues. It is a common sight to see
men carrying through the streets
charred bodies on boards covered by
blanket or quilt.
1t rained slightly this morning and
there was a little fall of snow. but
this did not deter the work of digging
graves. A force of men started to
dig graves in Fairview and Union
cemeteries this morning.
The borough has decided to buy
eight lots for the burial of the uniden-
titled dead. In the center of the plot
sufficient space will be left for the
erection of monument
The scenes about the morgue today
are much the same as yesterday. Day
light found crowds around the entran-
ces clamoring for admittance. At
o'clock the doors were opened and the
gruesome work Of, Identifying the dead
was again taken up. 1t is believed
that more than fifty bodies will never
be Identified
The death list continues to grow and
it is now feared that the number of
higher. Today Mrs. James Fryer, who
was injured by leaping from the burn
ing building, died, making the total
number of known dead 172.
Coroner Straaser's official list this af-
ternoon showed that of the lead, 112
we're females and As males. There are
fifteen bodies SO badly burned that It
is impossible to distinguish their sex.
There are % bodies included in the
dist of males and females The cor
oner stated that this list is by no
means complete. The borough of Boy
ertown mourns the loss of 10 of it's
people. The remainder of the victims
hailed from about ten different ham,
let's, all within radius of five miles.
II have every reason to believe
said the coroner after making another
examination of the ruins today" that
the number of dead may reach fully
two hundred. A number of bodies.
how many we will never be able to tell
were burned to crisp. Nothing re-
mains of them but scattered ashes"
In order to get to the cellar o. The
buildings as quickly as possible gang
of men was set to work this after
noon to clear away the tons of brick
and mortar. Much headway was made
today in identifying the remainder of
Re unknown dead. SO far 115 bodies
have been claimed.
A mystery has developed as a result
of the examination of the bodies still
remaining in the school house. In
looking over the corpses Coroner Stras-
ser came across one he at first had
reason to believe was that of a. man.
but on opening the coat which envel-
oped the frame, he was surprised to
see that the body was that of q wo-
man. The whole body was attired In
male garments, even to the under
clothes. An Investigation showed that
there was no girl in the play Monday
night dressed in mans attire.
The body is one of those still uni
Identified and it is hardly likely that
1T will be claimed. The features ara
burned beyond recognition. Thus far
no one in town has been found who
has any recollection of person who :
would answer to the description OF the
body.