davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15
l67 dead bodies Have been TAKEN FROM THE
OPERA H0USE..ALL we're BURNED TO A CRISP
Holocaust Was Caused Curiosity Performer Who Raising the Stage Curtain See What Was Going On
Tipped Over Oil ogE Starting The Fire and Front Door Was Bo and Dreadful Jam Occur
ring Brought Behind Death Visits Nearly Every Home Town

about 425 persons packed in the room,
most of whom were adults. A number
of children were present. There were
about 65 persons, all local talent, on
the stage, who were giving a perform
ance of the Scottish Reformation"
The entertainment was nearly over,
the audience waiting for the curtain
to COUP on the last part when some
thing went wrong with the calcium
light apparatus that was perched on a
small platform near the front entrance
andsat the back Of the audience. The
light8Was in charge of H. w. Fischer
of Carlisle, Pa, and he says the rub
Der tube slipped from one of the tanks.
At any rate there was a loud Kissing
sound, which caused many in the au-
dienee to turn their heads in curiosity
to see what it was.
There was absolutely no panic up to
this time and nothing would have hap
pened If one or more of the perform
ers behind the curtain had not been
curious to learn what was causing
the noise. One of the performers rails
ed the curtain from the floor. In front
of the curtain and serving as the foot
lights was tin tank perhaps eight
feet long, three inches wide and three
inches high. It contained oil and ten
lights, and in raising the curtain the
performer accidentally turned this
/, tank over and it fell to the floor with
| in q few inches of the persons in the
front row. The oil flowed out and
caught fire. Then came the inevitable
cry of fire." and what followed it has
been impossible accurately to tell.
Eye-witnesses say that the audience
rose enmasse and the one impulse was
, to reach the front doors. One of the
| double doors had been bolted shut so
to take up the tickets. Not more than
as better to enable the ticket taker
two persons could passe this door at
one time and AFTER Lne HfSt nall QOZ-
en- got through the narrow passage it
became clogged with a struggling mass
of humanity. Men, women, boys, girls
and chairs were tangled up in the solid
mass.
In the meantime some one discov-
cred there were fire escapes on each
side of the building and dozens made
their escape by those exits and gave
the alarm.
The fire bell was rung and the whole
town was aroused and went to the res
cue All this time the flames from the
oil tank were creeping toward the
trrified mass of people who were fran
Continued on page A.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15
Defense Puts on Witnesses
Who Testify to ThaW's
Queerness
Jerome Prevents narry'S
Doctors and Nurses From
Telling About 1t

New York, N. Y, Jan. 14.-The at
torneys for Harry X. Thaw at his
trial today began relentlessly to build
up the case of legal insanity which
they have interposed in his behalf as
defense for killing Stanford White
The two principal witnesses were
Prot. Charles H. Koehler, of Winona,
Mimi, who acted as instructor to
s1Thaw in the Wooster, Ohio, univer-
sity in 1886, and Mrs. Amy Grosette
of San Mateo, Cal, who attended
Thaw as a trained nurse at Monte
Carlo in 1897. They both told of the
young mans eccentricities and de-
clared that his manner always was
irrational.
DR.. John L. Deemar of Kittanning,
Pa, one of the Thaw physicians, also
was heard, as were attendant phys
icians OF three institutions for the
insane who were members of Thaws
family on both paternal and maternal
sides.
District Attorney Jerome, by unex.
pectedly invoking the sacred privi-
lege of physician and patient, block
ed much of the testimony as to the
unsoundness of mind in the Thaw
family, but the calling of the wit
nesses and the questions they were
allowed by the court to answer left
the desired impression on the jury.
Mr.. Jerome explained that the law
compelled him to object to such ev-
idence without an express waiver
from the patient. Even the nurse
who attended Thaw was not allowed
. to testify until Thaw had personally
made a waiver of the confidential
privilege in open court.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15
President Approves Plan to
Withdraw From Cuba
at Early Date
Would Be Pleased If Earlier
Date Could Be Set
For Quitting

Washington, D. c., Jan. 1.-THE
following letter was made public to.
day:
"The White House, Washington, D.
c., Jan. IS, 1908.
my Dear Mr.. Secretary: 1 APP
prove the report of Gov. Magoon and
your letter, and they will be trans
mitted to congress, together with a
copy of this letter. l direct that the
installation of the president and the
congress of Cuba to be elected next
December and the turning over of the
island to them take place not later
than February /, 1909 II it can be
turned over earlier, l shall be glad,
but under no circumstances and for
no reason will the date be later than
February 1, 1909.
Sincerely yours,
Theodore Roosevelt,
Hon. William H. Taft, Secretary. 4
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15
our TARS GET
into Trouble
IN BRAZIL |
Sailors on Shore Leave Meet
Too Much Hospitality
and Make Row
Police and Petty Officers
Suppress the RuCtiOn
and All Is Well

Washington, D. c., Jan. 14.-Ad-
miral Evans, commander-in-chief of
the battleship fleet, today reported
to the navy department that a slight
disturbance occurred last night on
Sshore at Rio de Janerio, involving a
number of shore-liberty men. It was
promptly suppressed by patrol Of
petty officers and police. Four petty
officers were slightly injured. The
shore-liberty men were directed to re-
turn to the ships Immediately and
liberty was temporarily suspended.
After an Investigation, however, the
granting of liberty was resumed, as
many as 1000 men going on shore at
time.
The commander-in-chief reports
that the men have been received with
great cordiality.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15
China Will
RECEIVE GIFT
Senate Committee Will LOpp
Off Twelve Million From
the Indemnity

Washington, D. c., Jan. 1.-THE
Chinese indemnity against losses by
United States citizens on account of
the boxer disturbances of 1900 will
be reduced to the extent of 1885,
2S6 if the recommendation of the
senate committee on foreign rela-
lions is accepted.
At its meeting held today the COM
mittee accepted the recommendation
of the president that he be given au-
$24, 40, 778, fixed by bond given by
China at the close of the trouble, tc
81, 655, 1852, the amount necessary te
meet the actual losses, thus "as an
act of friendship renting the re
mainder.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15

Boyertown, Pa, Jan. 14-When
nightfall put stop to the work of re-
covering the dead fro mthe ruins of
the Rhoades opera house, where last
nights holocaust occurred, the official
roll of victims numbered 167.
1t is the belief of those wo had
charge of the gruesome work that all
of the dead have been removed and
that the total list of victims will not
go above ITO.
The inhabitants of the little bor-
ough in the Berks county hills are to-
night STEPPED in grief. The calamity
is terrible when it is realized that the
population of the place is only about
$500.
It is safe to say that everybody in
the place has either lost one or more
relatives or was intimately acquaints
ed with those who died in the fire.
It was almost daylight this morning
before the flames were extinguished
and rescuers were able to enter the
ruins to remove the dead. The morning
was bitter cold and by the time the
benumbed and exhausted firemen be-
gan the task of disentangling the mass
of burned beams and twisted iron the
| entire ruins were coated with ice
and there was danger of the woll fall
ing.
The work went slowly at first and it
was o'clock before the first body was
removed. Coroner Strasser of Read
ing, who reached the scene shortly
after midnight last night, had a de-
tail of men ready to tag the bodies
and keep a record of every corpse re-
moved The bodies we're so badly
burned, however, that there was little
to describe them by and it is safe to
say that not half of the victims will
ever be identified
There were many different stories
as to the exact cause of the panic and
fire, and there were several rumors of
arrests, but the borough officials and
| coroner Strasser tonight denied that
any action whaeever had been taken.
The Rhoades opera house was To-
Gated on the second floor of a three
story brick building The first floor
was occupied by national bank and
| several stores and the third floor was
used for lodge rooms and the enter
| tainment hall was a large room about
SO feet wide and rs feet long. 1t had
no gallery. There was stairway at
the front of the building and mar
row exit in the rear of the stage.
Fire escapes were built on both sides
and On front of the building.
So far as can be learned there were
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15
0RIENTALS
BELIEVE IN
Being SHOWN
Taft Says Sending Fleet to
Pacific Is Good for
This Reason
Sight Of the Fleet Will Dis
Sipdte ALI Ideas Of War
| in Ear East

Philadelphia, Pa, Jan. 14.-Secst
tary Taft was the chief guest of
banquet of the Ohio society of Phil
adelphia tonight.
When Secretary Taft arose to speak
he was greeted with a song in which
he was referred to q Only One.
In reply to this he SUI
sit seems to be ?
ciety occasion of tn
do not nominate 81 I've A NEW;
presidency SO when lie education.
a. IKE X ... 70 Jake 18Th nlH TRADES
He described Ohio 0er lot those
American state, referred Offices and
its sons have held in schools n,,1st
the country, and talke nrr.T Nr,rE.
tions of this country !. 49,
Japan. The sending of
fleet to the Pacific, the -sp ia to
sisted, had no warlike ST Titcafse.
But the effect, as viewesT from an
oriental standpoint, was most whole
some, since the orientais reason
through their eyes and material ev-
idence of the government warships
in the Pacific settled the talk of war
| inthe Philippines.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15
GOOD news TO
H0MESTEADERS
Senate Has Passed Bill Grant.
ing Leave Of Absence
in Winter Months

!: :: s: :. :: = :. $ : = = . = = ::
!: Washington, D. c., Jan. IA !
:: The bill granting leave of alb
:: sence during December, January,
!: February and March to home
:. stead ,entrymen was passed by
:. the senate today :
= The provisions of the bill,
:: which will also probably pass
: the house in due course, pro-
:. vides: That no homestead en-
: try shall be cancelled and no
!: final proof shall be rejected be- .
:. cause of the failure of the en-
:. tryman named therein to here +.
:. after actually reside upon the .
+ lands covered by his entry dur .
$ ing the months Of December, .
: January, February and March, :
: or any portion of such months: !.
:. Provided, That nothing in this :
: act shall be so construed as to :
: relieve homestead entrymen of .
: the duty of residence during the .
:: months not herein named, and :
: the period of absence provided .
:: for in this act shall be computed :
: to apply upon the period of res :
: idence required under existing :
:. law. :
s: :: :. i :: :. :: :: $ !: : s. :. = = .
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15
Change in THE
JAP CABINET

Washington, D. c., Jan. 13.-Am-
bassador O'Brien today informed the
state department by cable from To-
kio of changes in the japanese cabi
net, but made no comment thereon.
The opinion is that these changes
are not liable to affect pending nego-
tiations with Japan relative to the
regulation of emigration to the Units
ed States from that country, further
than to cause a slight delay while
the new cabinet is in process of or
ganization.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15
SKATERS DROWNED
ICE IN LAKE IN PARIS BREAKS
AND TWO CHILDREN
DROWN

Paris, Jan. 14-Great excitement
was caused this afternoon by the
breaking of the ice on the lake in the
Bots de Bologne, some thirty young
people being precipitated into the wa
ter. It was feared at first that many
of them were drowned, but after de-
tachement o ffiremen dragged the lake
by the aid of searchlights, it was
found that only two had been drown
ed, both bodies being recovered.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15
NO IMMUNITY
FOR ABE RUFF
District Attorney Is Willing
But Judge Dunno
Won't Agree

San Francisco, CAL, JAM 14-At
the request of the prosecution Super
ior Judge Lawler today continued I'M
til next Monday the trial Of the cases
of Patrick Calhoun, Thornwell Null
laley, Tiery L. Ford and others,
charged with bribery. A conference
between District Attorney Langdon,
Special Agent w. j. Burns and Alb
raham Reuf followed.
1t has developed that the only OBJ
lection to the prosecutions plan to
grant Reuf complete immunity is the
refusal of Superior Judge Dunno to
sign an immunity contract.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15


:: GRONNA'S BILL PASSES :.
:: Calls Up Bill Providing For Sec !.
= ond Homestead Entries and :.
:: Passes In the House !.
:: Washington, D. c., Jan. II ::
:: Congressman Gronna called up ::
:: yesterday and had passed his bill :
= providing for second homestead =
= entries. The bill will undoubted- =
: ly pass the senate. 1t will bring :.
= relief to large number of home :.
! seekers who, through one cause :
= or another, have exhausted their =
: homestead rights and lost their !.
= land through error, sickness or :.
:. other cause :.
: :: :: :: :: :: Z: :: {: {: :: :. = :: :. =. -.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15
MCFARLAND
Had Best Of l2-Round Go
With Bert Reyes in
Boston

Boston, Mass, Jan. 14.-"Packy'
Mcfarland of t-licago had the better
of Bert" Keyes of New / ork in 2
12-round boxing bout at the Armory
Athletic association tonight McFar-
land proved himself much the clever
er of the two and punished his man
badly in each round. Keyes took
terrific beating but was so strong
that he showed no sign of it at the
finish.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15
New Senator Elected.

Annapolis, Md, Jan. 14.-Senator
William Pinckney White was elect
ed United States senator to fill the
unexpired term of the late Senator
German by both houses in secret ses-
sion today.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-15
WI Ting fang
New Chinese Minister Is Com.
ing With New Bunch
Of CeleStiaIS

Washington, D. c., Jan. 14.-Wu
Ting Fang, the newly appointed Chi
nese minister to Washington, is ex-
pected to arrive here early in March.
Mr.. WI is expected to bring with him
an entirely new legation staff.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-13

Continued from page three.)
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-13

Sicklcs began by placing his troops
in a continuation of Hancock's line,
with Humphrcys's Division toward Han
cocks left and Brncy's Division on
Humphreys left. Sickles wisely threw
forward skirmishers to the Emmitsburg
road, where they could observe the enc
my from the higher ground, and these
became sharply engaged
Beyond the Emmitsburg road was a
heavy belt of timber. and SicIiles was
very apprehensive of what was going on
under this vail. On knoll Oh the
Emmitsburg road, directly in front Of
Little Round Top and one mile distant.
was the Peach Orchard, soon to become
famous in American history, and east
Of this was the equally famous Wheat
Field. while lying between them and
the Round Tops was the rivulet of
Plum Run and the wild confusion OF
rocks and boulders which had been APP
propriateiy named Devils Den.
As noon wore on Gen. Sickles became
more and more apprehensive of such
a flank movement as at Charlottesville.
and. DESTROYS of advancing his line, with
Humphreys's Division along the En-
mitsburg road and Birney's thrown
back thru the woods and rocks toward
the Devils Den and Little Round Top.
He was convinced that this was the
more favorable place to resist the at
tack that lhe expected rather than the
line which he felt Gen. Meade had mis-
taSenly ordered him to assume. He
went to headquarters, represented his
strong fears of flank attack, and asked
Gen. Meade to accompany him ind
examine the line which he had selected.
Gen. Meade was incredulous; could not
find time to go there himself, nor would
ne send Gen. Warren, his Chief Eugi-
neer Gen. SickleS then asked for Gen.
Hunt. the Chief of Artillery. who went
with him, saw the Disadvantages of the
position conceded with Sickles as to
the superiority of the other line. but
declined to give any orders. Cen Hunt
rode away. saying that he would report
the situation to headquarters and OBJ
tain the necessary orders.
Gen. Hunts statement.
In Battles and Leaders" Cen Hunt
gives this statement of the incident:
"On my return to headquarters from
this inspection Gen. Meade told me that
Gen. Sickles, then with him, wished me
to examine new line. as he thought
that assigned to him was not a good
one. especially that he could not use his
artillery there. | had been as far as
Round Top that morning, and had no
rticed the unfavorable character of the
ground, and therefore l accompanied
Sicl1les direct to the Peach Orchard,
where he pointed out the ridges, al
ready described, as his proposed line.
They commanded all the ground be-
hind, as well as in front of them, and
together constituted a favorable posi-
ton for the enemy to hold. This was
one good reason for our taking position
to it. 1t would it is true. in our hands
present a salient angle, which generally
exposes both its sides to enfilade fires
but here the ridges were so high that
each would serve as traverse for the
other and reduce that evil to a mini
num- On the other hand, it would So
greatly lengthen our Iine-which in any
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-13

REYS ON THE EMM1TSBURG ROAD.
the marvellous speed it achieved, did
not begin to reach the field until 3
O'Clock, swhen Gen. Sedgwick arrived
with on division. The other two divi-
sions came up couple of hours later.
The Commander of the First Corps.
Thru miscomprehension of the
facts Gen. Meade had assigned Brig
Gen. John Newton, who commanded a
division of the Sixth Corps, to the COM
mand of the First Corps, thus super
seding Gen. Abner Doubleday, who
made the magnificent fight of the day
before. Buell. in his "Cannoneer" gives
this description of the way the news
was received by the men:
Such was the state of public opin-
ION in the ranks of the old First Corps
when at roll call it was announced that
Gen. John Newton, of the Sixth Corps,
had been placed in command vice Rey-
nolds, killed. This met the instant dis
appreciation of the men. Newton was
man they did not know. The corps
had already been commanded for sew
-eral days by Gen. Doubleday, of the
Third Division, in consequence of Gen.
Reynolds being placed in command of
the whole Left Wing of the army after
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-13

crossing the Potomac. and he had ac-
tually taken command by seniority
when Reynolds fell. Gen. Doubleday
had the reputation among the men of
his division OF being an austere man,
not calculated to excite much enthu-
siasm, but in handling the corps that
day he displayed skill and courage
which the dullest private could not help
commencing; and he had, moreover,
exposed himself all day in plain sight
OF the { ops with reckless gallantry
which rerer fails to win the affection
of soldiers, no matter what may be the
other qualities of an officer. Hence the
men considered Doubleday entitled to
the command of the corps. and they
were disguised when they( learned that
a stranger had been put over them.
Gen. Doubleday was not man of
personal magnetism nor what is
called "a dashing officer He was an
earnest and conscientious man and a
safe and steady soldier-precise. meth
odical and to be depended on III any
emergency. He was not the idol of
his troops and, in fact, that phrase,
so hackneyed by historians, really never
means much of substantial credit in
the estimation of a soldier You will
generally notice that the idol of his
troops is some officer who cultivatcs
the friendship of the newspaper CORE
spondcnts. has his headquarters in the
saddle or issues general orders large
ly composed of wind. The average man
in the ranks, particularly if he is vet
eran. is pretty cynical. and cannot be
easily fooled by prctension and gascon-
ade. Doubleday, Griffin, Reynolds,
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-13

a conspicuous group, which later at
tracted the severe attention of the Con-
federate artillery.
Gen. Lee established his headquar-
tiers in a brick house near the Semi
nary.
Formation of the Line.
Early in the morning the Second
Corps moved from its bivouac, three
miles south Of Gettysburg. and went
into position on the left of Cemetery
Hill. This position was where the ridge
began to sink down to -the level of the
country in front. The Third Corps
formed Oh the left of the Second Corps
and from this formation resulted the
bitter feud between Sickles and Meade
which will be discussed later. Sickles's
two brigades, which he had left at En-
mitsburg, rejoined the corps about $50,
and Sickles stretched his line out until
it reached nearly to Little Round Top.
Geary's Division of the Twelfth Corps
had bivouacked near Little Round Top
during the night, with two regiments
actually on that eminence. Now fear
ing the intent of Ewells heavy masses
on our right, Slocum ordered Geary to
rejoin the corps and take position on
Culp's Hill, connecting on the left with
Wadsworth's Division of the First
Corps. Williams went into position on
Geary's right, and extended the Union
flank to Rock Creek. Slocum and his
men had learned the value of field de-
fenses at Charlottesville, and imme-
diately began covering their front with
works and barricades of fallen timber,
trees, rocks and fence rails. The Fifth
Corps, under Gen. Sykes, arrived on the
field about 8 O'Clock, and was posted as
a reserve of the right and in support
ing distance of the Twelfth Corps.
Meade seems to have been full of ag-
gression, and his first plan was to at
tack Lees left with the Twelfth and
Fifth Corps, supported by the Sixth
Corps when it should arrive. At 10
o'clock. the Sixth Corps not having yet
come up, Meade sent orders to wait no
longer for it, but begin the attack.
Again Slocum gave evidence of that
negative character which he so often
manifested, and sent in a strong rec
concentration against making the at
tack on account of the unfavorableness
of the ground. Gen. Warren went over
to view the situation for Meade. and
reported against making the attack
which was then abandoned.
The reserve artillery, under Gen. Ty-
Ter, came up during the morning, and
went into park in the rear of the Third
Corps. The Sixth Corps, marching with