Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-16
115 IDENTIFIED.
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were called upon to assist in preparing
the remains for inspection and identified
ton.
Coroner Strasser says that not more
than Is Of the entire number of bodies
removed from the fire have heads There
are several trunks that probably Will
never be identified, as there were sew
eral strangers in the audience that VII
messed the play.
Building Inspector Hickman of Read
ing. who made an inspection Of the OPP
era house which was destroyed, said TO-
night:
I'm my opinion the people in the nan
were overcome by the fumes from the
tank used in connection with the TAP
leaux lights and simply could not heip
themselves. A man told me that ne
reached in the doorway to assist "o-
man from the building and that he was
nearly overcome by gas. He was not III
the hall when the first started"
John Rhoades and his grandson, VINO
were supposed to have been killed In the
fire, and Mrs. John Dyer, another sup
posed victim, turned up today.
Royertown. Pa, Jan. 15.-Of the more
than 1G5 persons crushed or burned 10
death in Monday nights theater al
saster, it is probable that more tnan
half will be laid away in nameless
graves. So far as physicians and I'M
dertakers could ascertain from the
charred remains and clothing. 40 Of
the dead were women and girls and 45
- burned
were the other bodies that the Sex
could not be determined.
Up to l F. NJ. 80 bodies had been
identified Two of the injured died TO-
day, bringing the list of dead close 10
10.
1t Is generally believed that several
bodies are still buried in the ruins OF
the cellar of the building.
At 80 o'clock it was announced that
165 had been taken out of the ruins
one fireman had been killed and w."
persons had died of injuries. This
makes q total of 16S.
Chairman Irwin T. Ehst Of the re-
lief committee says that he belleVeS
all the fodies are out of the ruins ana
as far as known no others are missing.
Coroner Strasser had expected to
open the morgues for the identification
of the Gead Tuesday afternoon, but the
number of dead grew SO large that the
undertakerS even with the augmented
force from other towns We're unable
to properly arrange the bodies. Most
of the bodies were in such condition
that few of them will be recognized
oy the features alone. In nearly every
case the upper portions of the bodies
were burned some of them to crisp.
Because OF the difficulty of Identified
ton ana the attendant confusion. the
coroner decided to keep the morgues
closed until Wednesday, and during the
morning the doors of the buildings
were thrown open. Hundreds of pe o.
pie We're waiting at each place to set
look at the bodies in the hope of
finling the remains of loved ones. Per.
feet order was maintained. At each
OF the morgues a detail of state police
was on duty to keep the crowds NOV
ing. AS quickly as Notifications were
made the bodies were turned over to
unlertakers for removal to the homes
of the victims.
Jacob Johnson, who was badly hurt
in the mad rush for exit from the burn
ing building, died Wednesday morning.
Coroner Strasser is making an in
vestigation preliminary to the official
inquest.
The coroner's attention was called
to the fact that oil lamps were used
for footlights in the Opera house in
place Of a stationary Illumination. He
said he would make a thorough inquiry.
All bat two members of the cast 50
far as can be learned were killed. This
is due to the precaution taken by Mrs.
Della Mayer. She had Il premonition
that something would happen. At
luncheon given to the members of the
cast in the hall several days ago she
said she feared something There ought
to be a means of escape, she said. Thu
rear entrance was spoken of and at her
suggestion the doors We're taken off the
hinges SO that in case Of accident egress
could easily be accomplished.
Henry W. Fischer of Carlisle. Pa. the
operator of the calcium light which was
the origin of the terrible disaster. mad"
his escape from the burning building.
though not without first receiving bad
burns. Mr.. Fischer said:
THE accident to tho calcium light was
caused by a cap on one of the tanks
blowing out. This caused sharp report
and flash which startled the people in
the audience.
II stuck to my apparatus and finally
got the leak repaired and succeeded In
quieting the alarmed people. Just as I
had them cal'ned the foolish action of
some thoroughly frightened and wild
person on the stage caused the overset-
ting Of the foot lamps and the consequent
spread of the flames which nothing could
avert. Not until then did 1 desert my
post and seek my own safety in lght.'
That the victims We're not confined to
residents of Hoyerstown was shown by
the number of unclaimed teams at the
hotels. Fully 40 teams remained uncalled
for In the stables Tuesday and the host
lers said they belonged to people resid-
ing within radius of five or six miles
of Eoyerstown who drove to this placo
on Monday with their families to wit
ness the production Of 1.-THE Scottish Ref-
ormation." There is no clue to the iden-
tity of the owners of n number of tho