The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-14

school pupils of st. Johns Lutheran
church had been rehears1ng the
Scottish Reformation" which was
being staged by Mrs H. E. Monroe of
Washington, the author, and when
the curtain rose at 8 o'clock the opera
house was thronged with representa-
tive citizens of the borough. The
drama was well played and the piece
worked smoothly for amateur pro-
duction. The second half of the play,
in which the students from Glasgow
university and the puritan marched
to "Leath to Meet Queen Mary had
just been reached The people TAX
ing part had finished their songs, and
incidental to the drama a number of
pictures were shown by a moving pic
ture machine. This was operated by
H w. Fisher of Carlisle, Pa, who
used calcium lights. While he was
operating the machine, there was a
flash and loud report and the peo-
pie sitting in the rear of the opera
house near the machine arose in
fright and rushed toward the stage.
Their action caused a panic in the
audience and many others thinking 6
the building was on fire, rushed to-
ward the stage. The young people
who were taking part in the perfor-
nance motioned to them to keep
back and resume their seats, but the
frightened spectators attempted to
climb on the stage. One Of the young
people on the stage. more excited
than the others, made a motion as If
to repel them and in his excitement,
he overturned one OF the oil lamps that
were used as footlights. 1t fell with
crash into the auditorium and ex-
ploded. In an instant the stage floor
was ablaze and the frightened peo-
pie surged toward the rear again.
The youthful actors fed from the
stage and managed to escape, clad in
their stage garments. The crowd in
the front of the auditorium fed TO
the rear and they were met by a
crowd from the rear, frantic to es-
cape from the peril of the burning
picture machine in the rear. The mob
became panic stricken and strong
men beat down women and children
in their effort to get out of the build
ing.
Fought For Way Out.
Frank Callen. blacksmith, seized
his year old son and made his way
to window. When he attempted to
return to get his wife, she was in a
struggling mass of humanity and it
was impossible for him to reach her.
The flames spread rapidly and many
of the audience were caught and ov-
ercome before they could reach the
fire escapes. The frenzied people
fought with each other to reach the
front entrance
The front entrance was the princi-
pal means of exit from the building,
and struggling mass of humanity
was quickly piled around the doors
that led to the street. Smoke over
took them and they were burned to
death in sight Of escape from the
seething furnace that surrounded
them. A number of people who were
attracted by the cries Of fire rushed
from the street to the entrance to the
opera house and up the stairs to the
floor in
cuing some, but were forced to
abandon the others to their fate as
the quickly advancing flames drove
them from the children.
Charles B. Spatz, editor of the daily
paper ard a former member of the
legislature escaped, but only to be in
jured a few moments later. He was
fighting the flames and was standing
upon ladder, when he slipped and
fell. Three ribs were broken and he
was hurt about the head.
Tells His Experience.
One man who sat with his wife and
young son in the seventh row and
who told of his experience today with
his body Swathed in bandageS, said:
Near the end Of the third act pic
lures were being shown. when sud-
denly a loud kissing noise was heard.
This caused the people in the rear of
the house to surge towards the stage
as IL LHey wanted TO Il1O out the
cause. The foot lights were upset
and they exploded throwing the blaz-
ing oil in every direction and the
hall was ablaZe within a moment. This
caused a terrible stampede for the
doors and during the next few min
utes men became crazed, knocking
others down and trampling each other
under foot. 1t was a battle in which
the strong only had chance to es-
cape. L grabbed my small son,
George, and struggled to the window.
intending to throw him out and I sue
ceeded in doing SO. Fortunately he
landed on the fire escape and man
aged to climb down to safety. I
imagined he would be badly hurt in
the fall, but 1 preferred this to having
him burned. I then tried to find my
wife, but this was impossible and 1
searched until the flames grew so hot
that I was forced to leave the building
and 1 knew that Esther had been
killed as I hunted all around for her
and could not find her.
The man was almost distracted as
he told his story and he was COM
PEELED to cease at times and give way
to outbursts of grief. He is the father
of five children, four or whom were
left at home last night
The special trains from Reading
brought members of the state consta-
bulary, surgeons, trained nurses and
a large supply of hospital stores and
first aid to the injured appliances
The state consta bulary Immediately
took charge and roped off the scene
of horror Early this morning a
gasoline tank exploded and blew
down the standing walls and but for
the precaution of the guards many
others would have been killed.
Was on Second Floor.
The building, which was destroyed,
was a large brick structure, three
stories high and with a frontage of 125
feet on Philadelphia avenue. The first
floor was occupied by the Farmers
National bank and a hardware store.
The second and third floors were oc-
cupied by the opera house, and a
lodge room.
The building also extended on Wash
ington street for a distance of $50 feet