The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-16
Scores of BoyertOwn The.
atre Victims Will Rest
in Unknown Graves.
SIXTY FUNERALS TODAY
Not a Single Clergyman in ca
lamity-stricken Borough Able
to Officiate..Interments
Are Made Without Any
Religious Services.

BOYERTOWN, Pa, Jan. 16.-This lit
tie borough, which lost one-ffteenth Of
| its population in the opera house hor-
ror 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 be-
reaved relatives to bury the dead
within three days
All night long scores of men worked
in the morgues preparing the identified
bodies for removal tc their late homes
or to the cemetery. AS early as 5 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.
| There was a slight hitch in the work
of removing remains from the morgues
through the action of Coroner Strasser
forbidding the removal of any bodies
during his absence. This was due to a
mix-up in the Identification of the body
of boy. There were three claimants
for the body, and all appeared before
the coroner for permission to remove
the remains. Each one was positive
| bndI LllS 0OoS WdO NliO OliO htiSS wa
looking for. Therefore, in order to pre-
vent mistakes the coroner issued the
order.
1t is a common sight to see men car
rying through the streets charred
bodies on boards covered by blanket
or quilt.
were issued today, and most Of these
\. .f4L 1ntF
| mnst Of them without any funeral cere-
monies. There is not a clergyman in
! town able to conduct services. There
will be no services in the Lutheran
Church Sunday. The Rev. Adam
Weber. who lost daughter, is still
rrcstrated. The remains OF his child
! were removed to his home last night.
1t rained slightly today, and there
was 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, and they were relieved at in
tervals.
The borough has decided to buy eight
lots for the burial of the unidentified
dead. In the centre of the plot sufii-
cient space will be left for the erection
of monument.
A pathetic incident in connection
with the opera house fire will be the
marriage tonight of Miss Gertrude
Wren, daughter of Postmaster Wren,
to Harry l.. Gadel of Larned, Kansas.
Miss Edna L. Boyer, who lost her life
in the fire, was to have been the
bridesmaid and Newton Aichtel, an
other victim of the disaster, was to
have been best man. Miss Wren is in a
highly nervous state. and she says that
It would drive her crazy to remain
here and think over the loss Of her
friends and the awful calamity that
befell the community
CLAYTON, Jan. 1e.--Caught In the
panic in the Boyertown Theatre, Mrs.
Bertha Thompson, daughter of Mr.and
AIRS. Joseph Klinger. of this town, was
crushed to death, while her S-year-old
son escaped and ran home to tell his
father what had occurred. The boy
stopped for his mother. but was pushed
into the street, The father was at
home with two children, whom he had
promised to take to the show the next
night