New-York tribune., 1910-06-08
KILLS HIMSELF, IN
CROWDED THEATRE
Manufacturer a Suicide in
Columbia Theatre as Show
Is Ending.
THOUGHT IT STAGE SHOT
Audience, Save for Few Who
Saw Man Fall Dead on Chair,
Files Out Quietly as Or
chestra Plays On. r..

While orchestra and chorus were food
ing the house with sound last night at
the Columbia Theatre, Broadway and
4Tth street, Charles Talbert. a corset
manufacturer of No. 56S Park avenue.
stood up in one of the stage boxes and,
placing a revolver to his right temple.
fired bullet into his brain AS he fell
across one of the seats those in the box
with him and a party in an adjoining
box became panicstricken and tun,bled
over one another in their efforts to es-
cape from danger. t~@
Talbert had entered the box early in
the evening and to those who observed
him his actions seemed peculiar. Sew
eral times during the performance he
left the box and paced up and down i'll
the corridor Then he would return,
mopping his forehead with handker-
chief and sit fidgetting in his seat. He
attracted more than usual attention be-
cause Of his height-he was we'll over
six, feet. Besides. he was faultlessly
dressed. -.4',..- -.
Largely because Of the noise made by
the orchestra and the chorus--it being
the finale Of the perfornlance-many Of
those in the theatre did mot realize that
a man had killed himself. Most people
thought the revolver, shof was part Of
the performance. Those in the boxes,
however. who had clear view Of the
dramatic climax to the evenings enter
@1Sr +I,o+
death that they had seen.
Fireman Prevents Panic.
Men and women fell over chairs in
their Wild rush for places OF safety.
They we're marshalled into some SEM
blance of order by Fireman John Nc
Kennedy. who was on detail at the thea
tre. He opened all the exits and led the
women in the boxes and the; first bal
cony out into the street, telling them not
to raise an outcry. In spite of these
precautions however, many joined in the
rush for the doors.
William Hickey. the leader OF the or
chestra. when he witnessed Talberts act
urged the principals on the stage to
greater efforts, trying to quell the fears
of the audience. Although the mans
body lay in full sight Of those or. the
stage as they swung through the strains
of some comedy hit they never wavered.
but continued to sing and dance.
Just as if appeared that the entire
audience would leave the theatre in or
DERBY fashion the house Vas eIectri-
fed by the shouts Of man apparent
" in trouble. He was screaming for
help. The ushers and Patr0lnlan White
who had run in from the street imme-
diately tried to make their ~ay through
the crush Of people on the second land
ing to the box where Talbert had killed
himself
When they finally succeeded in fight
ing their. way to the. box they found a
man living near the body, trying to es-
cape from a dozen men who we're aim
ing kicks and blows at him. 1t appeared
that those who were trying to get at the
man thought that. he had fired the shot,
and their shouts of Murderer! Catch
him. and similar cries filled with dread
those still in the theatre.
It was only after a desperate fight with
those about him that the police were
able to rescue the man from the. clutches
Of those who were intent on wreaking
vengeance on him.
Taibert Died Instantly.
As soon as the theatre had been
cleared Patrolman Mclaughlin, of the
West 47th street station. called an am
buiance from Flower Hospital. The
surgeon said that Talbert must have
died almost instantly. While awaiting
the arrival of the Coroner Captain Fen
nelly. of the West 47th street station,
took charge. He had the body. searched,
several letters and cards being found.
II was from these papers that Talbert's
identity was learned.
The police informed Talberts wife,
Mrs. Lima Talbert. of No. 56S Park ave
nue.. of the death of her husband. She
Immediately hurried down to the station
and identified the body. She said that
her husband had suffered financial losses
lately, but did not seem unduly de-
pressed on that account.
Other letters found on Talbert' were
addressed to the police and the Coroner
and 10 DR.. Andrew j., Fox, of No. 900
Park avenue, All the letters were of
rambling nature and showed that the
man was mentally deranged. His body
was taken later to the West 18th street