Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1911-09-02
PANIC in THEATER
MORE THAN 20 PEOPLE KILLED
In. MOVING PICTURE PLACE
AS FIRE" WAS. YELLED.
Cannonsburg (Pa.) Opera House Piled
Ten Feet Deep With Humanity
Marrow Stairways and Entrance
Biamed-Rescue Prompt but Slow
Most of Dead Were Smothered.

Cannonsburg, Pa.-Twenty-siK per
SONS were killed and more than 60 in-
jured when a moving picture fim ex-
pioded in the Cannonsburg opera house
Immediately following the flash of the
film some person shouted ''Firel"
There was rush fer the exit, and ia
moment there was writbing, scream
ing mass Of humanity 10 feet high ia
the narrow stairway leading TO the
entrance of the theater.
Most of the dead were smethered. A
great majority of the audience was
composed of women and children. La
the fierce rush for the exit they were
trampled on. Others were thrown upon
them and those at the bottom Of the
human pile were suffocated.
No Effort to Aid Victims.
When two volunteer fire departments
reached the theater those of the audi
ence who had escaped from the build
sng and other persons drawn to the
scene were rushing about Intellectually
an front of the building No person
was making any effort TO aid the
struggling mass within the theater.
The fremen pushed into the building
and threw many persons into the street.
AS the elected ones regained their
feet they ran shrieking in terror about
the streets. When the firemen neared
the bottom of the pile they began to
bring out the forms of the injured and
later came the dead
Dead on Walk in Row.
The dead were laid in row on the
sidewalk. Relatives fought and strug-
gted to break past the guards to reach
the victims.
The Dead.
Arthur Beak, 90 years old.
Francis Bird, 10 years old (colored)
Mangella Robinson, IT years old.
Frederick Marshall, 40.
Mrs. Harry Kelly, 80.
Earl Kelly, 5-year-old son Of Mrs.
Kelly.
Adolph Buytfesky, &c years old
Walter Nish, IL years old.
- Wolcott, ~ years old.
George Kay, ID years old.
Paul Mestick, IL years old.
Frank SyboresSie, IS years old.
Five-year-old daughter of TOny Gle
dish.
Syndly Rittiter, 90 years old
Mrs. Callie Young, IS years old.
- Klenge, 9 years old.
Murray Hill, 16 years old.
Fiveyear-Old daughter Of Wilbur
Lane. ~
Nellie McKettrick, SO years old.
Infant daughter of Mrs. GreeR Of
Weavertown, Pa.
Two unknown women about 20 years
old.
Two men about rs and 80 years old.
A 6-months-old infant.
Crowd Is Paralyzed.
Within a few moments after the film
flashed and the panic started the fire
whistles were blown. The entire popu-
Tation responded and packed in narrow
Pike street, into which the fatal thea
Ter opens. All of them were apparently
terror stricken and could give little aid.
All Mistake.
Twenty-six persons were suffocated or
trampled to death, rs were seriously
injured and 80 were less seriously hurt
in the senseless panic according to re-
vised figrues.
How foolish the panic was developed
fully when those who survived related
Just what occurred. There was no fire.
The fatal rush for the exit was due to
baseless fear.
1t developed that not even a spark
flashed. The film broke with snap
ping noise and a bright light was
thrown on the screen. A frightened
boy imagined it was fire and uncon-
sciously shouted out the death knell of
more than score of persons as he
started to rush for the exit.