New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-28
Giant Foreigner Led the Fatal
Stampede from the Moving
Picture Exhibition.
HALF THE DEAD CHILDREN
Film Broke, Throwing White
Light on Screen, and Terrified
Lad Shouted Out Death
Knell of 26 Persons.

seriously injured and thirty suffering
from minor hurts-that is the human
toll exacted last night during the mex
cusable panic at a moving picture show
in the Canonsburg opera House. The
moving picture machine developed a
slight defect. There occurred a noise
like a click" A small boy shouted
Fire" at the same time starting for
the narrow exit. Bolus Dubrowski. a
foreign miner, a giant in proportions.
jumped from his seat and ran wildly for
the same exit. In a moment there was
a fighting, struggling mass after him.
At the head Of a narrow stairway which
led to the street the foreigner tripped.
AS he rolled down the stairs he swept
others from their feet who were await
ing their turn 70 enter the theatre. and
soon there was an indescribabe pile OF
humans at the foot Of the steps. battling
like mad.
II was all over within short time
Volunteer fremen. several policemen and
few level headed citizens untangled
the human mass. The unhurt and those
slightly injured were pulled from the
top Of the pile. AS they gained the
street they ran screaming like maniacs
10 all parts OF the small town. Next
came the more seriously hurt. and these
were sent home or taken 20 nearby
houses, while a few were rushed uncon-
scious 70 hospitals. Then the rescuers
- xrhn
had reached the fatal stairway frs
One after another the victims. many OF
them women and small children, were
carried 70 the sidewalk. All had been
suffocated. and the faces showed terror.
Coroner Starts Investigation.
Coroner James T Hefran has begun a
rigid investigation. He arrived az the
scene early to-day. and within short
time had selected jury He was shown
through the opera house by the manager.
c. F. Ferguson. and John c. Morgan.
owner of the building. and announced he
would investigate the matter thoroughly.
holding the inquest here next Thursday
or Friday. Coroner Heffran will sum
mon the Pennsylvania Department o
Factory and Building Inspection 70 as
certain whether the laws Of the stats
have been followed. Measurements
taken by mem bers OF the jury showed
the stairway leading 70 the second floor
Of the building. the main floor Of the
opera house, To be only six and one-hal'
feet wide. while the doorway at the
bottom was not more than eight feet
high.
II is customary for the management OF
the theatre 10 give two or three per-
formances each evening. and Saturday
the moving picture machine operator
was about TO complete the first when
film parted. Some Of the audience had
already commenced 10 leave the build
/ ing and other persons were on the stair
way coming up.
Bodies Closged Doorway.
! Dubrowski's wild flight through tho
theatre and his subsequent stumble down
the stairs into those entering the build
| ing were the beginning OF the death
struggling jam at the foot OF the stairs.
The bodies clogged the doorway. Men
walked over them and fought for places
| of safety until. overwhelmed by the
weight from the moving mass behind,
| they. too, were crushed down 20 death.
When the doorway had been filed still
other persons walked over the bodies Of
those who had gone down and. break
( ing the glass transom over the door.
crawled through and dropped into the
street.
During this time the manager. Fer
guson. had endeavored 70 stop the panic.
| Accompanied by his wife. he started for
the stairs when the first alarm was
given. but. seeing there was no escape
there. made his way 10 the stage. Call
! ing loudly 70 the frightened people 10
! follow him, he led the way 70 the rear OF
the stage. and fully three hundred
escaped in this way.
The alarm had been quickly spread.
Persons standing in the street at the en-
trance TO the opera house endeavored 20
extricate struggling men and women
from the rapidly rising pile Of bruised
and bleeding flesh. but TO no purpose.
An alarm OF fire was sounded and fire.
men and police hurried 10 the scene
When they arrived they lent their efforts
20 saving those still within the building
and 70 opening up the doorway. In ten
minutes the opera house was empty and
in half an hour twenty bodies had been
recovered. Physicians came from the
town and from nearby places. until
thirty were at work. The dead were car
ried into stores and residences and the
more seriously injured were hastened 10
the Canonsburg Hospital
half the Dead Children.
Many Of the slightly injured ran abou,
the streets until taken In charge by
friends, while automobiles We're pressed
into service 10 hurry others 10 their
homes. where they later received medi-
cal attention Among these there were
broken arms and legs. but the greater
Number Of injured We're hurt while max
ing their way through the transom and
dropping from the fire escapes at the
rear OF the building. Their injuries We're
slight in the majority bf instances. In
many cases even the names Of the
wounded were not given the doctors who
attended them
| OF the twenty-six dead thirteen we've
children. seven OF them pupils in the