Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-23
SIXTY DEATHS IN PARIS
RESULT FROM MISTAKE
Ether Fumes in Paris Subway Sta
ton Supposed to Be Hun
Poison Gas.
Correspondence Of the Associated Press.

Correspondence OF the Associated Press.
PARIS, March 18.-Fumes Of a bottle
OF ether used to revive fainting wom-
an, mistaken for asphyxiating gas
from a bomb dropped by German air
raider. caused the panic at the met
ropolitan subway station in which six
ty or more women and children were
crushed to death or smothered during
the Hun raid on the night Of March IL.
The crowd had remained outside the
subway station waiting to hear the
German bomb explode before taking to
cover. A woman in the crowd becom-
ing i'll. her husband held flash OF
ether to her nose.
What a SMELL" said some one. The
remark, overheard back in the crowd.
step to "asphyxiating gas" was easy.
In less time than 1t requires to tell 1t
the report went through the crowd that
the last bomb that exploded nearby
rush Of the crowd down the stairs of
the subway station against doors open
Ing outward. In the press the doors
could not be opened until a score of
False Reports Circulated.
False lists Of places where bombs
by agents Of the enemy to work upon
the morale Of each different quarter.
Fantastic stories were spread about
the German aviators flying low enough
chine guns upon the fleeing people. The
fact 10 that not single German ma
chine could be seen clearly enough to
identity 1t. yet the story worked upon
tho minds Of impressionable persons.
The conduct Of the audiences in the
different places Of amusement may be
taken as indicative of the attitude of
Paris toward the raiders. Few spec
tators left their seats when the last
raid was announced toward the middle
syivain. playing the role Of the old
wine grower in the "Noces Corin-
themes at the Coincide Franchise. in
terrupted himself |ong enough to say
the alarm" and then went on with his
monologue. Between the acts the
spectators went to the cellar. but re-
turned Immediately after inspecting
the fine collection of busts that had
been taken there for safety.
At the Folies Bergere the orchestra
played a different one of the national
anthems Of the allies after the report
Of each explosion. and the audience
Marigny on the Champs Elysees. a
piece in which the atrocities Of tho
Huns Is represented enthused the crowd
by reason OF the comparisons with the
work Of the raiders.
At the Vaudeville, Galipaux. the
Merle Of ''Chantecler," continued his
monologue after announcing the raid;
then passed the hat for the benefit Of
the victims.
Throughout the raid there were peo-
Pile in the streets in every quarter in
Paris There were more than hun
dred on the Place de rOpera just out.
side the entrance to one of the subway
shelters At every corner people caught
away from their homes, disdaining Of
fered shelters and cropping their way
homeward as well as they could, ex-
changed information as to where they
were, unable to perceive anything in
the pitch darkness.
All persons abroad had the right to
enter the first building they came to,
and doors were opened at the first sum-
mons, but the wayfarer in most cases
simply wanted to know where he was
Hundreds felt their way through
heaps Of broken glass and climbed over
debris at points where bombs had Just
fallen. giving them the sensation OF
scrambling over a battlefield. Paris
had become q part Of "the front"