The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1920-11-26
SIX TOTS KILLED
IN MOVIE PANIC
Many Others Trampled and
Crushed in Mad Effort to Es-
cape From Theater.
PEDDLER REsCUEs FIFTEEN.
Smoke From Defective Furnace Fiue
Causes False Alarm of Fire.
Over 800 Were Terror
Stricken.

New York.-A paper-clogged furnace
fue, which caused smoke to fill the
Catharine Theater, motion picture
house in the East Side Italian quar-
ter, raised a cry of "fre" and in the
ensuing panic six little tots between
the ages of two and ten years were
trampled to death. Twelve others
were seriously injured.
The little theater was crowded to
capacity. Children filled most of the
300 seats, for the hero of the picture
was an italian lad who rose from
humble surroundings like theirs to
riches and fame. The youngsters were
absorbed in the progress of the screen
hero, Pietro, who was protecting his
father from thieves, when smoke began
to seep through the cracks of the thea
ter door,
"My God, it's a fire!'' This shout
came from an elderly woman, who
gathered little one under her arm
and ran for the nearest exit. Immedi-
ately loud walls arose and children
began to cry. They jumped from their
seats, jammed the aisles and fought
for passage. The lights f1ickered out.
Youthful cries attracted many resi-
dents of the Italian neighborhood.
Camille Bruillo, who sells bananas
from push cart on the Bowery, rush.
ed to the scene He darted into the
theater, attempting to shout down the
cries. Failing, he saved those he
could. Camille carried more than fif-
teen little tots to safety, then col
lapsed, overcome by smoke.
Someone sounded fire alarm. Many
then were carried from the theater,
overcome by smoke. They were soon
revived
The most remarkable story of the
occurrence was related by Camille AL
viro, fourteen-year-old Italian lad.
Camille was found huddled beside
stove in a fourth-foor back room in
Oliver street His face was Scared,
where heavy shoes had stepped and his
little back was a mass Of welts.
"Oh, I'm all right pow," he said,
s'but gee, was scared. I took my
little brother, Salvatore, to the show.
We were sitting there about the mid
die when the smoke came in. Then
somebody hollered Fire" and we
jumped. I snatched Salvatore. and
got outa the seat. Then big man,
with black mustache, came down
and told us to sit down, nothing was
the matter. But everybody was crazy.
A big feller knocked me down in the
aisle I pushed Salvatore under me,
and then | don't remember nothing
It'll my ma kissed me and said Bella
mio'"
Josephine Matzic, fourteen, had
taken her little brother and sister,
Michael and Anna, to the show.
"We left she said, "just when the
smoke started coming in. Our little
dog, Freda, was with us, and she bark
ed and barked, and then I couldn't
hold her any longer. She ran out and
I ran after her, cause my pa would
wallop me if / lost her,"
Firemen carried the dead to nearby
drug stores. The injured were sent to
hospitals
Frantic women and men, learning Of
the disaster, crowded before the little
theater, at this time guarded by a
Gordon of police, and sought news of
their children, who had attended the
show.
A police station near by also was
crowded with those seeking informa-
ton of loved ones. The bodies of the
victims soon were identified, but the
excitement attending the panic kept
children from returning to their homes
and many women fought for admit
tance to the theater, believing their
missing children might still be there.