New-York tribune., 1920-11-15
Stairway From Balcony
Clogged by Girls and
Boys When Door Shuts
Off Egress to Street
Many Others Hurt;
Victims Trampleo
Proprietors of House
and Employee Accused
of Criminal Negligence

u oih h'ACu ~ uOdCi anu many otisci
were injured in fire panic in
motion picture theater at rs Catha-
rine Street at 4:45 yesterday after
noon. Most of the deaths and in
juries occurred when the audience
from the balcony, in a mad rush
downstairs, was massed against
locked door, which partly barred
egress to the street.
Smoke from a fire which was be.
ing started in the furnace caused
the panic. Some one shouted Fire"
and a stampede for the exits re-
suited.
Three Held for Manslaughter
Bernard Weinberg and Max
Schwartz, proprietors Of the thea
ter, with A. Polani, the assistant
ticket taker, were arrested last night
on a charge Of criminal negligence
by order Of Assistant District Attor-
ney Benedict D. Dineen.
The Assistant District Attorney
held that the three men were guilty
of a misdemeanor resulting in man.
slaughter by admitting children to
the theater without parents or guar
dians. They were held without bail.
Polani built the fire which caused
the panic.
THE DEAD
Joseph Lombardi, twelve years old.
of 40 Cherry Street.
Dominic Manscola, twelve years old.
Of ~ Oliver Street.
Quale Camisas, ten years old, Of 50
Oak Street.
Emanuel Raminola, eleven years old.
Of 81 Monroe Street.
Tesse Guidice, twelve years ole, If 81
Oliver Street.
Rose Alpino, thirteen years old, If ~
Hamilton Street.
THE SERIOUSLY INJURED
Stephen Stella. twelve years old. Of
A Hamilton Street.
Tessie Lacolia, nine year old. Of AZ
Oliver Street.
Marion Accurso, ten years old, of
l40 Cherry Street.
Nicholas Dessdefano, ten years old,
O1 11c SHSIly oLiccI
Joseph Airco, ten years old, of 149
Cherry Street.
Joseph Leo, eight years old, of 36
Hamilton Street.
Margaret Scrillo, eight years old, Of
65 Cherry Street.
Salvatore Alviro. five years old, Of 6S
Cherry Street
Cammillo Alviro. fourteen years old
Of 6o Cherry Street.
Tho fhao+or u,b,c,, zLe,.A onn
was crowded, mostly with Italian chill
dren. At 4 o'clock one of the pro-
prietors, according to the police. said
it was chilly in the thcater and q
man was sent into the basement to
start the fire. Smoke began oozinp
up through the floor. At first the audi
ence, intent on the picture. did not pay
any attention, but as the smoke be-
came more dense some one set up
cry Of 'Fire!" and instantly there was
wild rush for the oxi.s.
Probably third of the audience was
IN the balcony. which is reached by a
steep stairway leading to the street.
The single door from the balcony ad-
joins the big double doors which give
lngress to the lower nart Of the the
ater. This single door is said TO have
been locked. and the crowd rushing
for the exit from above had TO turn at
the bottom Of the stairs in order to
get out OF the main doors.
Boy Turns in Alarm
A ten-ycar-old boy. Harry Goldman.
Of rs Catharine Street, ran to the near
est fire box and turned in an alarm.
Reserves were called from the Oak
Street station and from other stations
nearby, IN order to keep back the crowd
tnat soon collected, including many
frantic persons whose children were
missing.
In comparatively short time after
the panic occurred the theater was
cleared. Eleven persons were taken
INTO De Rosa's drug store. at SO Catha-
rine Street, where four died in spite
OF the efforts of doctors who were
hurriedly summoned. Others wers
taken to the drug store of S. F. Se,'sr;
at SO Catharine Street. Minor inin~;es
were dressed b the druggists and 80
tending physicians. Az
AmoAlances from the Volunteer Hos
pital were soon on the scene and 90
RED away the living, while the dsad
were taken to the morgue and wsrs
soon identified by sobbing relatives
Many of the injured walked to their
homes without giving their names.
i"e proprlctors Of the theater were
saken 10 the Oak Street police station
ena .ne inquiry started at once which
zee. to their arrest They said thew
had purchased the :heater last week
from Miller & Schneider, theater
brokers'. and yesterday afternoons per-
iormance was the third they had given.
Illegal to Bar Exits
The proprietors claimed that tho
lock on the door at the bottom of the
stair was dummy lock, and that the
door could be pushed open, as one
staple was merely inserted loosely in
ane wood. Fire Commissioner Brennan
said that all doors in any way barring
quick exit from building are con-
3!dered violations of the law.
Mrs Bella Thompson, of as Allen
Street, who was in the balcony with
her two children when the panic
| started, said that when she reacNed
| the bOttnpn af the 81 H. f..-A