The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-11-18
SIX CHILDREN KILLED IN PANIC
Frenzied Men TramDle Victims ir
Mad Rush from Theatre.

Maddened with fear by the cry OF
fire, Italian, Greek and Assyrian
adults trampled out the lives OF six
children in lower East Side mov-
ing picture theatre Monday, says a
New York dispatch.
The theatre was full Of children
when smoke from a faulty furnace In
the cellar below percolated through
cracks and crevices and frightened
the /theater pa, irons into the belief
that a fire was raging.
A mad scramble for the exits was
made. One of the children to the fore
stumbled. In a twinkling scores had
fallen on him crushing his life from
him. Behind came frenzied adults
tearing at the massed children IN an
insane passion to reach the door.
Arms and legs were woven into a
tight human mating. Arms were seiz-
ed and wrenched Of sockets. Legs
were broken. The little ones were
stamped upon, kicked and struck with
clenched fists. y :.
The dead are: Pasquale Gomisi,
aged IL; Lessie Guidice, 81 Elmira
Alpina, 13; Joseph Ramiola. II JOS
eph lombard, q; Dominica Maniscal-
10. 2.
In the hospitals ten children lie suf-
fering from broken limbs and one
from a possible fracture of the skull.
In the homes hard by are scores who
ronoiuad rnfnor injuries
The theatre Is a small brick struc-
ture standing in the heart of den
sely populated district. In front OF
the theater, ironically enough, hangs
the sign, Children under 16 years
not admitted except when accompan-
led by guardian"
The theater seats about $50 per-
sons. 1t Is estimated that more than
half Of this number were children.
A gallery in horseshoe formation
extends over the orchestra of the
theater.
Below the gallery Is the basement
where furnace for heating the thea
ter is located. The theater porter had
coaled up the furnace, which possess
ed faulty flues. When the fire was
started clouds Of smoke rolled up in
10 the theater.
Stricken with panic, a voice yelled
"fire." This shout crystalized the un-
easy snifflings Of smoke into STAN
pede for exits.
There are no .'exits in the balcony
and on the ground floor there are
two, one which those seated In the
orchestra could use and the other is
situated at the foot Of the staircase
leading down from the gallery.
1t was on this staircase that the ia
talities occurred. The hundred chill
dren and adults seated in the horse
shoe hurried themselves down the
steps and in this wild rush several
tripped and fell. Atop Of them piled
the others.
The pile Of struggling knotted
grown-ups and children jammed
against the door. 1t is not known yet
whether the door was shut or wheth-
er 1t opened inwards and was unable
to function because Of the push
against it.
To add to the chaos hundreds from
the crowded nearby tenements rush
ed up to the doorways to see what
was taking place.
Mothers shrieked and grim faith
ers fought to gain admission and be-
tween the incoming and the madden
ed outstreaming theater patrons
there was no progress whatsoever.
Outside the Italian mothers in
bandanas and gay skirts gathered,
" wringing their hands and wailing
aloud. In the saloons on the corners
small lynch parties organized. All
about were knots where sympathiz-
ers jabbered vociferously in Italian.
In the meantime a few Of the cool
er heade,l reached over the heads OF
the tangled masses and lifted chill
dren, too frightened to cry, out Of
peril.
Mrs. Bella Thompson turned back
from the street to rescue two chill
dren and fought her way up the gal.
lery stairs in an effort to rescue more
but was flung savagly down the steps
and sustained bruises and confusions,
The police and firemen picked up
the little ones off one by one. The
crush was so violent that little girls
and boys were pressed up into the
air and sustained thereby the pres
sure Of the crowd.
Tessie Guici's story is particularly
pathetic. She has been entrusted with
the care Of two-year old Dominic
Maniscallo. She was very proud OF
the trust. M. Pollandini, man who
lives near her, found her, her hand
was clutched tight to the hand of
the little child.
The other two-year-old was little
Joe lombard, who has just emerged
from! the hospital. 1t was his first
moving picture show. Throughout
the performance he crowed his ap-
probation.
Peter Romano rescued four chill
dren, Fighting his way to the exit
with the fourth child he was forced to
club down several men who attempt