Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-11-28
3 DEAD, 70 INJURED
IN A MAD STAMPEDE
AS THEATRE BURNS
Victims TrampIed Under Feet Of
Frenzied Crowd in Dash
From Movie House.
FLAMES SET BY incense
Terrified Men and Women Leap
From Galleries Onto Squirn-
ing Mass Below.
YALE MEN AID IN RESCUE
New Haven Playhouse, Wooden
finder Box, Quickly Wiped
Out by Fire.
FLAMES SET BY incense
YALE MEN AID IN RESCUE
By Assoolated 80 70 - Eveninr.

By Associated Press TO Every Evening.
New Haven. Conn. Nov 2s.--Thres
lives were lost and 70 persons more or
lees seriously injured when fire broke
out In the Riaito Motion Picture
Theatre here last night. II Is possible
further search of the ruins Of the
playhouse win add one more name 20
the list of dead. as r. II. Pcrrigo Of
this city, has not been seen since the
fire was discovered and the panic
stricken crowd surged toward the
doors Of the theatre. HIS son was
among the injured
Fifty-eisht persons, who were either
burned or trampled BY the crowd
which stormed toward the exits when
the flames swept into the theatre from
the stage, were in hospitals today.
Twenty-one. who were taken 70 hos
pitais when the fire was raging, were
given treatment and sent TO their
homes. Twenty-Five Of the injured
were Yale s.-dents. All viii recover,
II was declared.
Only one body, that Of Timothy !.
Hanlon. So years old. has been identl-
/ fed. It was believed he vas trsmpled
to death, as examination Of his in
juries showed mis- neck was broken.
Two other bodies taken from the
theatre were burned so badly that
Identification wa's impossible. one
was the body OF an elderly woman and
the other was that Of young man.
apparently about 20 years old
/ Coroner Mix began an ofieial IN
quiry into the disaster early today.
We are inclined TO the belief he said.
that the fire might have been kindled
by incense used during the photoplav
being shown at the Rialto." This plav.
The Sheik." was being given an
oriental setting. and an incense was
being burned on the stage. It NAV b..
that the flames caught some draperies
and dropped on to the stage Of the
theatre
Lawrence v. Clarrol, manager or
the theatre. and James Carter. his as
s!stant. who We're detained by the
authorities after the fire. were later
released TO appear at the coroner =
hearing.
The playhouse was crowded at 30
o'clock. and preliminary features oc
the entertainment were being conn
pleted when the fire was discovered.
Sparks We're seen dropping down in
front Of the silver screen on which
the picture was 20 be projected. There
was shout of fire and panic seized
the crowd.
In an instant, there was a rush for
the open air. but 1t appeared the mose
OF the people tried TO get out the main
entrance instead Of using the emer-
\ gency exits at the sides OF the the
atre. Many cool headed persons at
! tempted to restrain the crowd, shout
. ing there was no danger. but their
work was futile. as was that of the
orchestra, which continued 10 play for
some minutes after the first alarm
was given. Those who tried to stem,
the human tide We're swept away in
the crowd which crushed its way to-
ward the doors.
Many who had seats in the balcony
Of the theatre leaped over the rails
and fell on the heads OF the strugzlins
people below.
Several children in the crowd poured
toward the exit of the theatre and
their parents were in many cases in
! jured trying to lift them above the
crush about them.
The theatre building was a frame
structure which burned like match
wood.
Yale students were active in the
! work of rescue, dashing into the burn
ing structure and assisting the people
to safety.