Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-01-30
Of HORROR
CAVE OWN L|FE
To SAVE OTHERS
Two Children Rescued
Asleep Under Ruins;
Death Spared Another
Four of Five Members
Of a Chicago Family
Killed in Collapse.

Washington, Jan. 29.-(By the
Associated Press .)-Many brave
deeds were reported Sunday by
rescuers working in the Knicker-
becker theater Wreckage but they
said Albert G. Buehler of Was
hington was the outstanding hero.
giving his own life that others
might live. He could have been
taken from the debris fully an hour
before he was, but he directed the
rescuers to aid others. whom ne
declared more seriously hurt than
he. He died soon after he was
removed.
Lieutenant V. NJ Parson of the ma
rine corps. who assisted in directing
the rescue work gave graphic descrlp-
tions of many individual rescues.
Boy and Girl Rescued, Mother Dead
I'VE were digging into the ruins he
said. when we saw tuft of red hair
protruding We uncovered small boy.
probably 8, who told US his little sister
was beneath the debris. The girl was
rescued and neither was seriously in
jured. but their mother was dead.
"One fellow with both legs horribly
broken. asked for cigarettes as he was
carried out. He joked with the res
cuers about his mangled limbs, remark
ing that he had about six legs now.
1.-TWO women and a man whom we
were digging out also displayed re-
markable nerve, talking with the men
and directing their rescue.
Tots Asleep Amid Dead
Sleeping peacefully beneath the de
bris in the wrecked theater, two girls.
4 and 6. we're found Sunday by rescu-
ers. 10 hours after the roof had fallen.
Apparently neither was badly hurt.
They were taken to hospital without
identification.
Four hours earlier. a 5-year-old girl
was found unhurt, seated between the
bodies of two women. Her life evi
IDENTIFY had been saved by her falling
between the seats and the protection
given her by the two bodies.
Doctor Last Victim Rescued
The last person to be taken from the
ruins was DR.. Scott Montgomery of
Washington, who was rescued l. hours
after the roof collapsed. He was pinned
by his legs underneath beam which,
killed the young woman whom he had
escorted to the theater. His condition
was extremely serious.
Four of the five members of the
family Of Oscar G. Kanston, Chicago,
lost their lives in the knickerbocker
theater disaster. Kanston. who came
here recently in connection with some
temporary work for the bureau of val
uation of the interstate commerce COM
mission. went to the playhouse with his
.xrc coupbfcrc Halop IA and
Anyln, Z. and his son, Grant, IL. Only
the boy escaped
Orchestra Leader Killed
The orchestra leader, Oresto Mattel
lio. and several members of the or
chestra of the Knickerbocker theater
were killed. Others seated near the
stage escaped with injuries more or
less serious. The stage broke the full
force Of the fall.
Assistant p. M. General injured
Edward H. Shaughnessy, of Chicago,
second assistant postmaster general,
Mrs. Shaughnessy and their daughters,
Myrtle and Ruth, were injured Mr..
Shaughnessy seriously, in the disaster.
At the Walter Reed hospital, where
Mr. shaughessy was taken after his
rescue from the debris, several hours
after the roof fell in. it was said
that he was suffering from a broken
pelvis and internal injuries.
Mrs. Shaughnessy sustained frac-
tured rib. Both arms of Ruth, aged 10,
we're broken, while Myrtle was bruised
Cheyenne, Jan. 29.-W B. Sammon,
one of those killed in the knickerbock-
err theater in Washington. was deputy
state treasurer of Wyoming when he
resigned last summer to attend George
town university in Washington. He
also had been one of the leaders in
the American legion in this state. He
was son of J. w. Sammon, of KEN
merer. Wyo.