The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-01-30
THEATRE ROOF CRASH
KILLS 1903 IN WASHINGTON

scribe. l see it all the time-thoss
poor children and men and womer
crying and groaning there.
"There were only few of us in
the balcony. Luckily there weren't
more. The balcony gave way ant
crashed, soon after the ceiling began
to fall on those on the lower floor
They were caught the worst. We in
the balcony were more fortunate.
II guess there was a lapse of may
be 20 seconds, hardly more, before the
balcony fell. Funny but it spur,
around, kind of twisted as its support
gave way and it swung down on those
below. 1t didn't go straight down.
just kind of slid sideways and slant
ing, suppose, from the weight of the
debris that had fallen on US upstairs.
II don't know how / got out from
where l was crouching under that
chunk Of plaster that had fallen on
me. really believe it weighed all
of 500 pounds. And think moved
that plaster with my shoulders. Any
way, crawled out between the seats
to where saw small hole in the
plaster above. l forced myself up
through that hole, wiggling and SHOW
ing. Then I crawled out over the
snow and plaster, over the tangled
debris, to the doors on the Eighteenth
street side.
"Across the aisle from me when the
crash came was little fellow-I new
er saw him again and 1 wonder if he
is dead-who laughed and roared at
every especially funny part of the
film. I don't know what became of
him or the others in the balcony after
we were showered with plaster.
GAS the ceiling broke the plaster
fell first in chunks. 1t was just like
an ice pond breaking up. The roof
didn't give way on one crash. It
seemed to break up everywhere. That
let in the snow which came in
through the broken places where the
ceiling had given away.
'It's queer, but was conscious all
the time when / was pinned down un-
DER there by that great piece of cell
ing; SSau mind: .yhen / saw the ceiling
falling and afterward, was just as
clear s5ssd toileSf6d rs SC IS yosv, 4
knew I was hurt some, but -didn't
know how badly. It seemed that my
time had come. lived a year, I tell
you, pinned down between the seats
1T wasn't until I got outside that
l noticed blood falling from my face
and hands. get out myself. No one
helped me. crawled over the broken
seats and plaster and snow to the
door. On the way saw young fel-
low lying half curled up moaning and
crying for help. I leaped over to lift
him and then everything went black
The next remember I was at the
door wiping the blood from my eyes
and mouth. don't know how 1 got
out. I didn't see any other injured
ones as crawled out. can't remem-
Der about that part Of it. My only
thought then was to get home before
should die. My chest panied me, my
back seemed broken, my face was
dripping with blood. All wanted to
do was to get home and tell my wife
and little girl what had happened
and how I was hurt. thought 1 was
going to die"
Representative Smithwick, who
lives about block from the theater,
said he staggered home without over
coat or hat through the snow drifts
Physicians were summoned immedi-
etc, who found him suffering from
shock, bruises and possibly internal
injuries.
II think it was miracle that
came out alive" said the Florida con-
gressman. "But think of those poor
children and men and women who
Were not so fortunate. don't see how
any who were under the balcony es.
capped. If those below could have seen
the ceiling breaking they would have
had time to rush out through the
door, but I'guess they couldn't see like
we could in the balcony. Those under
reath us had no chance, I guess"