South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-01-29
HUNDREDS TRAPPED
In THEATER CRASH,
MANY THOUGHT DEAD


Continued from page one)
-.,~--~,-~~--~-~~-~~~>~ ~~-~---~~~~~~-~~---~
ST. r. Castney, Doc" Brosseau Of /
North Adams. Mass, a student al /
Georgetown university, fractured I
back. Mrs Henry S. Powell Henry !
.T. Lacey, fractured ribs. j. L. Dur I
land. cuts and bruises: Mrs. J. L. I
Durland, cuts and bruises; Mobile 1
Tomasso Asserto. third secretary OF /
the Italian embassy; r. J. Bowen. /
injuries serious, Mrs r. ]. Bowen. /
leg broken; Maria Rhea. John Klein |
ner, Belle Rembo, Hugh Nesbit. son |
OF the Washington correspondent OF
the Kansas city Star; S. w. Rich !
mOnd Robert Williamson. Joseph /
klemk. John Prezioso. musician, !
Alphono Vantouck. musician: -
Mertie, arm crushed of at shoulder: |
O. Captain, NJ. Gold, Hugh Glenn, !
Edward A. williams. musician. |
broken leg. William Mattiell. mu-
slcian, arm amputated. Mr.. and Mrs
Jones Michaleas. WoodIey apart |
ment, injuries slight; DR.. Gusts Lee
Hall. fractured arm. and his wife. /
dislocated shoulder, fractured arm
and cuts about head: Miss Margaret
Cole, Florence Long. Mrs. Gertrude
Taylor, James A. Curtain of Flor
ence Mass. Miss Helen Hopkins, S.
NJ. Lee. Albert Sward OF Chicago. |
scalp wounds. fractured skull; Miss
Maclean White, broken leg: J. b. G
Gusts. DR.. and Mrs. Hall, slightly
injured; Eta Underwood, slightly
injured: Mrs Matte Schwab.
slightly injured; Mrs. Mary Chal-
mers slightly injured; Clarence
Newkrk. slightly injured; Mrs. Ber-
nard Bresslau. both shoulders
broken.
Building Inspected Recently.
Attaches OF the British embassy
reported at midnight that a check
had been made OF the stan OF that
embassy and none found TO have
been in attendance at the theater.
Belief was expressed in some quar-
| tiers that final lists Of injured and
| possibly that OF the dead would con-
tain names OF we'll known persons.
inasmuch as the theater was stu
ated In a section Of the city I'm which
many government officials live
The management Of the theater
which was owned and operated by
the Harry NJ. Candau Co, declared
that the building only recently had
been inspected and approved and
that the collapse of the roof only
could have been caused by the ire
mendous weight imposed by the
I heaviest snowfall that has visited
! Washington since 1899.
The roof fell with such force as
90 drive three concrete pillars
through the orchestra floor. Up
near the stage, however, its force
was arrested, so that the platform
/ successfully acted as a buffer. For
/ this reason. II was said, several of
the musicians escaped.
Every expedient was resorted to
i'm the work of rescue, volunteers
/ assisting the firemen. police and res
cuers without regard to the possible
collapse of the walls. a prospect
which was regarded as all too immi-
/ nent One case was observed OF &
small boy crawling through a small
/ aperture in the tangled mass Of con.
/ crete. steel and wood to a man. wo-
man and child who were pinned
/ down and giving them water.
/ The theater wbich accommodated
/ close to 1000 persons. was said TO
/ lee comfortably filled at the time and
\ the roof as il fell imprisoned many
under the mass OF wreckage, the
/ balcony collapsed also while con
/ crete pillars fell over 10 add their
/ - ~
wounded lay grooming.
/ The fire department was called by
/ five alarms and police reserves were
rushed to the scene, the rescuers
/ Immediately beginning the work of
hacking at the wreckage 10 liberate
i the imprisoned. Get Rich Quick
\ Wallingford" was being shown and
/ the second show OF the evening had
I just begun when the roof crashed.
Two men were said 20 have been
removed dead. and a Miss Costley
died Of injuries after she had been
taken TO a physicians office. Cor
oner J. r. hewitt said his first
/ guess" was that there had been 300
killed. Several hours would per-
haps elapse, however il was indicat-
] u "A
situation would be available.
Police. fremen and volunteers
were assisted in the work of rescue
\ by marines who have been stationed
here during the armament confer
enCe. They worked also I'm immiu-
ent danger of the walls collapsing
on them. While they worked rela-
tives OF those who had been at the
I performance stood bareheaded in the
snow fearfully awaiting word OF
their loved ones.
No Warning Given.
No warning was given as the walls
crashed. the roof breaking in on tho
heads or the audience with a noise
nike thunder and crushing seats and
occupants as IL fell II was more
than an hour before the rescuesrS
using gas torches tC cut through
the accumulated mass OF steel and
concrete reached the section where
Il was believed most Of the dead
and injured were.
Two hours and half after the
crash. which occurred about nine
o'clock. definite information as TO
the number Of dead and injured was
wholly lacking as well as estimates
OF the number Of those IN the thea
ter az the ume-theSe estimates
/ ranging from $50 70 500. although
the theater. one OF the finest motion
picture houses IN the city. has ac-
Communications for more than 1000