The New York herald., 1922-01-30
Georgetown Student From
Plattsburg Started Myo-
cation Among Victims.
GIRL TO LOSE BOTH FEET
Life of Representative Up
shaw's Niece May Depend on
Volunteered TRANSMISSION.

Special Dispatch to THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. g., Jan. eg.
The suffering of the victims Of the
Knickerbocker Theater collapse was
most distressing. For hours many of
those imprisoned under the debris re-
tained consciousness. Their cries Of
pain were mingled with prayers in
many instances for death to relieve
them OF their agony. Many were pris-
oners under the wreckage all night
with the snow storm raging. For hours
after the crash it was impossible for
the physicians to reach some Of the
victims.
w. L. Peters Of Plattsburg, N Y,
while held fast by mass OF cement,
led in prayer services in which all Of
the entrapped sufferers within his
hearing Joined, including his chum
Wilfred Brosseau, native of North
Adams. Mass. Young Brosseau joined
heartily in the prayer. although suffer
ing intensely from wound in his side.
He died early this morning.
Two women pinned in. a standing posi-
ton joined in the strange service. All
around them were the cries of the in
jured. For Gods sake let's say q.
prayer said Peters to his chum. I'm
q moment" Peters narrated after his
rescue, I'VE were all praying. / heard
voices all around me joining in, with
the most pathetic pleas for deliverance.
Gordon Hill. II. son of Mrs. Isabella
Hill. 202s Sixteenth street, was seated
In the balcony when the crash came.
A little girl unidentified was seated be-
side him. They were both thrown under
the debris. Hearing their cries Thomas
]. Schmidt. 172s Columbia road. went to
their aid and by great effort rescued
them while the firemen were engaged
In other rescue work.
Although the accident occurred early
In the evening all the drug stores in
the neighborhood were closed and the
physicians we're hard put to get opiates.
bandages and other first aid requisites.
Much adverse criticism has been di-
ing and opening their stores after they
had evidently heard the sad news.
Or. II. III. E,dmonds, an optician IS on
the casualty list by choice. He is quite
Ill from giving pint of blood for
TRANSMISSION to his friend, DR.. Clyde NJ.
Cearhart. who was badly injured. DR..
Gearhart's wife was killed.
That such high percentage of the
bodies taken from the ruins have been
Identified is attributed by Lieut.. v. NJ.
Parsons of the Marine Corps TO the
pains taken by tire rescuers. They had
orders 20 preserve every possible means
Of Identification.
Oxyacetylcno torches and wire cutters
were brought into play to separate huge
sections OF cement and concrete, and
heavy sledges were used to break them
into pieces that could be handled Nc
chanics from the navy yard welded tho
torches carefully for fear OF burning
some OF the victims.
This gives you some idea of what II
meant when the Germans bon1barded
churofles in Fra nce," said Private Robert
Woodman. one of the ex-service men on
duty at the theater. This reminds me
forcibly OF the horrors OF war"
The work of rescuing the victims was
carried on In a most efficient manner by
formed into long lines reaching from the
street 10 Tire center OF the theater Pieces
Of debris were passed from one to an
other and thrown In a pile In tho street.
The masses of reinforced concrete,
travcrsed with heavy iron rods. made
the work of salvage slow and difficult.
One of the most remarkable rcscues
was that of Scott Montgomery, who was
taken out alive after being pinned be-
meath an iron girder for more than
eleven hours He died four hours later
at Walter Reed Hospital. lie got NOR
phine while under the wreckage from a
physician. who had TO crawl quite n dis
tance 10 reach him. Miss Veronica
Murphy. 1860 California street whom
Montgomery accompanied to the theatcr.
is among the dead.
Miss Caroline tpshaw. niece Of Repre-
sentative Upshaw OF Georgia, had one
foot cut off and the other so badly
mangled that " will have to be ampu-
tated. Ten college students have volun-
teered TO give blood for TRANSMISSION
WI ich may be necessary TO saveNthe life
Of Miss Upshaw.
Working hastily. squad OF marines
succeeded In removing tons of wrcckage
which imprisoned Lteut.-Col. Taylor.
army officer. In a hole beneath the
balcony Calling stretcher. the res
cuers attempted 10 lift the army officer,
fearing that hts legs were broken. Cal.
Taylor ciinched his lists and nerved him
self to bear tho pain he expected. Then
Continued on Page Three.