Chicago's Awful Theater Horror

sidewalk in front of the playhouse and Thompson's restaurant was completely filled with dead

ss them into service. Transfer companies were called up on telephone and

walk, covered with blankets. Much care in the handling was impossible. As soon as a

with the dead that the two big horses drawing it were unable to start

hrough the crowds, densely packed, even within the fire lines which the p

their way were composed mostly of men who had sent wives and children to the theater an

trucks and delivery wagons, were backed up

two other men in the wagon. This would be continued until a wagonload of bodies had been

emove it direct to the residence. Coroner Traeger discovered the wife of

ake Mrs. O'Donnell's body home," he ordered one of his assis

y among the dead in Thompson's were allowed by the coroner to remo

ITNESSED AT THE UNDER

alley. The first were brought in ambulances and in police patrol wagons. Later all sorts of conveyances were pressed into service, and during more than two hours there was a procession of two-horse trucks, delivery wagons, and cabs, all bringing dead.

nd valuables, as well as letters, cards, and other papers were put in sealed envelopes, marked with a number corresponding with that on the tag attached to the body. When this wo

ing that they appeared to lose their effect. Many of the bodies last brought from the theater were sa

children, and the majority had been well dressed. Among them were several old women. The men were few.

leted, the attendants stretched strips of muslin over t

iends. Many had their first suspicion of the catastrophe when

young women. A friend had been in Dearborn street when the fire started and soon after had discovered in Thompson's restaurant the body of Miss McCaughan. He attached a card bearing her name to the body, and, leaving

s to have passed through the long rooms for the purpose of inspecting the bodies, they were so close together. Women came weeping to

d by the officer at the door, sank half fainting into chairs in the outer office. They were looking for Miss Hazel J. Brown, of 94 Thirty-first street, and Miss Eloise G. Swayze, of Fifty-sixth street and Nor

e convent to spend the holiday v

was ringing, and persons whose relatives had fa

ue stone?" would come a call over the wire, and the answe

ing four rows deep in the rear of 18 Adams street

ldren awaiting identification. One was that of a little girl with yellow hair in a tangle of curls around her face. Sh

the search for identifying marks and for valuables.

clock were the doors opened. Then Coroner Traeger arrived, and in groups

y had spent the entire evening searching at the request of Mr. and Mrs. Van Ingen, who were injured. At midnight four of the Van Ingen children, who were beli

hed in blankets were awaiting identification at midnight. Of the fifty-four brought to these places only nine had been ident

ies. The morbid crowds usually attendant on a smaller calamity were absent, and few except those seeking missing r

D., was with her, and her body probably is there," motioning to the row of blanket-cover

ted the descriptions, as the scores of frantic seekers filled and refilled the little office.

the body was taken and the relatives hurried to the undertaking rooms. The bodies of Walter B. Zeisler

was posted in the station and aided

xceptions with features charred beyond recognition, had been taken there. Late in the night only four had been identified. The first body recognized was that of Mrs. Brindsley, of

atured women and five of men. There were bodie

was searching for the bodies of Myrtle Shaba

all of the undertaking room

d began to move toward the exits on the ground floor, and I rushed to the big entrance doors and threw t

wd acted in a most frenzied manner and no one could have held them in check. Conditions on the balconies must h

to the entrances and cleared the way for the people to get out. Then, he says, he started downstairs to fin

Phillipson-is Mrs.

heir mother, from whom they were separated in the panic. At last at the Continental hotel the call was weakly answered by a w

Y SEARCH FOR LOVED ONES MISS

ght news of sons and daughters; men and women begged to be told if there was any knowledge of their

the missing were being compiled and asked if anything had been heard of some member of their families, then t

ho was leading him down the stairs, "I bought the matinee tickets for the chi

ything of my daugh

was he

wn hair. She wore a white silk shirt waist and a diamond ring I gave her for Christmas. I went

name? Who

daughter-m

the name, and the only response she would mak

daug

wives," they said, "came to the matinee with

e their names a third

have been taken home in a

hout and were go

m in the panic at the theater. Women, tears dampening their cheeks, hushed the chatter of their little

minute and went away without asking for

last thing I remember is of hearing her call my name. Then I was lifted off my feet and can recall nothing more except tha

de and hearts were being broken. After that time the inquiries were not for informati