Chicago's Awful Theater Horror

ad system, who assisted in saving the lives of 100 or more of the performers. But for the prompt service of Quinn and two cit

t, intending to proceed to his office. Reaching Randolph and Dearborn streets the railroad official had his attention at

I saw him rush toward a policeman on the street crossing. He said something to the policeman and then I saw the bluecoat rush excitedly away. My curiosity was then aroused to such an extent that

the opening, I asked what was the trouble. Then, for the first time, I learned that t

solid mass, and were so firmly wedged together that they could not move. They were banked solidly again

ove the hoarse shouts of the men. I did not realize it at that moment, but it develops that the p

struggling crowd of men, women and children, would have perished where they st

o tightly against it. I shouted through the opening and commanded those in the rear to step back far enough to permit the door to be opened.

ately proceeded to remove the metal attachments which held the door in place. This was accomplished with some difficulty, and then we managed to force the crowd bac

could not realize the awfulness of what had happened. I walked in upon the stage and found it a seething furnace. The players had been rescued just in

F DEAD IN T

gallery of the theater where the most fearful loss of life occurred. Charley Dexter, the Boston

renzied little woman, who begge

n the gallery

for the balcony en

shed some of the firemen ab

bling over bodies lying prostrate on the stair

hes, in all manner of disarray. I grabbed for the topmost body, a girl about 6 years old. Catching her by the wrist I felt

ther effort. Everybody was stark dead. I turned awa

FOY'S

g comedian in "Mr

ed smoke. The 'Moonlight ballet' was on, and it was three minutes b

anding under the light bridge in the first entrance, and, taking him by the hand, I turned him over to one of the stage hands with orders to get him out of the theater. In less time than it takes to tell it, the lit

calm as possible under the conditions, realizing what a stampede would mean. Just wha

ere is no danger. Don't ge

sharp gasps, I kept yelling out from the corner of my

en and children, and fully aware of what was

growing more dense. I knew the material aloft-flimsy, dry li

d to alarm, and yet unmistakably urgent in its

appeal to the balcony and the gallery a fiercely blazing ember dropped at my feet. A

heater proper would be in danger if this was done. The switchboard was there-but no one to work it. I cried out

yelled at the mob of fleeing stage hands, members of t

er reaching the footlights, I sai

e, Herbert,

is baton. But the little fellow, ashen pale, his eyes glued on the raging mass of flame above, never whimpered. He kept right on, and only left his post when the flames drove him away from his leader's stand. When Dillea di

ATOR BO

e chain gang and behind him were J. R. O'Mally, Arthur Hart and William Price. As soon as the women reached the floor they began to run wild, and had to be

f the girls on the sixth floor and then took on another load from the fifth. By the time he had come down with these, the flames and smoke were threatening the men

vercome. The elevator was burning at the place where the controller was located, and Smith had to place his left hand in the flame to start the car. The hand was badly bu

aratus were caught, fully sixty feet from the stage floor, and no one had time to come to their

the burning pieces of draperies, and either because he lost his presence of mind or because he could not hold out any longer, he jumped. Some of the people on the stage floor heard him fall, but he did not

, "and that is the last I knew of him. It was a lo

led me out just in time to save my life. The larger part of the girls were in the dressing rooms when the fire broke out, and they all trie

LCONY

the panic he succeeded in reaching the fire escape with his children and wife. After getting on the fire escape, the flames swept up and set the clothing of his wife and girls on fire. Burned

them jumping and with some of his men he picked them up and carrie

less and their faces were scorched by the intense heat. He shouted to them to wait a moment, as the firemen were coming, but one woman leaped a

e university building, ran to the rescue of the women on the fire escape. The firemen had not yet

shouted Eckstrom, "

women, realizing it was their only chance, leaped into it.

of them could reach the fire escape," said Eckstrom. "I saw a dozen women and childre

AL DIRECT

e orchestra to see the fire, had several narrow escapes from death while he endeavored to rescue four of the

he stage employes, he succeeded in carrying the unconscious actresses to the street. The young women, upon re

deavored to persuade some of the audience who were occupying fron

his experience

e red glare I knew there was a fire, and in whispers I ordered the other members of the orchestra to play as fast as they could, as I thought the a

em to remain quiet, assuring them that there was no danger. The audience paid no attention to him and the panic followed. Then I thought it was time to make our escape, and I turned to the orchestra men and told them

VES HIS

in the fire, by a presence of mind and bravery that would have been commendable

o go out. The nurse did not grasp the situation, thinking the flames a part of the act, and hesitated. Noticing her hesitation, Willie seized the nearest one of the children, Allerton and pulled the smaller boy with him down the stairs from the first balcony in which the party was seated. The two boys were unable to move fast enough to keep ahead o

mpled underfoot. A fireman took the baby from the nurse's arms and placed it in charge of Dr. Bridge. The doctor succeeded in re