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G
OOD EVENING.
.4
. Tli Weathers .
Tonight and Friday, cloudy and
threatening; probably occasional
rain or snow; variable winds,- -
VOL. II. NO. 254.
POKTIiAlTD, OHEGON. THURSDAY EVENING. DECEMBER k31. 1903.
PKICE FIVE CENTS.
NOT HALF THE HORRORS WERE FIRST TOLD TM
: RESlte
- - w - ' . - - ; , - t .. .
nnAni r : i nn
1 LVl LL ill 1
FEARFUL CATASTROPHE
Probably Seven Hundred Lives Lost in
the Disastrous . Fire at the
Iroquois Theatre.
. day Terrible Struggles of Helpless Women
. . and Children Fatal Cry of Fire :
-
,-v-. (Journal Special Berries.)
, Chlcagd, tDec. Jl. Not In the hlBto-y
of this country has a greater .horror
been recorded than that over which hun
dreds of thousands of people of this
city are weeping; today.
There Is hardly a home wmcn is noi
directly or Indirectly entertaining the
grim messenger of death. ' It not a
wife, mother of child is. mourned, then
some relative or dear friend Is either
dead. Injured or missing as a result
of the terrible disaster which occurred
yesterday afternoon when the Iroquois
theatre burned. . .
More than 600 dead f Is the latest
count, or rather estimate, and the cor
orner believes the list will reach 700
before the "eharnel-hous Is completely
searched. ',' ' ' '
Mothers with their little ones form
tli greatest part of tno sad number.
They had sought an afternoon of enjoy
ment and. died frantically lighting, not
fire many of them, but, other freniled
people who were also trying to save
their lives by escaping fro the fearful
place. .:
In discussing .the situation today with
more calmness, a better account of the
disaster is gained from those who wit
nessed the scene from Its inctplency.
Describe Awful Scene. '
Earl Jlehnessy, who was Injured and
taken to the Auditorium so soon as he
was carried to the sidewalk In front of
the theatre, said this morning:; :
"I fear that I shall never be able to
forget even a detail of the awful scene
witnessed -by me during the half-hour
succeeding the first discovery of the
Are, ': i - . ""
"I occupied a seat In the first gallery,
third row, and had just returned after
the first act. Beside me sat a mother
and next to her two little girls had
seats. There were women and children
all about me, and general good feeling
and pleasure, waa evident on their Inno
cent faces.
"It waa during the second act and
probably half-past 8 o'clock, when thero
arose a smell of burning cloth. : All
eyes were on the stage where the
chorus was engaged. The woman next
to me said: 'Isn't that Are above the
curtain?' J looked and san a tiny blaze
creeping slowly along" the upper edge
of the curtain near the right hand
boxes. ): -,." "')';.''' 'i
At this moment Eddie Foy, the come
dian came to the front of the stage and
said that no alarm need be felt, as only
a slight blase had occurred among the
calcium lights. As he said this several
of the chorus girls ran from the stage,
soon to be followed by the whole stage
company. The order was then given to
run down the curtain, and several times
the bell rang. Finally the asbestos cur
tain started, but after being lowered
half way It stopped.
"I am certain not a person, not even
a little child, had moved from a seat at
this time. . ,
Two Women Tailed Tire.
"Suddenly two women in the front
row of -the balcony, and not 20 feet
from , : me, rose to their , feet and
shrieked 'flre!' ! two or three times, .;
"It was the beginning of the end, for
within the next minute no more frensled
throng ever existed. "Women scrambled
and fought to gain the aisles. They
clutched each other, and those who had
had little ones In their care cried for
others' to give them room. No cry was
heeded. - . : - - -
"At this time the flames had not
broken Into the auditorium, and there
seemed . no danger, but no, band could
stay the madness of that panic-stricken
crowd. . c ,;.:..,.."' .:."': i.-v
"Everybody rushed for the left exit.
I took two little tots In my arms and
started with the rest The jam at the
door was awful. Already people were
being trampled under foot. Children's
cries mingled with women's screams,
and alt was confusion. - Then the fire
burst from the stage, and suffocating
smoke and gases filled the upper house.
, "People were being killed about me. '
' "I finally persuaded several women
who had kept their babies and older
kiMr.i, -Ith thorn that it was riant h
to attempt to go out of the jammed
doorway, and we moved toward the right
stairs, which by this time was also filled
with : panic-stricken women and-- chil
dren. Few men were in the gallery that
I saw. ;...w, -I.1.:
. "Suddenly a window was smashed in
and there appeared firemen, ,' and real
rescue work began. Many were carried
to the ground by way of ladders and
the firemen worked ; to get the crowd
from the doorways. It was Impossible
to clear the left exit, but. many were
carried through the right and center
ones. I was knocked down while I held
the two little ones, and they were taken
from me by. 'I believe, firemen. I was
trampled upon by a score of people.-and
about me lay. the dead and Injured.
i i i ri x mr
fiLLLl U 1
2Vr A
When I lost consciousness trie place
was black with, smoke and filled with
suffocating gas.
She Fell Out of Balcony.
During the first mad rush I saw a
younjugirLatterapt-o-llmb-over-4he
seat from the first row in the balcony.
Other women were crowding in the same
direction. The girl waa forced against
the balcony railing, where she Jost her
balance and fell Into the pit below.
."I believe had not the cry of fire been
given few, If any, lives would have been
lost, as exit would have been made be
fore, suffocating smoke, and gas could
have done its deadly work." :
Mr. Hennessy said today that when
the explosion of the gas reservoirs oc
curred the people m the first gallery
were already in their death rush for the
exits.. ,-. , - - ,,.v.,
. ' " Aooount TUffs. T"r
The accounts of the catastrophe dlf
fer somewhat when related by people
who occupied seats In various parts of
the. house. . , ,...--.,.: -
John Kerwtn, who had a seat in the
parquet, said today that ' he saw the
blace running along the upper part of
the curtain fully five minutes before
any apparent notice of It waa taken by
the people on the stage. He said from
hla position In the. second row from the
front he had a good view of all the
upper wings and saw three men work
ing in their endeavor to extinguish what
looked to him to be a very harmless
blase caused probably by a crossed
electric light wire. ' ;
vAt the cry of fire; given by some one
In the first balcony, was . what caused
the awful panic, Mr. Kerwln said he
had little difficulty In reaching a lower
box where he observed at least a dosea
children in a state of terror. Kb man.
aged,- with the assistance of an oldwr
voy, . 10 laae we , little ones . to the
street They, proved to be the children
of George C Sanborn, "a wealthy con
tractor of Chicago,-who not knowing
that his dear ones had been rescued,
went almost wild with grief about the
entrance of the theatre when rescue
work was in progress.
It ' la believed , that nil, " with prob
ably a half dosen exceptions of those
In the lower part of the house, were
saved. ' -' -'
In the upper gallery a scene similar
to that in - the first gallery was en
acted. - Here also are three exits. A
right, left and center door which leads
to a passageway entering the front of
the theatre.
' , Pushed Over Balcony. .
No words can describe the horror of
the half hour following the first cry
of fire. Children composed the. largest
part of the patrons to this section of
the house. . In their .mad efforts to
escape they fought each other like wild
animals One little . girl was pushed
over , the railing and her dead , body
was found latter by firemen Impaled on
the Iron railing on a lower box. .
When rescuers began their work It
was found impossible ; to ' gain en
trance to the upper balcony through the
left doors, as they were plied five feet
high with bodies of the dead. ;
Women were found with their fingers
imbedded In the eye sockets of an un
fortunate girl who had obstructed the
passageway. - In fighting for her life the
crazed women had killed the other. The
former bore a dead Infant In her arms.
When the fire had been extinguished
and every available man had been
pressed into the work of rescue,' they
found, that an greatly underestimated
had been the loss of life that a call waa
sent to every hospital and police sta
tion In the city. "Ambulances were in de
mand, and not half enough were there.
The dead so soon as brought to the
street were Jald In -rows along the side
walk. ' : ',
Scores of physicians stood at the en
trances,' and if a. body with a spark of
life remaining was found It was taken
to an ambulance. ; If such was not to
be had, the dying and Injured were ten
derly carried to Thompson's restaurant,
which adjoins the theatre, which place
was made a receiving hospital. Every
table, counter and available floor space
was occupied by some one seriously In
jured or dying.' The scene was terrible.
Never has anything like It been enacted
In this big city. .
So big was the crowd outside the the
atre that the police had difficulty In con
trolling It. " '
Parents and relatives who had sent
their children and dear Ones to witness
"Bluebeard," so soon as they heard of
the catastrophe, rushed to the scene and
demanded that they be allowed to enter
the building and care for their own.
Being denied, their grief was fearful, to
behold. . '' '.: -,
(Continued on Page Two.) .
Police compile list of dead and place number at 551.
Coroner and police believe number ylll reach 700.
Origin of fire still In some doubt.
Manager of theatre says occasioned by explosion of gas reservoirs
Eddie Foy believes that sparks emitted from calcium lights Ignited
Others say electric light wire broke and grounded.
Most disastrous theatre fire In history of America.
Brooklyn theatre fire December 5, 1876, loss of life 292.
LIST OF DEAD, INJURED AND
. MISSING, SO FAR KNOWN
A partial list of the dead and injured
follows:, - (' "
WARNER S. EDIIX, Kankakee.: lit'
HERMAN F.I8EN8TADT prarioaily missing).
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL at morraa; ware
medal, inscribed "Georgia." . -.
CA.KUIB 7. 8AYOUE, body at morrae.
HAKUY HUDSON, member of "The Billion
aire" company; body at morgue. '
B. B. GOULD, Klgln, 111., clerk of circuit
court Kane county; aied at hospital. Hla wife
wa injured.
MRU. W. A. SPRING, body at morgue; Idea
tU)l by letter from busbaod.
r RED W. LEAT1N, body at morgue.
BEANS BOISB, body at morgue.
CM. BICKrOKI), body at morgue, '
MRS. i. U. 8TIXOLKR, Lowell Ind.; body
at morgue; Identified by hniband.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN, wearing ring
marked "E. K., Oct. SO, 1874"; body at morgue.
O. R. BAHHEIU. body at morgue.
ESTHER BARKER, body at morgue,
EDWARD L. VANINUKN, Kenotba, Wis.
preTiotmly reported Injured.
ELIZABETH II ART and MATTIB MARTIN,
Eramton, til.; reported dud by". Krannton po
lice, but whereabout of -bodies not glren.
ROBERT MARTIN, young . son of frlacipal
lisrttn of Pullman sehooL , - ,
: JOUJt VANINUEN, Kenpahs. Wls.J r ,: j:
WALTER BEStflNOICR. died at hospital.
MA HO A RET BC'HRMAN, died at hospital.
MRS. LEO WOLs'. UajDawnd, Ind., died at
hospital. .. .-i -w. , j.Mnaivf
v Al.K'K KAfSMAN, dld at boopltal.
, rVlfK HOWARD, died at hospital.
HELEN COOPER, died at hospital. '
B. e. GOULD, died at hospital. .
' IfKNNINO, a boy. ' '
. WALTER B. EISLEK. Identified by watob.
- ML IR (first asm not irarasd), mem
ber TrsTling Cassenaer , Agents' . assodaUon
carried check No. 12,231.
MRU. EMMA BRINCKLEY. Identified by her
fstber at morgue.
KIt'HART AND ALLEN BOUT.
HAROLD MARTIN, Pullman, HI. .
JOHN HOLLAND.
LULU 8HABBARD. ' '
. W. N. BPRANti.
- UHARLKS H. KOLL.t ' ,
MR8. DAWHON, address onkaown.
WILLIAM BUTL.
MRS. EMILY KOX, mother of Hoyt Foi, and
her son and daughter, all of Wlnetka, Hi
LUCILLE MEADE, Berwya. .
M188 KOULKB. Berwyn.
EDWARD AND LOUISE DEC, Cbtldrea. -J08EPH
K. CULLISON.
JOHN HOLLAND, Dee Moines.
- MI8S MNA HANSEN.
MRS. VARY TARLET AMD TWO . CHTL-
MRS. DAVID KENNEDY, Frseport
H. LUDWIO. WIFfl AND 1WO
TER8, Norwood Park. , .
MRS. B. JONEH.
j- ELVA KOWLER. ' ' . ;
MORTIMER ELDRIDOB.
HELEN BKYER8L0TH. Branston,
in.
DACGH-
11EV. HENRY L. RICHARDSON.
ETHEL JONES, daughter of 8. P. Jones, at
tended theatre with brothers and sisters, two
of whom are miming and three accounted for.
It was reported at Vaughn's seed store, where
the body of -Miss Jones wss taken, that the
mother, an InTalld, dropped dead when she 're
ceived the tidings of her daughter's death.
MRS. KINO, wife ef John C. King, attorney.
LILLIAN PH1LLIPSON, years old; Identi
fication uncertain, - ... .
BOY, IT Tears old; llred at Lafayette, lad.
MRS. FORMAN. ' . .
WIIXIAM KATTLEY: died In bospitaL
WILLIAM KEEP, lawyer. Wsukegan. IH.
HOYT FOX, the 13-year-ola grandsom of Will.
Ism H. Hoyt.
MRS. U H. Bl'TLER.
8. WARDMAN.
EDMUND W. MORTON, agent Wagner Elec
tric company. 8t Louis. . .
NEWBY. :r ,
". J. A. KOTKEMS. : ? t.f ,
MRS. 8TKRN. , - .
11. DONALDSON.' sddress snknown.' -"
REV. OF.OBCJK DUDLEY, psstor of All Strsa
gees chnrrb. ?
GAMBLERS'
APPEAL TO
Judge Cleland this morning overruled
the demurrer to the petition for the
writ of mandamus in the case of R.
Llvingntone against the mayor, execu
tive board, chief of police and municipal
judge. This is the proceeding Instituted
by the Municipal league against these
officers : to ' have, them mandamuaed to
perform - -certain dutlea --In , regard - to
suppressing gaming and, gambling
houses. ':.!'. -
From every indication, however, gam
bling will continue in Portland for
some ' time under the present system
of lines. The city officials will appeal
to the supreme court, and ' until a de
cision Is rendered the 'gambling situa
tion will remain the same, according
ot Mayor Williams. The mayor Bald
this morning: : '
The Mayor's Statement.
"To . the . writ of. mandamus . served
upon me to Instruct Chief Hunt' to stop
gambling, 'a formal - demurrer will be
filed, which will be overruled. Then
an appeal will be taken to the supreme
court.. Attorney McNtary is handling
the case , and .1 do not know all the
points on .which he will base hla ap
peal. I am Under the Impression that
among them will be the feature of dis
cretionary power on the part of the of
ficials; another that the plaintiff have
adequate remedy at law without resort
to-mandamus proceedings. Until the
decision of the supreme court la forth
coming defining the powers of the city
officials and the extent of the court's
jurisdiction o,ver. them, - matters - will
continue as they exist at present. There
may -be some changes In the gambling
Identificdtion in Many
Cases Impossible for.
Features Are Gone.
CLOTHING TORN AWAY
Fall Knowledge of All Those Who Lost
' Their lives May Never Be 0b
1 . talned so Frightfully Are
' They Mangled. - ' '
MISS J. H. DOPD of Delaware, O., Tlstting
friends at' Wheston, III.
MISS V. DELEK, daughter ef lata lieutenant
ef police. -
W. W. HOOPER. Kenosha, Wla.
FITS CHILDREN OF 8. H. VANINOEN of
Kenosha (probable).. Father beranie separated
from them and Is among the Injured.
MRS. JOHN MINWEiiAN, wife ef alderaraa.
BERNIUK B ALLEY, at morgue.
A. M. MANDEL, Identified by ring.
O. A. WIN8LOW,, commercial traveler, ef
Three Rlters. Wis. ,
DON ALL WELLS, name on handkerchief.
. BURR SCOTT. , ,
FORNETrA PETERSON. -
HARVEL KIELY, Laclede avenue, St Louis.
THOMAS COUTKLL.
KMPERLY HALL.
THOMAS J. FLANAGAN, 8283 College are-
nue, Indianapolis.
MRS. M. A. HENBY. . -
HOB10 K. ROOERS, Identified by card In bee
parse.
H. P. MOORE. I
C. L. COOPER.
MAY UUKBA.V. - - .
MARTIN, a boy Of IS.
B. M0SK8. .
H. W. WILT IAMB. .v
B. REG EN BE RO.
ELLA LINDEN. '
HOHTENSE '.ANG. aged IS.
IRENE LANG, aged 11, sister of Borteoea.
Their mother escaped. , ,
B. A. WILSON.
ANN FITlWIBBON. . . ;. , I
MRS. W. T. MARSH.'
LOUISE BUSH NELL. . .' A
.' MRS. A. LA KB, So years eld; Identified at
morgue. ' -
MISS A. DONALDSON, aged 18; Identified at
morgue by telegram found in her purse. ,
MRS. PATRICK P. O'DONNELL. wife of
President O'Ponoell of the O'Donnell Brewing
company.
R. H. COl'LTS.
MISS HOWARD.
MISS ROSS, daughter of Dr. Ross.
FLORENCE AX NAM. ELVIRA OLSON, LILY
POWERS. ROSEMOND SCHMIDT, HELEN
HOW ARB. HELEN M'CAUGHAN and RIAH
MAKER, a club of high school girls who were
In the balcony. ,
MRS. F. A. MORRILL. '
MRS 8UMINO.
MISS EDITli NORTON of Ontonagon, Mich.
MRS. HARBAUGH.
FOES GET FIRST BLOOD;
BE TAKEN, SAYS MAYOR
situation, but they will not be duo to
any action now pending." ;
Chief of Police Hunt said:
ays Will Bo Xls Duty.
"When the writ Is served upon me I
will do my duty." ' '
When asked, , If . he considered It his
duty to . enforce the laws and arrest
gamblers, he replied that this was a mat
ter for the mayor to Instruct him on.
Further than this Chief Hunt would
not say anything on the subject
W. J. Honeyman, president, of , the
Municipal association, said:-
"The decision today la most satisfac
tory. It is a victory not alone for the
Municipal league but for good oltisens
generally."
Whole Bench Acts,
In giving his decision overruling the
demurrer. Judge Cleland said that con
trary to the usual custom, and on ac
count of the great and public Importance
of the matter, he had directed notice to
the defendants before ' the -writ should
issue, and had also qatlled the other three
judges to sit with him in the hearing.
The defendants had appeared and very
full presentation of the questions In
volved was had, and the judges had
reached the conclusion Judge Bears dis
senting that the writs should be issued
as prayed for. He further stated that
the court had as fully examined the
questions as. it would upon a demurrer
to the writ, but told Mr. McNary. the
city, attorney that he might, to save
the rights of the defendants, formally
file' a demurrer; to the writs when Is
sued, which would be overruled, ss.the
court had made a full examination of
j O. M. FORBUSH AND .TAiirLY.
ANN A'.STERLING.
THREE -MEN. employed en the files en the
stage, nsrne nuknown. '
FLOUTINEi a German aerial performer, taken
to bospitali'dlel In ambulsnce.
ETHEL BLAOKMAN, 13 yeara old, daugh
ter of Harry E. Blackraan, freight department
Msmhall FTeld A Co.. living at Glenvllle, HL
MRS. CAVANAUOH of Indiana arenue.
UNKNOWN BOY, 8 years old.
TWO UNKNOWN WOMEN, who met death
by Jnmping from the rear ore escape while their
garments were aflame.
LOUISE Bl'CHRAY.
MARIE WALSH, aged 18.
MRS. JAMKS D, MALONEY, wjfe of a
plumber.
MISS SPENCER. .1.
, LOUIS KISSER AND WIFE. Said to have
belonged to "Bluebeard" company.
- J. GRAHAM, Identified by underclothing.
WALTER B. EEISLEB, son of Dr. ,Zelsler of
the University pt Chicago, who la now la Eu
rope. LESTER DOTY, soa of L. B. Doty of the
Illinois Steel compsnr. !, . ,
MRS. A. N. MENDEL, wlfe'of retired banker.
WALTER D. AUSTRIAN, aged 14. son of Jo
seph D. Austrian, president of the Lake Michi
gan Transportation company.
FRED SAWYER. . , .
WILL M'OARy. hodr at mortrue.
LKANDER DEFFENDORF, Lincoln, 111.; died
at tmeptiai. - . .. ,
PAUL WINDRS. hodr at mnrme?
. MHSt MORTON FOX. WlwHka, IJtf tdy t
morgue. . ,
; ANMR MOAK, body at morgue.
WALTER PHACKER. body at morgue.
, JAMES M'CLRIXAND.
. I'Al'I.lNK UEARY. bodr at morcus.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN. with wstch engraved
"B. . M."; body at morgue. -'
G. 8IDNEY FOX, body at nxwgue; supposedly
brother-in-lsw of William H. Hoyt.
MRS. C. D, BARTLETT, Bartlett, IlL; body
at morgne.
MRS. JOHN ADENECK, Bartlett, III., sister
01 aimre; nooy at morgne.
GERTRUDE FRANKENSTEIN, Bartlett, 111.,
nleco of Mrs. Bsrtlett, body at morgne.
MRS. W. T. BOISE, body at morgua. ..
' 'MRS. SARAH KKANE, Racine, Wis.
W1NTHROP SPRING.
8AV1LLO nrst name not learned).; 14
years old; body at morgue.
HERMAN VEIN, died at hosnttnl.
HARRIET WOLFF, daughter of Millionaire
L. Wolff.
HI LDA HOLMES, Identified from pin bear
ing that name; body at morgue. .
rart of tae Injured.
' Mrs., Francis Lehrmsn, will diet Mrs. M.
Lehman, serious; Miss Carrie Anderson, serious;
MIhs Mabel McMillan, fatal; Fred, Crawford and
William Patterson, young sons of C. Patterson,
o the Pullman Palace Csr eompanr. all serl.
ensly injured; Adells Bsker, serious; Pom-
eroy, serious; Eddie For. eomedisn, slight:
Nellie Stranger; Mrs. L. A. Noll: MI'S Lena
Mueller; Helen Mueller; Mrs. William Mueller;
Cora Farcher: C. C Beller: B. P. Stevenson.
Madison. Wis.: James Schneider; Adolph Weber;
Alma Lelnsbkut; Miss C. H. Pier, serious; Mum
Livingston; W. W. Relnhnrt; Miss Muyre, serl-
oi:s; n, a. atnyrs ana wire; nainn t nmper; u.
M. Mellen, Klgln, I1L; Miss Nellie Wild; Mrs.
Gsllun: Mlsa Hattle Btratton. Alliens. Mlch.t
Mrs. McGIU and daughter, Jane; Mrs. Steln
nlnger; L. E. Reed; J, Everett; Mrs. George
Everett; Miss Stewart; William Swlck; Mrs.
James Hennlng; Mrs. D. See ley, tsken to hoe.
pltal; Mrs. J. J. Johnson, taken to hospital;
Mrs. Joha Holmes, taken to hospital; - Daisy
uarunu, uaen to nospitai; Any vreveiier. st
hospital; Louis Buscbback. burned and crushed;
D. A. Stratton. Alpena. Mich; WtlUam C. 8e.
lers; C. L. Roberts; Mrs. Josephine Spencer,
serious, at hospital; Mary Mnegher, at hospital;
Emrtch Hewens, Petersburg. Ind., at hospital;
14111a Ackerman, st hospital; A. C. Johns,
nsher.' will die; Mlsa Estrile Mnlr. at hospital;
Leonard Di endorf, aged 16, of Lincoln, III.;
Louie Dee, will die. found late st ntcht. after
being reported missing; Ralph Kenipare, at first
erroneously reportea aeea, is unoor-vtotts at
(Continued on Page Two.) . ,
the case, and the allegations of the wrjt
would be the same as of the petition, -
The writs were served today and will
be made returnable next Thursday, Jan
uary 7, 19Q4.
- The result of this decision Is that the
defendants must answer the writ and
say 'whether the allegations are true.
Briefly, the writ will charge that the
defendants wilfully and Intentionally re
fuse to perform their several duties In
regard to gambling, for the purpose of
allowing gambling to be conducted and
to get a revenue therefrom for the city.
.' Municipal Judge Hogua defined his
position as follows: -
"I have not' seen or considered 1 the
writ of mandamus which I am informed
has been Issued to direct me to Issue
bench warrants for the arrest of gam
blers who have forfeited ball, and do
not at this time know what course I
will -pursue. The manner in which the
gambling cases are now disposed. of I
have - always -considered legal - and
proper. . . ' ---'i : '
"The city charter provides that the
city attorney shall have control of all
actions and proceedings in the municlpa
court, and the forfeitures of ball In
gambling cases have been entered at
his request, f In all cases in this court
all proper reguests of the city attorney
have been and always will be granted.
"No complalnt or criticism haa ever
been made to me concerning the' con
duct of the cases for violating the ordl
nances against' gambling, and I know
no reason why 1 should not -allow the
control- of these prosecutions to be ex
ercised by the officer to whom It Is given
by. the -charter."
SCENE TOO GRUESOME
FOR A FAIR ACCOI
Description of the
Stricken People When Fire Was
' ,N First Discovered.
Details of Catastrophe in
by William BradyPlay House Crowded
When the Fire Started.
(Journal Special Service.) '
Chicago, Dec. 81. At noon the list of
dead computed on the basis of those who
are missing, as well as the bodies at
the morgue, numbered 692. The police
think this number will be Increased to
over 700 . beforerthe-day onds. Scenes
about tho morgue are pathetic. Hun
dreds of people were clamoring for news
of missing relatives and police had dif
ficulty In restraining the frantic efforts
of the grief-stricken mob. Thousands
gathered before the destroyed theatre,
and a big force of detectives was neces
sary to hold In check the thieves who
persistently rushed amidst the debris
to search for loot. Hundreds of fire
men and specials are on duty examining
the ruins.
- The Begponslbility.
Effort 'to -fix the responsibility for
the catastrophe are now being insti
tuted from all sides."' Building Commis
sioner George Williams, who la at pres
ent absent from this city, was tele
graphed to return to Chicago so soon
as possible. - 1
Deputy-Commissioner I E. Btanhope
was Interviewed In the city hall and
discussed all phases of the fire with ref
erence to the building ordinance In these
words: - - -' - -' :- -
"I cannot tell at present whether any
body can be held responsible tor this
terrible loss of life. I tried to enter
the building when I realised that so
many people' would lose their lives, but
I was driven back by smoke." - '
"Did the Iroquois theatre comply with
all the requirements of the city ordi
nance with reference to theatres V. was
asked. ; ."
"Yes. The building itself, was abso
lutely fireproof and all contrivances and
methods known to modern architecture
were used to make It safe."
"If such a large loss of life Is possible
under such conditions, the blame must
rest . on some person or upon the law
Itself, and do you regard the law as be
ing Inadequate for the protection of
persons during play hours7" : .
-- "No, the law seems to provide suffi
ciently upon the matter; It seems im
possible that, so many persona could
have been killed. It is partly due to
the crowding and fainting of women.
Smoke arose and suffocated a large num
ber of women who might otherwise have
escaped." ;-!---''-
"Did the Iroquois owners comply
with the law with reference to exits?'
"Yes. . Plans and specifications ahow
that there were three double e4ts and
one small one on the main floor leading
into the alley and three double doors,
each nine feet wide, leading into the
lobby. From the balcony there were
three exits leading Into the alley and
three leading into the lobby. From the
gallery there were two stairs, each nine
feet wide, leading into the lobby."
By Wn. Brady. -
By Wm. Brady, manager of "The Pit,"
in a special to the New York American:'-
' ' .' I
"I went to the Iroquois theatre about
J:80 yesterday afternoon to see , the
house. . The Oarrlck waa full and 1
wanted to see how other theatres In
town were drawing. People in the Iro
quois were standing six deep, as they
were at our house. I was standing in
the back of the theatre and all of a sud
den I saw a flash of light In the left first
entrance. -A shower of sparks fell. I
saw some people get up from the front
rows who had evidently seen them. I
knew what it meant. X had seen It
many times before. People "In the front
rows started back toward the rear of
the house. "Eddie" Foy came out and
said something. I could not distinguish
It, and the ballet continued dancing al
most through a rain of fire. .. Alt of a
sudden there was a shriek from the first
balcony. It was taken up In the orches
tra, and in a moment everybody began
to rush for the front of , the house. I
was in the last row and walked quietly
out-and almost before you could tell it
the house was full of smoke. There was
a strong wind blowing from the stage
and the result was that smoke was
driven back Into the theatre. The 'peo
ple on the orchestra floor had little or
no difficulty in getting out, but that
part o--the audience In the- balcony
seemed to have a lot of trouble and only
appeared to emerge one by one. ;
The shrieks increased and the heat
and thickening vdfume of smoke com
pletely filled the foyer ajid auditorium,
so , that it was Impossible to return into
the building.
I'iWomen came out into the foyer
stifled with smoke, crying out plteously
that their children or -relatives were in
the ruins. Many of them tried to get
back. By this time the foyer was packed
with people from the street, who sought
to drag the. women and children into
the open air.
, "Neither police nor flrfl di-fiartmcnt
had arrived as yet, The women cams;
Actions of the Panic
Its fodpiency Related
scrambling out, screaming frantically.
Some of them were in a hysterical con
dltion and some with their clothes torn
off. On reaching .the street many tried
to return to the doomed building to
save friends relatives or children.
f Tl - , . . . , 1
ti acmms iruiu ihb iujt ui me gal
lery was deafening. Nobody seemed to
be escaping from the upper tiers. It
seemed hours before the police or fire
men arrived, and when they came first
attempted to quench the flames with
small extinguishers.
"Suddenly a man who appeared to bo
In command yelled out to sound a sec
ond alarm and turn on the hose. Big
pumps were started, and, by this time
no on was coming from the theatre.
Every one knew that hundreds of peo
ple were inside, helpless. Many men
from the sidewalk tried to go into the
theatre and were forced to turn back
by the -police. Piles of women's cloth
ing, seal skin sacques, cloth coats, hats
and women's apparel of aU kinds were
heaped up In the lobby, Everything
was pandemonium. I'
'The police seemed to lose their heads
and Instead of forcing their way into
the . theatre and trying to rescue the
few people that it was possible to cave
they forced, thef, crowd of men ana
shrieking women from the front of the,
house. More streams of water were
turned on. The - smoke grew tf attser.
Screams died down.- "
t "More engines commenced 'to ttr;t
and I left, not wishing to see the dead
bodies dragged forth.
"In front of : the Oarrlck theatre
where, my play waa being performed,
came a crowd of men and women, who
did not know whether their families
had gone to see 'The Pit" or "Blue
Beard" at the Iroquois. For two hours
we struggled to prevent the crowd in
front of the Oarrlck from creating a
panto therein.
'We refused to allow anyone who left
the theatre between the acts to return,
and we succeeded In playing The Plt
to a finish and releasing our audience
at the end of the last act without any
knowledge of the terrible calamity thai
had occurred within a block." " .
Aa Aooooat from the Stage.
W. A. C Sellers, house fireman, whd
waa severely burned In trying to lowec
asbestos curtains, describes the scene
UlSUll MIB BUIBQ JUUUWB Will
standing in the wings when I heard art
explosion and then Immediately went
forth a cry of fire' from the stage and
all over . the theatre. - Looking up I
saw that the curtain was ablaze, so I
rang for the fire curtain. Wa cot It
half way down when the wind, rushing
in from the broken skylights, bellied it
out so that It caught and we could .not
pull it. down. With stage hands I
climbed to where it was suspended and
together we tried toi push it down. AU
efforts were futile and I turned my at
tention to warning the. actors and try
ing to save those who were in trouble.
The women were frantic, and men not
much better. I stood at the stairway
leading to the dressing room, where
chorus people were located, and kept
some from going up to get their street
clothes. As the others came down I
forced them to leave the building. I
do. not know how they ever got out all
those girls and men who came crowd
ing down the stairs, for the stage en
trance waa . blocked . by a mass of
flames." -:-,' , ' -
A Woman la Sheet of riam.
While the dead were being taken from
the choked 'doors of the front of the
theatre firemen at the rear of the build
ing were engaged In a more grewsome
task. A bridge of planks was rigged up
from the top door of -the theatre build
ing to the nitn noor or tne Northwestern
University building. . A doxen . firemen,
guided by ropes, took the dead from this
doorway, :. Before they reached the floor,
however, a woman who has not as yet
been Identified rushed to the door in a
sheet of flame.
She stood on the fire-escape landing a
moment and then fell headlong over
the rail. Her body alighted on the rail
of the second fire-escape, balanced end
hung there burning until firemen took,
her to .the ground. Twenty-five hundre.l
people watched this moat horrible scene
of the fire which occurred outalda th
burning building, ,
Bridge of Death.
With the aid of the dental student
the bridge of death was operated by v.m
firemen.' Bodies of men and wmn,
charred and- burned to a crisp, tawc
burning garments and . fUiah dropplM
from the remain, were parMAd a. ,
this frail plank. ..The bodlvi wm
cured, tit-d wltli a rupo v- , .-.( . t
the bridge at the rat of one . ,- in
minutes. The bodU'N .sre r ", I w i
and a groan aro from I: "- i-..,
(Continued on 1;
)