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25 chapters
BURNING OF THE Brooklyn Theatre.
BURNING OF THE Brooklyn Theatre.
A Thrilling Personal Experience! ———————— Brooklyn’s Horror. WHOLESALE HOLOCAUST AT THE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, THEATRE, ON THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 5TH, 1876. ———— Three Hundred Men, Women and Children BURIED IN THE BLAZING RUINS! —————— ORIGIN, PROGRESS AND DEVASTATION OF THE FIRE. The Tragedy in the Galleries—A Wedge of Death—Into a Pit of Fire—Harrowing Scenes and Incidents—Affecting and Exciting Stories of Survivors—Two Actors among the Victims—The Ghastly Array of the Disfigured Dead—Heartrending
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The Funeral.
The Funeral.
At a quarter before two o’clock the gleam of bayonets appeared in Schermerhorn street, and the winds bore fitfully the strains of a dirge played by a military band. The head of the procession was nearing the point of establishment of the right of the line. At Flatbush avenue it halted for ten minutes only, while the disposition of the various parts of the procession was perfected. The Twenty-third Regiment, that had marched up in hollow square formation, opened and rested at an “order arms,” whi
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Mr. Murdoch’s Career on the Stage.
Mr. Murdoch’s Career on the Stage.
Mr. Henry S. Murdoch, one of the victims of the terrible calamity, was engaged in the cast of the “Two Orphans” as Pierre , the cripple, and was the sole support of a widowed mother and two sisters, who reside in Philadelphia. The latter were expected in Brooklyn next week to visit their brother during the Christmas holidays. Mr. Murdoch was born in Boston, August 5, 1845, and was consequently in the thirty-second year of his age. He received his education in Philadelphia, and made his début at
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Claude Burroughs.
Claude Burroughs.
Claude Burroughs first made his appearance on the stage at the Winter Garden, New York, in 1865, playing in “Hamlet” with Edwin Booth. At the conclusion of his engagement with Mr. Stuart, who was then managing the Winter Garden, he went to Brooklyn, where he played light comedy parts in the Park Theatre, then under Mrs. Conway’s management. Upon the opening of the Union Square Theatre by Messrs. Shook & Palmer Mr. Burroughs was engaged to play light parts. His first appearance at that th
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Sketches of other Victims.
Sketches of other Victims.
Stuart Campbell Hand, a young reporter on the staff of the Commercial Advertiser of New York, is among the victims of the calamity. He is known to have visited the theatre on the night of the fire, and has not been seen since. He was only eighteen years old. William L. Donnelly, another young reporter, left his home on the evening of the fire to visit the theatre, and was never seen alive again. He had just returned to New York from a journalistic trip to the West. Among the charred remains his
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Almost Incredible.
Almost Incredible.
The following story would be deemed almost incredible were it not vouched for by Police Captain Worth. Mr. Hecht, of 431 Pulaski street, a wealthy merchant, identified the remains of his son, Louis, eighteen years old, by the gold watch and gold chain and seal-skin hat found on the remains. As he stood stricken with grief over the charred corpse, two men jostled him aside, and, with many exclamations of sorrow and grief, claimed the body as that of their relative, and looked about for means to r
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The History of the Brooklyn Theatre.
The History of the Brooklyn Theatre.
In 1871 a building association, composed in chief of Wm. C. Kingsley, Alexander McCue, and Abner C. Keeney, erected for Mrs. F. B. Conway the edifice then known as “Mrs. Conway’s Brooklyn Theatre.” Under her management the first season opened on the evening of October 2d, 1871, the play being Bulwer’s comedy of “Money,” with Mr. and Mrs. Conway, Edward Lamb, Mrs. Farren, and others in the cast. Until 1875, with varying success, Mrs. Conway kept the theatre open, introducing her daughters, Minnie
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Other Memorable Disasters by Fire.
Other Memorable Disasters by Fire.
The disaster at the Brooklyn Theatre far surpasses in loss of life any accident by fire in this country or Europe. Theatres have been frequently burned and losses of life have not been uncommon, but the Brooklyn tragedy is altogether unparalleled. The disaster at Richmond, Va., December 16, 1811, when seventy persons were killed, has up to this time been known as the most terrible of the class, but it is many times overshadowed by the Brooklyn fire. The following are the principal theatres that
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Scenes and Incidents.
Scenes and Incidents.
How true it is that it requires great events to bring out latent properties in the minds of the every-day people one meets. Especially is this true of woman. Another of the many instances of such devotion as Scott hints at in these lines was witnessed on that terrible night. While the fire was in progress, a fireman near the entrance on Washington street saw a strange sight. An undersized, delicate-looking woman came staggering out, carrying literally on her back and shoulders a man weighing app
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A Terrible Moment of Suspense.
A Terrible Moment of Suspense.
In one of those graphic narratives of her experience on the eventful night that proved such a trying ordeal to her, and was yet borne with such high-souled self-possession, Miss Kate Claxton relates one incident of intense interest. * * * “The back entrance was by this time a perfect hell of fire. Miss Harrison, on my call, rushed from her room and darted by me into a little subterranean passage, which led from the stage under the floor to the box office in front of the house. No such passage ex
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‘My God, if it is locked!’
‘My God, if it is locked!’
Outside of the door we could hear the roaring of the maddened multitude struggling through the passage without. We must really have hesitated only a flash, but it seemed to me that we stood there for hours. The door fortunately was open, and we were in a second inside the box office. With the strength of despair we burst the door open against the struggling throng, and in an instant were in their midst. We had yet some distance to go; the fire followed us fast, and there was still a crowd of exc
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Escaping through the Grating.
Escaping through the Grating.
William Kerr, of Hamden street, Brooklyn, says that he was in front of the theatre when the fire broke out. He attempted to enter the theatre, but was prevented, and stepping back to the street he heard a noise beneath the sidewalk. The iron plate over the coal-hole was pushed up, and the head and shoulders of a man appeared. He pulled the man to the sidewalk, and he was followed by another man. He was then ordered off by the police. The police clapped the plate back, and nothing is known of the
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Mad Struggles for Life.
Mad Struggles for Life.
When the rush from the parquet was at its height a father and mother with their child had made their way as far as the lobby, when the father, who held the child in his arms, was knocked down by the crowd. The child fell with its father, and its cries could be heard above all the din. The father struggled to his feet, and as he arose with the child in his grasp, the blood flowed from several gashes in his face and crimsoned his shirt. At the sight of the blood the wife shrieked and immediately f
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She Was Already Mad.
She Was Already Mad.
The nearly lifeless form of her husband was subsequently dragged from beneath the feet of the throng and borne into the police station. A fashionably-dressed lady, who occupied a seat near the stage, was so completely overcome by terror that she sank to the floor, not in a faint, but out of sheer fright. She was actually carried from the place by her attendant....
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A Family Almost Blotted Out.
A Family Almost Blotted Out.
Samuel Solomon told the following sad story at the Morgue, the morning after the fire: “Last night my father, Morris Solomon, my brother Philip, his wife, Lena, and my two sisters, Mary and Deborah, went to the Brooklyn Theatre, and occupied seats in the family circle. When the fire broke out I came up here. The theatre was then in flames. I could see nothing of my relatives. I have remained here all night, with the exception of going home occasionally to see if they had returned. My mother is a
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The Numbers in the Theatre.
The Numbers in the Theatre.
We have obtained from the returns of the Treasurer what we believe to be a correct list of all who were in the theatre on the night of the fire as spectators, and have also procured a full list of the employees. Although it is generally presumed that places of amusement are more apt to be crowded and more subject to fires than churches, history shows that fires in churches have proved even more fatal to human life than all the theatres that were ever burned. On the 27th of May, 1875, a shocking
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Relief for the Destitute.
Relief for the Destitute.
As soon as it was known that so many had perished in the flames, a generous spirit of rivalry sprang up among the proprietors of places of amusement all over the country, as to whom should contribute the largest amount of money for the relief of the survivors and those rendered destitute by the fire. Individual actors also subscribed liberally, and a relief association was organized to receive and disburse the money thus contributed. Memorial services were held in New York and Brooklyn the Sunda
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The Hero and Heroine.
The Hero and Heroine.
Cornelius J. Daly, the hero of this sketch, was of humble parentage. The elder Daly, fully appreciating the disadvantages of his own position, early determined that his only son should receive a superior education. As a consequence, Cornelius—or, as he was more familiarly called, Conn—was sent to school at an early age, and on his seventeenth birthday was in a condition to fairly combat the world and achieve success. He was comely of feature, athletic of frame, and intelligent of mind. He was th
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A Lapse of Years.
A Lapse of Years.
This was in 1871, and Conn was in his twenty-second year. As the steamer bearing him away left his native shores in the dim distance, he lifted up a prayer to the Most High to guide him aright in his new undertaking, and he inwardly resolved that he would some day return socially the equal of the girl he loved. He could then dare to ask her hand in marriage. Five years passed away, spent by our hero in a persistent, laborious struggle toward the goal he had marked in life. His efforts were rewar
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The Cry of Fire.
The Cry of Fire.
The curtain was rung up on the last scene of the last act. It was the hut of the Frochards on the bank of the river Seine. It discovered the blind girl Louise on her pallet of straw, over whom was bending Pierre Frochard . Suddenly the actors heard whispers of “Fire, fire,” and a shuffling to and fro behind the scenery. Mr. Murdoch, who was playing Pierre , also heard the alarm, and Miss Claxton ( Louise ) whispered to him: “The stage is on fire!” The play went on, Louise and Pierre continuing t
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The Rescue—Facing Death.
The Rescue—Facing Death.
Intent on watching Nettie, Conn saw little of the play. When the first cry of “Fire” was raised, he started to his feet and leaned eagerly forward. He saw the sparks falling upon the stage among the actors—heard Miss Claxton cry: “Will the people keep their seats? We are between you and the flames, and will be burned first. Will the people in the front seats sit down?” Then he saw the people in the orchestra seats pause for a moment, saw the frightened look on the face of Fitzherbert as Nettie p
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Conclusion.
Conclusion.
Conn, or rather Mr. Daly, took an early opportunity of visiting the house of his old employer, Mr. Morgan. Being possessed now of abundant means and letters of introduction from high dignitaries in the Chilian government he had no difficulty in getting an invitation from Mr. Morgan to tea, with whom he had made a large contract for tools. Miss Nettie looked more charming than ever, and to the surprise of pater familias recognized his guest as the brave gentleman who rescued her from the burning
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IDENTIFIED.
IDENTIFIED.
Argrove, Charles, 152 St. Mark’s avenue. Aurbach, Gustave, 30 Hudson avenue. Armstrong, Christopher, 208 Skillman street. Addison, John, 177 Water street. Amao, Alfred, 331 Hamilton avenue. Amand, Gustave, Hamilton avenue. Athell, Durell, Court and Nelson streets. Ashwell, Joseph, 86 Fleet street. Alberte, Amanda, 266 Atlantic avenue. Bedford, Daniel, Hicks and Clark streets. Bennett, W., 129 Butler street. Brook A., 1677 Atlantic avenue. Brosnan, John, 300 Pearl street, New York. Brown, William
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UNIDENTIFIED OR MISSING.
UNIDENTIFIED OR MISSING.
Arlaum, Arthur, 341 Hamilton avenue. Alberte, Louis, 266 Atlantic avenue. Bedford, David, 122 Hicks street. Binley, John, 56 Box street. Barnes, ——, 520 Hicks street. Boyne, Thomas, Vanderbilt avenue. Ball, William, Third avenue and 36th st. Ball, George, Third avenue and 36th st. Blachford, Chas., wife and child, 212 Bridge st. Boyne, Bennett, 233 Plymouth street. Berri, Caroline, Smith street. Beatty, Edward, 71 Carlton avenue. Cavanagh, Frost, 474 Hudson avenue. Crane, Oliver F., 31 North Ell
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LATEST REPORT OF MISSING PERSONS.
LATEST REPORT OF MISSING PERSONS.
Since the above list was prepared, the following persons have been reported to the police as yet missing: Byrnes, Bernard, 17, 233 Plymouth street. Francis, George, 30, New York. Game, Robert, 20, 179 Butler street. Gannon, John, 18, 81 Gold street, N. Y. Gibbs, Mary, 45, Sullivan street. Hayes, Samuel, 20, Fifth avenue. Hesdra, Mary A., 25, 153 Gold street. Hennessey, George, 29, 6 Duffield st. Jennison, H., 19, Fourth ave., cor. Wyckoff street. Jennison, A., 17, Fourth ave., cor. Wyckoff stree
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