The Sunderland Tragedy.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 19, 21 July 1883, Page 2

The Sunderland Tragedy.

LATEE PARTICULAES^. Per Mail Steamer. The calamity at S underlain! occurred at tlie close of a performance at which Beyeral thousand children were present, and but few adults. At the top of the first flight of stairs from the gallery was a door, which was opened only twenty inches, and thus but one child at a time could got through. At this point, while the mass of children was pushing forward some of them fell and were unable to rise owing to the crowding. The scene was terrific. No effort could stop the mad rush of affrighted children. They came on pell mell, struggling; without, much shouting, and soon over 200 were knocked down and suffocated- to death by others trampling on them. 'They-, laid seven or eight deep. Many of the victims killed had the clothing torn"" from their bodies, and showed the terrible nature of the struggle. The excitement in town was terrible. A , crowd of 20,000' people surrounded the Hall, and the authorities ordered out the military to preserve order. The bodes were laid out ih the HaU, and che parents of those killed were admitted to identify their lost children. Heartrending scenes occurred, mothers of dead children constantly utlericg piercing shrieks, and many fainted on discovering the bodies of their little ones. The ticket-taker throws 1 the blame for the calamity upon the men connected wich the entertainment, who, it appears, fastened the doors half way open, in order llnit prizes might be given to the children one at a time. Ono hundred free graves were provided m one cemetery for the reception of the viutiinj>.