IFLOYD GIBBONS
Adventurers' Club
“ The Theater of Death”
By FLOYD GIBBON3
Famous Headline Hunter.
SOM K of you older boys and girls of the Adventurers’ Club will
recall Chicago's Iroquois Theater disaster of 1903. I remem
ber it very well. I remember standing horror stricken in the
street, that cold December afternoon, as the victims were being
carried out of the burning theater.
Five hundred and seventy-five persons lost their lives in
that terrible catastrophe and 90 per cent of them were women
and children who had come to attend the opening matinee of the inimical
ahow, “Ulster Hlue Heard.” As the shocked firemen and police carried out
the charred victims they piled the bodies one on top of the other on the
sidewalk.
Once in a while someone would see a thin vapor rising from
the lips of one of the still forms in the heap. That meant one of
them was still alive and the vapor was the breath ehowing as it
froze on striking the zero air.
Over would go the pile of bodies Into the street as the frantic res
cuers pulled the living person from beneath the dead and rushed the still
breathing form Into u nearby restaurant for medlcul aid. Every table In
that restaurant held Its loud of dead and dying!
Fatal Panic of the Iroquois Theater Fire.
Inside the theater witnesses said the scenes of horror were Indescrib
able. I’anlc had followed the discovery of the fire and women and chil
dren were being trampled to death In the mud rush for the exits. These
exits were locked and before each closed door the llremen found bodies,
piled to the celling, where they had died so near, and yet so far, from
safety.
Miss Alpha Jackson of Franklin Square. N. Y., was In that
fire. Alpha la a big girl now but the waa a little girl then and a
member of a famous child ballet which waa on the program that
fateful afternoon.
“Mother” Follls was In chnrge of the ballet and In the business of
training children for stage work and, according to Alpha, waa quite a
character. Iler children were always well trained and could be depended
on to do their part. Alpha says the kindly old lady was a strict discipli
narian and demanded Implicit obedience, but on the other hand she treated
each child as though It were her own.
Ballet Girls Fluttery Before Their Cue.
“Hack stage" us the show started, Alpha says, all was confusion, the
confusion that always attends the opening performance of a new show.
There was a very large cast and much scenery to handle. The scenery
was very fluffy and not fireproofed the wAy it Is today but the new thea
ter boasted a fireproof steel curtain and was considered the last word in
rafety.
Alpha with 11 other little girls was seated before a make-up
mirror in the dressing room. They were nervously waiting their
cue to go on stage and had no thought of the tragedy that was
about to unfold before their eyes.
Suddenly a scream, followed by a roar that shook the theuter, startled
them. They Jumped to their feet In alarm and looked anxiously around.
The door opened and Mother Follls stood before them. She was pale but
calm.
"Sit in your chairs,” she commanded, “and don’t you move
until I come back."
The little girls, Alpha snys, obeyed as usual like soldiers. Mother
Follls’ orders were always obeyed to the letter. But the awful sounds of
panic and confusion that came to the children through the thin walls of
Hi stage
ENTRANCE
The Little Dancers Marched Coolly Out of the Inferno.
their dressing room made them rigid with terror. What was happening
out there? Why had the music stopped? These nnd other unanswered
questions nearly drove the little girls hysterical but they kept their seats.
Mother Follls had ordered It.
Death Was a Member of the Audience.
And outside, on the stage and in the audience Death was already tak
ing its grim toll. Had the girls known what was happening uround them
they would certainly have stampeded and been trampled to death In the
mud rush for the doors. They could hear screams of terror nnd pain and
the tramping of many feet on the steel staircases back stage. Now and
then a crash us of a body fnlling came to their frightened ears.
Meanwhile, Mother Follis was having her share of anxiety.
Caught in the mad rush, as she went to investigate, the ballet
mistress was borne with the fear-crazed crowd right through the
stage door to the alley in back of the theater. With her mind only
on her girls who waited for her to come back she fought to re
enter the theater. But by then the firemen had arrived and no
one was allowed to enter. The stage was already a burning in
ferno and unless help came her girls would die for obeying her.
Firemen and police held her buck but Mother Follls would not be held
back. She was used to being obeyed and fought for her way. She screamed
that her children were trapped in their dressing room. Firemen said they
would get them. But Mother Follls was afraid tl.ey would not know where
to look. She would not direct them unless they let her go.
Mother Follis Makes a Dramatic Rescue.
And, as usual, Mother Follls had her way. Buck Into the burning the
ater she went with a fireman nt her side. The dooi suddenly opened, Alpha
says, and a blast of smoke swept In. The ballet girls screamed In terror.
One spark nnd their flimsy ballet dresses would burst Into flame. But
through the smoke Mother Follis’ orders eame clear and distinct. "First
position." Twelve pule little girls stood in line. "Forward, march 1 one
two—one-two—”
And 12 little girls, looking neither to right nor to left, marched
out behind their beloved “Mother.” The stage, Alpha says, was
now clear of the frenzied crowd. Flames crackled around them
and smoke made their eyes water but not a fluffy skirt was dis
arranged as the little ballet marched out to open air and safety!
The crowd sent up u cheer us the girls marched out the stage door,
in perfect formation. Not a dancing-pumped foot was out of step. Then
as eager hands reached for the children something happened that DID
break up their formation.
MOTHER FOLLIS FAINTED!
©—WNU 8«rvlo*.
Odd Vogue* in Tipping
Many odd vogues In tipping, or
the giving of a gratuity for some
personal service, have come and
gone through the ages. Including
the one In which a condemned man
gave a gift of money to his exe
cutioner as they mounted the scaf
fold. I’.ut the most absurd, which
was fashionable In Austria as late
as 1813, was the tipping of street
car conductors.—Collier's Weekly.
The Child Born at Sea
A child born at sea retains the
nationality of Its father, regardless
of the destination of Its parents or
the flag under which the ship on
which it Is horn is sailing. This Is
true even when the birth occurs in
United States waters, within the
three-mile limit, because aliens nre
not considered officially admitted to
this country until they have passed
the necessary Inspection.
BRISBANE
THIS WEEK
Ethiopia Rains Bombs
Six Marriage Troubles
Marilyn Miller Is Dead
Another Big Question
Addis Ababa la bombed by Ital
ian planes from more than a mile
Arthur llrlahnitr
above the city,
natives shooting
at the Italian
pilots with rifles
that could not
possibly carry
one-quarter of
the distance.
Correspondents
with receiving
sets listened to
the Italiun pi
lots talking to
euch other by
radio. Halle Se
lassie, hurrying
south, was not
at home when
they cnlled. That war should soon
be over.
Dr. Alice E. Johnson, psychiatrist
of Philadelphia's Municipal court,
gives six reasons for marriage fail
ures. They are: Different family
backgrounds of husband ami wife;
relatives interfering, especially
mothers-in-law; infidelity; Incomput
abllity; alcoholism, and a desire to
“dominate." There is a seventh rea
son, to be found in the nature of
man, who Is still 1)8 per cent In the
age of barbarism.
Marilyn Miller is dead, only thir
ty eight years old. The little town
of Findlay, Ohio, or the bigger town
of New York, might well erect some
monument to her memory. She con
tributed a great deal to human
cheerfulness and happiness, and It
may be said of her, ns Samuel John
son said, referring to the death ox
the great actor, Garrick, that her
death "eclipsed the gayety of na
tions and Impoverished the public's
stock of harmless pleasure.”
A lady who signs "B. A. G." Is
interested In very serious things.
She writes: “The more I hear of
those big armies, the more I nm re
minded of the huge population of
hell. What is your Idea of hell?"
That big question may be an
swered later. An aged colored man
once told his pastor; “I don’t believe
In hell, because I don’t think any
constitution could stand It."
“It worries me," says a lady, “that
so many men nre afraid of poverty
here upon earth, and not afraid of
hell." Miss B. A. G. Is certain that
hell Is real, a belief that must be
comforting to those anxious to have
the wicked punished.
Winthrop W. Aldrich, head of the
Chase National bank, biggest in
America, knows about money, as did
his father before him, the bite
senator from Rhode Island, who
Invented the Federal Reserve plan
and put It through. Mr. Aldrich
thinks it would not be a good Idea
to turn money loose and encourage
a speculative, stock-gambling boom,
lie remembers 1929.
Under certain circumstances “the
prospect of inflation is very grave
Indeed,” says Mr. Aldrich.
When n woman starts, she keeps
going, nearly always. Nothing could
stop Joan of Arc, Dr. Mary Walker,
or Nellie Illy on her trip around the
world. Now Amy Johnson, married
name Molllson, sets out alone In a
streamlined monoplane to heat the
record on a flight to Cape Town
anil back.
All alone, down to the other side
of the world and back again, over
ocean, forests, wild beasts and wild
er men. And fools used to say
women lacked courage!
An offensive and defensive treaty
between Japan aud Germany, like
the one between France ami Russia,
is considered a certainty.
It should he possible for nations
that want to survive and prosper to
get together and let others that
must fight kill each other off until
they tire of it. This country, at
least, should carry out that plan.
Japan and Russia have passed
from the "warning” stage to border
fighting on the Russian side. Planes,
war tanks and heavy artillery are
taken across the Manchukuo border
by Russia, and that "looks like busi
ness.”
Russia will soon know how much
Mongolia will be worth as a pro
tection against Japan, and Europe
may soon know the value of Russia
as a protection against Asia.
The Canadian Press news service
says Canada’s wealth has shrunk al
most six thousand million dollars
since 1929. That will be only a tem
porary shrinkage.
You know that England is worried
j about something when you read
! that she now demands that the
league establish an oil embargo
against Italy. A little late, hut It is
explained that England Is outraged
by Italy’s use of poison gas against
the Ethiopians.
Mussolini used something worse
thnn poison gns against England
when he occupied the Lake Tana
region.
C King Features Syndicate, luo,
WNU Service.
Smart Shirred Sleeves
Have a Piquant Charm
I'nttcrn No. ISIrt-ll
Lovely shirred sleeves finished off
with wide contrasting cuffs and a
jaunty neckline are enchanting fea
tures of this dress. Carry it out in
a becoming polka dot of crepe, silk,
lawn, or a smooth rayon. By the
way It’s very easily made because
the dress is all one piece with two
pleats and stltcblngs in the front
skirt, and a flattering blouse that’s
trimmed with square buttons. It’s
accented at the waist with either a
self-fabric or purchased belt.
Barbara Bel! Pattern No. 184C-B
Is designed for sizes 12, 14, 16, 18
and 20. Corresponding bust meas
urements 30, 82, 34, 36 and 38. Size
14 (32) requires 4Vfc yards of 35 inch
material plus % yard for contrasting
neck band and cuffs.
The Barbara Bell Pattern Book
featuring spring designs is ready.
Send fifteen cents today for your
copy.
Send your order to The Sewing
Circle Pattern Dept., 367 \V. Adams
St., Chicago, 111.
© Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service.
i
Clock in Son’s House Stops
as His Father Passes Away
At Ancaster, Ont., Thomas Barnes,
seventy-three, died on a recent Sun
day morning at 3:10 o’clock. His
son, Stanley Barnes, living at Win
Chester, Mass., several hundred miles
away, had in his possession an old
grandfather clock known to be at
least two hundred years old which
formerly belonged to his father The
clock had stopped at exactly the
same time, to the fraction of a min
ute, that his father died.
WORLD’S OLDEST BUN
What Is asserted to be the oldest
bun In the world was recently shown
to the Society of Antiquaries in Lon
don. It was found in Maiden castle,
England, and parts of this edifice
date back to 2000 B. C.
^————————as-i•—■»——MM■
l
I’LL TELL THArif OH, PETER, ^Sjj
NEW NEIGHBOR I DON'T OFFEND THE 1|
TO KEEP HIS I JACKSONS-HE'S ON p
CHICKENS OUT J THE MEMBERSHIP j 3
OF OUR VA(ZD,N COMMITTEE for m
OR I'LL KHL p THE LODGE,...
EVERY LAST/,* AND YOU'RE UP
ONE pF-^!|TFOR MEMBERSHIP/ J1
^lv'L&^j23r-AND THROW'EM \
wL$HP ' L w their frontJ
_ DooR/ - J
¥ PLEASE X UNDERSTAND—
OVER LOOK MR. JACKSON HAD THAT
PETER'S TROUBLE ONCE - OUR
RUDENESS- DOCTOR CALLED IT
HE'S SO COFFEE-NERVES* ^
IRRITABLE -BUT SWITCHING TO m
LATELY- POSTUM WORKED 1
His head wonders
ACHES, AND
HE CANT tm* LISTEN 1|
sleep/ mr 70 HEf?“
m EATING right <
it OUT OF THAT J
WOMAN'S JM
■] HAND/ fpx
SODAYSUTERL HE,S HAV
WELL, PETER, ' -rul^ME OF
HOW DO YOU m£pB*S
LIKE THE LODGE, j^qN '
NOW THAT plrcRfiETC
You're A. athSll oirr
MEMBER OF EVERYTHING
5INCE HE
SWITCHED TO
s-f POSTUM /
I WELL, X TOLD
JACKSON A
THIN6
-BET ME KEEPS
HIS LITTLE
FEATHERED
FRIENDS HOME
BUT PETER...
IT HELPED .
MR. JACKSON/ I
-IT WON'T
HURT VOU TO i
"TRY
POSTUM rmM
^ Mm
/TAKE A TIPX
FROM ME.,,. \
if you've got
COFFEE -NERVES i
yTRY POSTUM//
CHILDREN should never drink
coffee... and the caffein in coffee
disagrees with many grown-ups, too. If you are
bothered by headaches or indigestion, or can’t sleep
soundly ... try Postum for 30 days! It contains no
caffein. It is simply whole wheat and bran, roasted
and slightly sweetened. Easy to make, costs less
than one-half cent a cup. It’s delicious, too and
may prove a real help. A product of General Foods.
FREE —Let us send you your first week's supply of
Postum free! Simply mall thecoupon. ©laaa.o. f.corp.
General Foods, Battle Creek, Mich. WNU 4-18-36
Send me, without obligation, a week’s supply of Postum.
M«me . —
Street
City_State
Fill in completely, print name and addreaa.
If you live in Canada, address: General Foods, Ltd.,
Cobourg, Ont. (Offer expires Dec. 31, 1936.)
MELVIN PURVIS,
formerly America's
ace G-Man, who di
- reeled the capture of
* Dillinger, "Pretty
Boy" Floyd, "Baby Face" Nelson,
and others. Mr. Purvis reveals here
the methods used in capturing crimi
nals. Names and places have been
changed. In today’s story Mr. Purvis
tells of the hunt for the "McManus
Train Robbers." The G-Men re
ceived a "tip-off" that the gang had
headquarters near a small Wiscon
sin town. Purvis had just located the
gang's hide-out, and had sent wires
calling the G-Men, when ...
'SEE THAT BIRD THAT JUST
SENT A WIRE 7 I GOT A HUNCH I
HE MAT BE ONE O' THE FEDS? J
f MEBBE SO. WEU STICK f
UP the TELEGRAPH l
OFFICE SOON'S IT'S DARk]
AN' FIND OUT WHAT HE E
SENT IN THAT WIRE Jj
SHORTLY AFTER, THREE MASKED MEN
ENTERED THE TELEGRAPH OFFICE....
MS5T4.
W HEY, WHAfS THIS’ IT
■ OONT MAKE SENSEj^
*STt
f I’ll BET THAT'S WHAT WE 1
f WANT! ITS IN CODE, but *jim I
THE CENT' OUT AT THE HANG
, OUT CAN OECOOE IT-HE'S j
l A SHARK AT THAT STUFF! A
K. lets scram!
rrvt SEEN AT IT FOUR HOURS, SOYS, AND
l I CANT CET THE HANG OF THE THING*
Lr---—-rZ
UM J that* the first time A
P'BI yojve ever given up. jim* i
r wKm !—
WHY THE GANGSTERS WERE
BAFFLED BY MELVIN PURVIS'
WIRE: Melvin Purvis had sent
tut wires, by different telegraph
companies—and had sent alter*
mate letters from his message in
each wire. The two telegrams
looked like this:
/mvuc7dcmIhWteV
rAfoAE^MNsTouWE)
Which, when decoded by the
"alternate letter" method, read:
HAVeA-OC ATE DtoCM AN US
HANGOUrtSEET^tE^VITH^
MENVT*rEf/TONI GH T^URVIS
ESTICK Em OP THERE, M'MANUS! that')
HOLD-UP OF THE TELEGRAPH OFFICE I
OIDNT DO YOU MUCH GOOD. AFTER ALL1/
B1
Fl'M clad you told us
' ABOUT POST TOASTIES, J
i MR. PURVIS, BECAUSE
WHEY TASTE SO COODj
I
Boy*’ Badge (left). Girls'
Division Badge (above).
Polished gold-broniedesign,
etched and enameled in blue.
I01N MY JUNIOR G-MEN!'
JOYS AND 0!RLS!..F'U. SEND YOU FREE this regulation size junior
i-MAN BADGE ..ENROLL YOU ON THE SECRET ROLL OF MY JUNIOR G-MEN ... AND SEND
OU A BIG EXCITING BOOK THAT TELLS YOU ALL ABOUT CLUES. SECRET COOES. INVISIBLE
VRITING. SELF-DEFENSE... OTHER 'iNSMFE' INFORMATION THAT ONLY G-MEN KNOW.. READ
IE LOW HOW TO JOIN AND GET THESI ANO MY OTHER FREE PRIZES!
** T TERE’S the swellest breakfast
A A treat you ever tasted,” says
Melvin Purvis—"a big bowlful of
Post Toasties!”
And you’ll agree with him! For
Post Toasties are made from the
tender, sweet little hearts of the
corn, where most of the flavor is.
And each golden flake is toasted
double crisp so it will keep its
crunchy goodness longer in milk
or cream. Get Post Toasties now—
the Better Corn Flakes! And join
the Junior G-Man Corps—Melvin
Purvis wants you as a member!
TO JOIN: send coupon (at right)
with 2 Post Toasties box-tops to
Melvin Purvis. He’ll send official
Junior G-Man badge, Instruction
Manual for Junior G-Men, and a
big catalog showing many OTHER
FREE PRIZES.
A POST CERBAL—
MADE BY GENERAL FOODS
MEIVIN PURVIS, WNU 4-1J-M •
*/o Post Toa.ties, Bottle Creek, Michigon |
Please send me the Official Badge, Instruction a
Manual, and catalog of FREE PHIZES. Here are B
my 2 Post Toasties boa-top*. Boy ( ) Girl ( ). |
Name_ |
ArlHraaa — |
(Ofierc.xpirtiDec.il. 19i6ttmliitoodonlymVS.A.) *