BRUNSWICK THEATRE, OR THE Fourth Part OF OBSERVATIONS ON THE DESTRUCTION OF THE New Brunswick Theatre, WELLS-STREET, WELLCLOSE SQUARE. BY THE REV. G. C. SMITH. LONDON: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY W. K. WAKEFIELD, New Sailor's Magazine Office,, 9.1 NEAR THE BRUNSWICK THEATRE, 19, WELLCLOSE square. Price 1d. or 7s. per lamared. DREADFUL CATASTROPHE. PART IV. MR. RICHARDSON, the gas-fitter, I have repeatedly conversed with; he was with my family on Sabbath afternoon, after hearing me preach. He is still greatly agitated, and looks upon his deliverance as most wonderful. The account he gave to me, and afterwards repeated to the Coroner, is as follows:-I fitted up the Theatre with the gas-fittings, chandelier, &c. I was standing near the proscenium post on the morning of the accident, affixing three levers to prepare three main cocks for the purpose of lighting the stage and chandelier. I was in conversation with my man, named Clarke, when I heard the clattering of slates against the iron bars which composed the roof. The sounds followed in quick succession, until the whole building fell. I should think there were then between twenty-five and thirty persons on the stage, and about twelve in the carpenter's and painter's shops beneath the roof: but I have since learned that there were other persons in the Theatre then that I did not see. I saw Mr. Maurice on the stage, he passed from the prompter's side to the opposite side. Mr. Carruthers was also on the stage sitting near the orchestra. The company were then mustering for a rehearsal of Guy Mannering. Close to where I was standing, saw several females conversing together. When the crashing was heard, I saw Mr. Gilbert running backward and forward in an agitated manner. Miss Freeman and Miss Fearon followed him. They met my man Clarke, who is now in the hospital with a broken leg, and all fell together. When I heard the clattering noise, I felt conscious of what was going to happen, and I placed myself in a crouching position against the western wall. When the building had fallen, I crawled over the ruins, amidst the dismal cries of the sufferers. I got into Mr. Farren's box, thinking it was open. The next object that struck my attention was Mr. Finlay, the scene-painter, and some carpenters, standing on the frail structure of a staircase, which had not fallen, and they afterwards escaped. Mr. Richardson, in answer to other questions, said that the Theatre was 117 feet long, by about 62 in width. The shop and painting rooms were above 100 feet long by 61 feet wide, and were principally hung from the roof. He attributed the accident to the suspension of these rooms from the roof. Mr. R. has suffered greatly in his mind from extreme agitation, but I hope he has a deep sense of the extraordinary mercy of God to him. May this alarming providence be duly sanctified to his soul. Mr. Goldsmith's account is as follows: About 35 minutes past eleven o'clock he was standing on the right or P. S. side of the stage, when he heard a rush, or something like a carpenter's bench or deals falling behind the scenes, which he thought was caused by the carpenters' letting some scenery fall. Soon after he heard a more dreadful crash, which gave him some alarm; this was followed by a dreadful cracking or breaking up of the timbers. On looking up I saw the roof dividing, the chandelier falling, and the materials forming the roof pouring down with a dreadful crash. At that instant I did not know which way to turn for safety, but moving round I jumped into the stage or (Mr.Carruthers') box, and stood against the back part of it, expecting immediate destruction; and with the horrid spectacle before my eyes of seeing my brother performers and fellow-beings, who were on the stage, buried beneath the mass of ruins. The roof drove all in before it. I waited a minute or two in awful suspense until all was silent, when I ventured from the box, and crossing the mingled mass, found my way into the street. I then discovered that Mr. Percy Farren had escaped by taking his station in the box exactly opposite to that in which I stood. I then looked about, and saw Mr. Wyman making his way through the ruins. We shook hands and congratulated each other upon our deliverance. I also saw a female, whom I supposed to be one of the figurantes, on the ruins at the time. I expected the walls would fall, and thought of nothing but making my escape. At that instant I saw two sailors scrambling up to assist the sufferers. I called to them and begged to know if there was any way for me to get out. They came up very generously and took me off the ruins. I know nothing further. Mr. Goldsmith retains in his countenance and manner still much of the agitation and terror which then so deeply and alarmingly seized upon him. God grant he also may know the day of his visitation, lest the ways of peace, pardon, and salvation, should be for ever hid from his eyes. Another escape, equally remarkable, is that of a Mr. Dillon; he relates it thus: "Scarcely had poor Gilbert, who was killed, left me, when I heard a crash, and somebody cry out, Run, or you're a dead man.' I turned about and called out 'Eliza,' to my wife; but she men. was running down stairs, after four or five workI ran I know not which way, the confusion was so tremendous, and the knowledge that the roof was coming down had filled me and every body else with such frightful apprehensions. I saw Ferris before me, and in leaping from one of the windows I saw him break his legs. I leaped too, but the wall must have fallen with me, for, before I knew where I was, I found myself up to the waist in bricks and mortar: to stir was impossible. I implored a crowd of people to help me. No,' said they, in dreadful alarm, We can't come near you or we'll lose our own lives: make the best use of your time, for you'll be dead in a minute.' I certainly expected that the wall, which was most awfully impending, would tumble down upon me every moment, and I did make the best use of my time by praying most fervently. On looking round me, I beheld the efforts of others to escape, but Iy did not see my wife, and I concluded that she was no more. At this moment I heard the voice of some Irish labourers, who declared that I should not be left to perish, and they came over, at the imminent danger of their own lives, and succeeded in extricating me from my dreadful situation. I sustained no injury." Mrs. Dillon, it appears, followed the labourers, and a cleaner, into a closet, which was quite dark. Mrs. Dillon said, "Every one of us expected instant death; we could hear the groans of the dying around us, and as the crashing did not immediately cease, we momentarily expected that it would extend to ourselves. One of my companions observing on the narrow staircase which we passed a small window, took up a plank which lay near it, and climbed up and pulled me after him. As soon as I in some way recovered from the shock, the first object I beheld was my husband, raving about amid the ruins, under the supposition that I had |