AT LEAST THREE DIE IN FIRE AT THEATER

Rialto at New Haven, Conn., Quickly Wiped Out By Flames

MORE THAN 80 INJURED

Burning of Incense Reported as Cause; Yale Students Are Among Those Hurt

By Associated Press.
New Haven, Conn., Nov. 27 – The Rialto Theater, a moving picture theater house, was burned tonight and at least three persons lost their lives and more than four score received hospital treatment. Some of the patients may die. Fire Marshal PERKINS late tonight said other bodies might be found in the ruins by daylight, although a search with lanterns by firemen and police revealed only two bodies. Another body was at the hospital.
The dead, according to Medical Examiner M. M. SCARBROUGH, were: TIMOTHY J. HANLON, 58, broken neck.
He died before reaching the hospital and was thought to have died from heart disease.
An elderly woman, yet unidentified and a young man, also unidentified. Both bodies were found on the fire escape.

Fear Heavy Death Toll.
For two hours, while the flames rose higher than Hotel Taft, opposite in College street, it was feared the death list would be heavy. Ambulances had carried scores of persons to the hospital. Many were in the hotel. Hundreds had made their way home cut and bruised and scorched, and spectators told of a stampede at the cry of “Fire!” and of bodies being in heaps upon the main floor. But when firemen were able to enter, the worst rumors were found to be unfounded.
A number of Yale students were among those on the injured list.
The first actual description of what happened within the theater was given by a man who escaped from the theater, and who said that the fire, which started behind the stage, spread so rapidly that he believed scores of persons died in their seats. He said the aisles were jammed and spectators jumped from the balcony to the main floor. He said the exits were jammed instantly.

Incense Reported As Cause.
The fire, of undetermined origin, started shortly after 7 o'clock. The Rialto, a moving picture house, was destroyed.
Guests at the Taft said the theater seemed a mass of flames almost before the fire alarm was given.
Early reports were that the fire started from the burning of incense on the stage in connection was a moving picture exhibition.
At 9 o'clock the New Haven Hospital had taken in fifty injured and at St. Raphael's Hospital there were twelve hurt and one dead. A number of Yale students were reported among the injured. Campus Officer WILLIAM WISER said he thought many students went to the Rialto tonight and he feared some of them were caught in the stampede. Throughout the fire fighting, students pressed close to the police lines and tried to get through to search for friends as soon as the blaze was under control.

Yale Students In Hospital.
Among the seriously injured was ALLEN KEITH, a Yale student of Southport, Conn. Five other Yale students in the hospital are listed as less seriously hurt. They are: LOUIS A. LINCOLN, Mansfield, Mass.; GORDON RENNER, Cincinnati, Ohio; NORMAN F. HECK, Pottsville, Pa.; HALE E. CULLOM, Nashville, Tenn.; and WALTER CRAFTS, Montreal, Quebec.
The fire destroyed the interior of the Rialto and broke into a large adjoining building occupied by several concerns. The property loss was about $60,000.
The Rialto was remodeled from College Street Hall, which itself was adopted for public lectures after Plymouth Congregational Church gave it up and moved elsewhere. Yale University used the hall for years for lecture courses and the medical school held its graduation exercises in it.
Coroner MIX, after an inquiry, ordered LAWRENCE W. CARROLL, the manager of the theater, detained at police headquarters. The seating capacity of the theater was about 1,000. Every seat was filled and people were lined up outside the box office in spite of the rain.

The Galveston Daily News Texas 1921-11-28
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!