DASTARDLY ACT.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19285, 14 April 1928, Page 4

DASTARDLY ACT.

♦ ' CROWDED PICTURE THEATRE, EFFORT TO CAUSE PANIC. (raou our own coreespondekt.) SYDNEY, April 5. A dastardly act was committed at a suburban picture . theatre in Sydney, last Saturday night, when an endeavour was made to create a panic •by throwing into the theatre a sack urated with benzine, and to which a match had been applied. _ The theatre was crowded with 1400 people. At 10 minutes past 8 o'clock the theatre was in darkness, and the programme was proceeding as usual when there was a sudden cry. of "Fire 1 .Fire!" from a section of the audience. Many people, rose in their ' seats in readiness., to. .leave the theatre,' and very soon., great excitement prevailed. There seemed to be every likelihood that serious 1 panic would follow, for women were already screaming, and there seemed to be danger of a stampede to the exits. The manager of'the theatre and bis staff were quick 'to realise the danger and the need for action. The manager .sprang- to the platform and calmed the people by telling .them, that there ms no danger. He urgjed them to retain their seats.. So insistent was he, and so confident, did his voice sound, that lie ultimately assured even_ the timid that their alarm was unjustified. Those who had left their seats, soon returned and in less than five minutes complete ordier- had been restored. The cause of the disturbance was; only then discovered. '■* The sacking [ was still burning,- and was emitting dense volumes of smoke. Fortunately; when thrown through tne window the sacking landed in one of the side aisles; and did not com© in contact with anv of the audience. As a matter of fact, several boys were able to stamp oat the blaze, and after a time the'programme was proceeded, with, . All efforts by the police to discover the perpetrators of the outrage failed.