MUSIC-HALL FIRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15185, 3 July 1911, Page 2

MUSIC-HALL FIRE.

A REMARKABLE' ERROR. BODY CREMATED IN MISTAKE. (Fbom Una Own CoßnESPOsnwrrj. LONDON, May 19. ■A remarkable discovery has been made in regard to the fatal fire at the Empire Music-hall, Edinburgh, when the " Great Lafayette" and nine other people were burned to death. . In the first search of the debris after the fire, a body was found which was identified as that of Lafayette, and it was conveyed to Glasgow and cremated. Search was then made for Charles Richards, a member of Lafayette's company, who acted as his "doublo"' in the performance. Ultimately, when ,the searchers came across a charred body, it was assumed to be that of Richards. On the fingers were, however, a gold ring and a diamond ring, and it was at once realised that after all, this was the body of Lafayette, and that it was the body of Richards that had been cremated in mistake for his. There was a little difficulty in identifying the body first believed to be that of Lafayetto, and the chief distinguishing marks which were held to make the matter certain were a sword and part of a costume which he wore in the sketch. The presence of, these is now • explained by the fact that the body was that of the man who acted as his "double" in the sketch which he was performing'at the time of the fire, and who thus in a tragic manner kept up the "illusion" even after death. The discovery was made by a member of the theatre staff who had been sent to search the basement under the stage. He found the body lying face upwards in a cramped position, with the arms half outstretched as if trying to ward off something. It was in a fairly good state of preservation, and although the features were partly charred, no difficulty was experienced in identifying it. The identification was made by Mr Alfred Nisbet, Lafayette's London solicitor, Mr S. Lloyd, and several members of' the company. The absence .of the diamond rings on the first body had already raised suspicion in Mr Nisbet's mind as to tho accuracy of the identification, and he gave orders that while the 6earch for the missing body (supposed to be that of Richards) proceeded, a careful look-out 6hould be kept for the, rings. It is not easy to explain how the body came to be in the spot whero it was found, but it is thought that one of the first theories put forward may have been a correct one, and Lafayette may have died in an effort, to save the horse, the remains of which were found on the stage near the spot under which Lafayette' 6 body was. He is believed to have fallen into the basement when the supports of the fireproof curtain gave way and made a hole in the flooring of the stago., Another theory—suggested by the fact that there is an iron door just beside the hole through which Lat.ivßtito fell—is that ho may have been making for the means of exit when, suffocated by smoke and flames and caught by tho counterweights of the curtain, he was borne to his death. Tho young man Richards was very like Lafayette in general appearance.