The Park Central Hotel boiler explosion in Hartford February eighteenth, eighteen eighty nine.
The Great flood of nineteen fifty five that destroyed properties from Farmington to Waterbury,
the Hartford Civic Center roof collapse of January nineteen seventy eight, the Mayannis River
Bridge collapse, also of nineteen seventy eight. These were all terrible disasters that
fell upon the good people of Connecticut. But the worst disaster of all in
this great state's history happened in Hartford on July sixth, nineteen forty four.
The story you are about to hear now, little Miss fifteen sixty five,
is part of our show Nightfall on the Nutmeg State, taped live at the
Westport Library in Westport, Connecticut, on Friday the thirteenth of October twenty twenty
three. Couldn't have been more than seven and a half eight minutes at most,
that's all. It took the longest eight minutes of my life. I
ran into the scene still wearing my face paint, putty nose, and big
shoes, that bucket of water in my hand. Oh boy, fuzzy hot
under the big top, so hot. But if he had a show to
do of Alenda does not complain. It started during our act. I think
I was on top of the pyramid. It was just a small circle at
first, mykhats. Oh. They knew the pumas especially, and they were
trying to tell me long before it happened. They knew something was wrong.
Eleven's a bandleader. How brave he and is a band were so brass?
Band is the only alarm a circus has. You know, there's circus.
I just wanted to take her to the circus. You're gonna take me to
the circus, daddy? I guess I can call you daddy. Now,
will you be my daddy? I'll take you to the circus, Honey,
I'll take you. When I let them match, I saw him. He
came to me, the red man. Was I going nuts? Am I
nuts? Is that what you want me to say? Daddy? Are we
going? Are we going to the circus? I've never been to the circus?
Hello? Everyone? Well hard for this afternoon in the supper. At
one of the greatest catastrophes in his history, and during a matheone performance of
Ringling Brothers, Varnham and Daily Circus, the Big tent suddenly burst into flame
and burned to the ground, causing more than one hundred deaths and unestimated casualties.
Wt C is during fulling myself around the ground. Within a few minutes
after, it's the conversation at level to the go, I'll smoke the from
a wild of night. Now you don't know that the invasion is actually underway.
I don't believe there's one of us who doesn't feel a deep personal obligation
of every man on me. That's enough of that noise war bonds as if
I have money to spare? Daddy, can I call you? Dad?
Hand me that newspaper? There? Would you? Honey? Here? Thank
you? Oh Dad? You really mustn't call me that dear? Then who
will be my dad? I'm your uncle, remember, But I don't have
a daddy anymore, or a mommy, or a grandma or a grandma?
Oh I have is you? Oh? Let me see what the newspaper.
I want to see the ads for the circuit. What's this? Now?
Let me see? Let me see. Please? You want to go?
Eh? Maybe we should go. I'm sure we'd both enjoy it. Make
us forget our troubles for a while. Let's see who is on the Bill,
the Flying Wilander's Emmitt Kelly the clown, He'll be there, Madame Kovar,
the tamer of jungle cats, whew whow. Elephants, the bears,
the dancing animals, the acrobats, all kinds of thrills, guarantee. I
want to go. I want to go. It was hot as blazes,
even for July. When we pulled into Hertford. I laid out half my
weary willy hobo mpit. I put on the other half and joined some of
my coworkers for a few hands of corn. You want in, Kelly,
don't mind if I do. Carl, Why do we always play with this
clown? Emmett in a bit too warm to be wearing all that greasepaint on
your face? Well, I have no poker face without it, Madam Kobar,
unfair, Carl, I must you waste our money on these foolish games.
I need to find some kind of excitement. Whenever I'm not on the
titlepe my life is at risk more than anyone else in our act. I
am on the very top of the pyramid. You don't see me looking for
Patty Treill's. Oh come on, if we're talking, Penny steaks here.
We are making very good money. The Flying Blenders are known the world over.
Yet we are still here, kicking around the sawdust and the elephant dung
ah. The circus is in our blood. As if you would know how
to live any other way, here's to That's the only way for me.
Pair of vases, Augh, dan't clown? What makes that face? It
mean? It's the only one I have. Does anyone else get in the
feeling? You all that feeling? Yeah? Well, I don't want to
talk about it. My cats are restless, Titania especially. I don't like
it. The show yesterday, the early show, say nothing more. Please,
it's bad luck. As if we circus folk. No whenever show's been
canceled, so it bad happens. It wasn't anybody's fault. There was trained
trouble. It's not our fault. I don't like it. Come on,
May, don't be so gloomy. That's my job, all right. You
roused about score yourselves, headliners. If we have a show today, you
ain't ring master till we enter the big top. Fred, go put some
ice in your lemonade. Do shut up? Fred? Right, give over,
it's my turn to shuffle can anyone spot me a few pennies. I'm
good for it. Pull up a chair, daddy, I mean uncle will
Yes? Is it true? Is what true? You won't be able to
keep me. Come, Let's enjoy the circus. She made you promise before
you passed away, and before she passed away. I've gone from home to
home. Now there's no one but you. I was hoping I could stay
with you. Let's not talk of this now. I won't cause much to
keep. I can pick them those blackberries growing in your yard, then I
can fill them. See I can help youse. Don't send me to one
of those. You're a good kid. I like you. You're my own
blood and as my own mother used to say, blood. Hey fella,
why don't you watch where you're going? You know they knocked it to the
ground. I'm awful. Sorry where you're going? I heard you the first
time. I mean yes, I mean yes, I'm sorry. I'm so
sorry. It's just that it's so hot out now, and I'm not thinking
straight you okay, kid, I'm okay. I'm with the lightning department,
part of the crew. You see. It's it's so hot, and it's
even hotter with the lights and all that. I'm sorry, I really am.
Just be more careful, pal somewhat to get hurt. Yes, yes,
I understand, I know, I understand. I'm gonna get all my
way. Enjoy the show. Watch where you're going. Watch where you're going?
Ninkopop what you watch where you're going? You know where I'm going?
Good? God, it's hot, it's hot, and I got the itch.
I I got the itch. Enjoy the show. Yeah, enjoy the
show. You're little know what would happen? I wonder, I wonder what
would happen you? No, no, no, no, no no,
do not run, Do not run from me? Please please don't hurt me.
What is that between your fingers? With this? This? Tell me
this? You know it's it's just a little match. And what are you
going to do with it? I don't know. That girl laughed at you,
just like they all. Yeah. I can't take that. I just
can't. Well, what will you do? Gee? I don't know.
My head sure is dropping. I can't. I can't stop. You don't
feel much better when you do it. It's sure is hot, you'll feel
much better. It's the only time I feel really alive, although sometimes I
wish I wasn't my head. It's sure is hot. So what will you
do? Jesus, you sound like my own man, that running son of
them. As they say, the show must go on, and so it
will after these few words from our sponsors. Now back to little Miss fifteen
sixty five Vlcome, Welcome, Welcome, and welcome, good people of hardware,
can acticond, mauntons and dads, boys and girls to the one and
only, most spectacular, most freely, most exception all the most the last
word in popular entertainment. They were famous ringing brothers Bornad and Billy Sad.
Now the Big Top could hold as many as nine thousand people. I remember
seeing even the highest sections of the bleachers were pretty full that day. There
are three rings inside the Big Top and the show was just getting started.
It was about two fifteen. The wild animal acts always went on. First,
ladies and gentlemen. That's correct, Mistress of mystery, that mystifying magnetos
a fiercest man eating cats of Africa an Asia. I give you my dam
unc hah. All right, girls, let's give him a good show.
You know I didn't mean that lordful for the show cat ha. I think
we need to clip those nails. Titania back back, I say it was
so adorable, Titania ha oo. How does that little lady hand all those
scary loppy she's trained her whole life, I imagine. Divert your eyes to
the center ring. Behold the death defying jaw, the ropping free antics of
those unflappable, unbeatable bastions, and balance those hail and hallow handsome, happy,
go lucky hi steppers of the high wire. We give you. It's
a great flying finn of fine two sree von two three. Let's go fun
too three vun too stree. All patrons say to the high buyer, Lady
Locke, please protect our family. I love you, Carl, and I
love you, my darling, as much as you love the buyer. You
have to ask, hey, look look high above. You will observe there
are thirty five feet between the high wire and the very solid ground, and
no net to catch them. If they should, and they will perform.
There's stunts that has neds and famous a world over. There's a heart swelling
hate swimming human pyramid. What if they fall, Hey, there's nothing to
catch them. You mustn't worry. These things are all very carefully stage.
Nothing bad can help pretty made. Relax. It will be all right.
She's up on top of them, higher than any of them. You're being
silly. Oh what's this little county? If everybody loves a clown by?
Is he so miserable? That's none of us, said mister Emmitt Kelly.
Better know, I said, lovable? Layabout that hilarious hobo? Is that
merciful miss Green loves in midway? Very billy? What are you doing down
to every I tell you everybody wants an onunc the act? Shoe shoe,
I say, shoe. During the tour that summer, I came up with
a great gag that everyone seemed to enjoy. I would walk under the wallanders
far below on the ground, daintly holding a handkerchief to catch their fall while
they did their act. It was the last time I heard the sound of
laughter that day. How are we all doing? Good? Good, steady
boys? You're worried about the boys, But I'm on top thed was of
work, honey, while you just sit quity. First of all, I
am not sitting. Second, something smells herman hasn't based on a week,
have you, herman? Oh? That isn't what I meant. Oh,
yes, my dear, I see something. Yeah, yeah, what is
it? Okay, I don't listen to me. That is it? There
is a circular hole in the roof of the tent. I can see it
clearly from up here. It is getting larger. A burning wall. Did
you say burning? All right? Do as I say. We must not
panic. Okay, I smell it now, smoke, God, have mercy.
Alright, then I can't five. We will farm the emergency disengagement maneuver.
Yeah, careful now one, two? See hold hold steady man,
got you helen and five shirt. I don't know. I suppose that it's
okay, It's okay. You just stay farm Now, we've got to get
out of here. Stars and Stripes and stripes, Lord, stars and stripes.
Oh no, stars and stripes forever, Oh dear Cotton. In the
world of the circus, the last thing you want to hear is the band
playing the Stars and Stripes forever. When the band leader decides to strike that
one up, it serves as our alarm code red, an internal memo to
hit the deck and get the safety. There's no other reason to play it
at a circus performance. Ha, you man come follow me. Let's get
these cats out the big talk all right, there's not much time. Ladies
and gentlemen, Ladies and gentlemen, boys and cars. Please remain calm.
I have a big Please remain com do not jump and bleachers? So how
multiple exits looking. It's the old chimed people of being trumph. I know,
dammon, what do you want me to wall? To help these children?
We can get them out, may dammit gets the hell out of it
before you get olf useful pratt. Help me how we can we can say
them, if we can get someone come through, if I can crowl over
the animal exec kit are you in everything? I watch me? Good?
Good, sweet that I got here. I's all right, Donald, good
this way I'll protect you. Conna. One hundred and sixty eight people perish
that day, most of them women and children. One hundred and sixty eight.
Now that number would have been a lot higher if it weren't for Madam
Kohbar's bravery. I guess no one can recall how many kids she took to
safety. She barely got out of there alive herself. No one seems to
remember them, but I do. I received a lot of attention later for
a photograph that was taken of me, still in my clown makeup, carrying
that bucket of water. There was Life Magazine's picture of the week. But
I was no hero. I was of no real help. It's funny how
that happens. No one remembers may Kovar's heroism, or that she survived the
circus fire, or that she was mauled to death by one of her own
big cats. Five years later, Carl and Helen and the rest of the
Wallendez made it out safely. But like may Kovar, Karl had defied death
one time too many, when he fell from his beloved wire off a ten
story hotel while performing a stunt in Porto Rico in nineteen seventy eight. No,
not one of our people died that day, which made it all the
worse. Every single person killed that day was a part of our audience,
our customers. It wasn't for lack of trying, but no one was able
to put out the fire. You see, the canvas of our big top
was waterproofed using a mixture of paraffin, wax and gasoline, a common practice
at that time. Waterproof, yes, but quite the opposite of fireproof.
People who were weren't consumed by the flames or smoke, were trampled to death
or pelted by the rain of burning melting wax, which maimed and disfigured many
a victim. The people inside their screams. It almost sounded like like laughter
at first, but then it started to sound like dogs being beaten. We
had no idea of the extent of the casualties, but then we heard the
sound that froze all of us, one silent after another. With each wail
of the sirens, the more aware I became, the smell of burnt flesh.
Doctors and nurses and first aid people and white jackets suddenly appeared. I
walked among the ruins as charred body after body was carried out from where the
grandstand and bleacher had been. I saw what was left of a bird clown
doll lying of what had once been the hippodrome track. It was at that
moment I was no longer able to hold back my tears. Many victims were
so badly burned beyond recognition that their sexes couldn't even be determined. One pretty
young girl, she couldn't have been older than seven or eight, was never
identified or claimed She was badly trampled upon and ultimately died from burns, but
her face remained without disfigurement, known only by the number on her mortuary tag,
little Miss fifteen sixty five. She had her picture run in every magazine
in the US and Canada, but to no obeil. No one ever claimed
her body. In the end, the Hartford Fired Apartment buried her, and
every year on the anniversary of her disaster, they place flowers on her grave.
The city of Harford received a settlement from Ringling Brothers for over four million
dollars, which took the circus over eight years to fully pay off. The
funds were paid to various victims and their families names Walter. I am a
survivor of the Hartford Circus fire of nineteen forty four, but I would use
the word survivor very loosely from what I hear. I received the largest settlement
of any of the survivors survivors. I was badly disfigured. That I am
badly disfeagured. Even after many operations and skin grafts. I dare not leave
the house, not in the life day. Why Why should I leave the
house so people can see the monster i've become. You're not a monster.
I'm not You're not a monster. Why did you leave me behind? Because
because I was a coward, I could get the blackberries in the yard,
I could say I'm sorry. I always be sorry. I'll forgive you.
I couldn't afford to keep you. I was too poor. Please don't call
me that. When you fell, fell from the bleacher. When you fell,
I left you there. I'll forgive you. I left you there.
I could have easily saved you, carried you out in my arms, but
I left you there. I left you there to die. I left you
there. But as soon as I escaped, I was torn apart. I
went back to find you. I went back in, but I couldn't find
you. I looked and looked. As I looked, the melting wax poured
down from above and in my face, my hands, my face, my
hands. They found you. Eventually, though I saw your photo. I
saw it in all the papers. I finally saw I saw you for the
little angel that you always wore. It's not your dad, I'm afraid it
is darling to Years later, a mental patient named Robert cig claimed he had
been hired by the circus for a few days as a teenager in nineteen forty
four and started the fire for a thrill. His story sounded plausible since he
was convicted of arson and other crimes, but he was known to contradict himself,
so no one could tell for certain if he was indeed the one.
He later denied it. So who knows? Am I going nuts? Am
I? Nuts? Am I? Is that what you want me to say?
I didn't say anything? Whoop? What should I do? You know
what to do? Stop? Stop looking at me like that. You've done
it before, you can do it again. Please don't make me well they're
still laughing, let them laugh. I don't want to you know what to
do? Mm hmm it's it's sure, it's hot. Mm hmmm mmm mm
hmmmm. Oh, rides overndow. It's lad and no passes A live to
be one. Rides are closed. It's the end of the day. The
horses are moving away. Yes, the fairs moving on. In that remove
the love that we've no Yes, the fair is moving on, but I
won't leave you all. It's the last time you'll be on your own.
The music is indeed on the caver sast, the horses in boxes, the
big fairies weed the canvas sing letter safely on board. The trailers will soon
hit the world. Yes, the Fairs is moving on. I'll soon be
remember the love that we had. Yes, the Fairs moving on. But
I won't leave you alone. I'm coming back, on, coming back,
I'm coming back, So please don't be said an I'll be gone, but
I'll soon return. And then till then, till then the Fairs moving on,
Till the Fairs moving on. Oh, oh, to fairs move Oh.
And that was Little Miss fifteen sixty five. The cast featured in this
episode include Eric Davy Gislissen as Emmett Kelly, Alan Laforest as Carl Willnda,
Casey la Forest as Helen Willnda, James Reeser as Fred Bradna, James Kleinman
as Walter, Mary Murphy as Little Miss, Michael Pate as Robert cig And
the part of Madame may Covar was played by me Ali Silva. The song
The Fars Moving On by Guy Fletcher and Doug Flett was performed by Martina du
Silva accompanied by Nico Slater. Little Miss fifteen sixty five was written by Silbin
Sandovar. Our live show and podcast are produced by Gustavo Rodriguez and Me for
Fireside Mystery Productions. The live performance of Nightfall on the Nutmeg State was supported
by Verso Studios at the Westport Library in Westport, Connecticut. Our musical score
was performed by Nico Slater. Our lead sound effects designer and engineer was Greg
Russ. Additional sound design by Ricardo Delgado and Ali Silva. This series was
directed by the team of Lizliser, Casey Laforest and Ali Silva. Our fabulous
Fireside Production coven includes Lizliser, Casey Laforest and Mary Murphy. Jason Graves composed
our theme music and I manage our audio post production. Want to support us,
become an FMT Patreon patron today by going to patreon dot com slash Fireside
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to stoke our fires and hear early releases, Patreon only content, and enjoy
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at Fireside Mystery. Coming up next from Fireside Mystery Theater, a woman embarks
on a righteous crusade to help the aged and infirm, armed with nothing but
a pitcher of lemonade and maybe just a pinch of arsenic. The gory details
will all be revealed in our next toward tale, the Confession of Amy Archer
Gilligan. Step right up, my friends, and you may just win yourself
the big prize, but you know you best be sure to mind the shadows.