Jennie E. Christy Freer

Terrible Fatality
One of the worst calamities of modern times occurred at Chicago last Wednesday afternoon [December 30, 1903] in the fire at the Iroquois theater in which 600 lives were lost. It is not our purpose to give the particulars of the terrible catastrophe. These have been dealt with fully in the daily papers and are familiar to our readers.
A matinee was being given at the theatre. An explosion occurred behind the scenes and inflammable material caught fire from it and there was soon a bad blaze. The asbestos curtain, which is supposed to protect the main body of the theater from a fire, failed to work, and the flames, gas and smoke came out upon the audience. A panic resulted. Men, women and children rushed to get out and many were trampled upon and killed. Others were suffocated by gas or smothered by smoke. The sights and scenes were awful to behold, and the witnesses will never have the affair effaced from their minds.
Six hundred were killed in a few minutes, and all from the greed and negligence of someone.
Among the unfortunate ones to perish were Mrs. Frank A. Freer, of Galesburg, and her daughter, Mrs. Guy Henry, of Chicago. Mrs. Freer was a former Toulon lady, her maiden name being Christy. Numerous friends here sympathize deeply with the family and relatives in their hour of anguish.
The funeral services were held at Galesburg Monday, Miss Mary Christy, of Toulon, and Charles Christy, of Peoria [sister and brother of Mrs. Jennie E. (Christy) Freer], attended the funeral." Stark County News