Big Top Burning
Page 7
Davey compared morgue photographs of 1565 with a photo of Eleanor Cook. He analyzed the distance between the nose and the upper lip in each photo and found the measurements to be the same. He compared their earlobes (a method used by law enforcement before fingerprinting, though now rarely if ever used) and saw they were also similar. When he looked at the photos of Little Miss 1565, he thought about what fire and extreme heat can do to a body. It shrinks the ears and makes the nose look stubby. If 1565’s ears and nose had not been altered by the fire, Davey thought, she would look more like Eleanor. Little Miss 1565’s hair was mussed and her forehead bulged from being trampled. According to Davey, “Those changes in her appearance would have made it difficult, if not impossible, for her family to recognize the child they knew in life.”
The number one problem in identifying Little Miss 1565 concerned her teeth. Davey looked at the dental chart for 1565. A copy of it was attached to her death certificate in the state library archives. According to the chart, 1565 had only two permanent teeth, incisors on the bottom. However, most eight-year-olds have between 6 and 10 permanent teeth, and Marion Parsons had said Eleanor had 8 permanent teeth. Davey claims the dentist who created the chart was wrong and that 1565 did have eight permanent teeth, making it more likely that 1565 was indeed Eleanor. However, there is no documented forensic evidence to support this claim. At the time of the fire, the family was unable to get Eleanor’s dental records to compare with 1565 because the dentist had been on vacation. When the dentist returned, Little Miss 1565 had been buried, and the Cooks had already held a funeral for Eleanor. The family didn’t pursue it further. Nearly 50 years later, there was no way to make a definitive comparison. According to Davey, the examiner’s chart “seemed rather cursory in its assessments, so [he] did not consider it conclusive.”
Donald had believed for years that Little Miss 1565 was his sister, and Lieutenant Davey was ready to support his claim. In 1991, Davey finalized his conclusions. Donald signed an official document affirming his belief that Little Miss 1565 was his sister Eleanor. Soon after, Davey received a report from Dr. Wayne Carver at the Connecticut medical examiner’s office. After reviewing Davey’s research, Dr. Carver issued a new death certificate, indicating that 1565 was indeed Eleanor Cook.
Dental chart for unidentified victim 1565. The letter P written on the diagram indicates the two permanent teeth.
Eleanor Cook and her mother.
Elated to have his reward for many years of difficult research, Davey called Donald, and together they drove up to Massachusetts to speak with Mildred, who was now well into her 80s. When Davey told her that he had found her daughter at last, Mildred was happy. A long time had passed since she had lost her children. All her tears had been shed. Mildred did admit to Davey that even after all these years, she had still hoped Eleanor would “appear on the doorstep one day, without warning.”
Months later, the body of Little Miss 1565 was removed from the plot in Northwood Cemetery near Hartford and brought to rest beside Edward Cook in Southampton, Massachusetts. The people of Hartford showed they would never forget the little girl they had looked after for so long. The original marker in Northwood was reinscribed:
RESTED IN PEACE HERE 47 YEARS AS
“LITTLE MISS”
1565
ON MARCH 8, 1991 SHE BECAME KNOWN AS
ELEANOR EMILY COOK,
AND IS NOW BURIED WITH HER FAMILY
The Hartford community has embraced Davey’s conclusion that Little Miss 1565 is Eleanor Cook, but even today not everyone agrees with the outcome of his research. There are questions about his methods and about the lack of direct forensic evidence.
Are there enough similarities between 1565 and Eleanor to make a definitive conclusion? The lack of permanent teeth in 1565 is the most puzzling. It is unlikely that an eight-year-old girl would have only two permanent teeth. To explain this problem, Davey concluded that the dental chart was wrong and that 1565 did have eight permanent teeth. However, it is unlikely that that was the case. In Dr. Weissenborn’s report to the coroner, it is clear that great care was taken to document all possible identifying details. According to the report, the dental chart; X-rays of the skull, teeth, and sinuses; and a picture of the body were sent to the coroner’s office, the state police, and the city police of Hartford. It is true that we do not have Eleanor’s dental records to compare to those of 1565; however, it seems likely that 1565’s dental chart showing only two permanent teeth is correct. If Eleanor had more than two permanent teeth, she cannot be Little Miss 1565. Unfortunately, the X-rays done on 1565, including one showing the teeth, can no longer be found.
Other than the written analysis of the hair samples, which do not provide absolute proof, there is no official forensic evidence that links Little Miss 1565 to Eleanor. The paper trail shows investigators returning to Eleanor again and again, but that does not mean she is the unidentified girl.
Davey assumed that since there were two missing girls and two bodies of little girls, one of them must be Eleanor. In all, there were six unidentified bodies and six missing persons, but, as shown below, their descriptions do not match up.
MISSING PERSONS UNIDENTIFIED BODIES
Judy Norris, age 6 1503, female, 9 years old
Eleanor Cook, age 8 1565, female, 6 years old
Edith Budrick, age 38 4512, female, 35 years old
Raymond Erickson, age 6 1510, male, 11 years old
Grace Fifield, age 47 2109, female, 30 years old
Lucille Woodward, age 55 2200, male, 55 years old
No one reported an adult male missing, but there’s an unidentified male body. Three adult females were reported missing, but there are only two adult female bodies. When the medical examiner assessed the age and sex of the unidentified bodies, the remains—other than those of 1565—were almost unrecognizable.
Stewart O’Nan, a researcher and author on the subject of the circus fire, offers another striking possibility. Maybe neither of the unidentified girls is Eleanor. Twenty of the victims had been girls between the ages of six and nine years old. O’Nan says, “One mistake at the armory would throw the whole chain into chaos.” Many of the bodies were difficult to identify, and families were understandably distressed. Is it possible that someone brought home the body of Eleanor and left their little girl behind? Could Eleanor have been buried in the plot of one of the other 19 little girls around her age?
Without forensic evidence, can we be sure that 1565 is indeed Eleanor Cook? In 1944, little was known about DNA; tests investigators use today to identify people had not yet been developed. Had DNA testing been available, it could have proven without a doubt whether 1565 was Eleanor by comparing her DNA with that of her brother. In 1991, when the body of Little Miss 1565 was moved to Southampton, no forensic evidence was collected. O’Nan claims that Donald had offered to give a DNA sample for confirmation, but no test was ever done.
Despite the many questions raised, Rick Davey and Don Massey, coauthors of a book describing Davey’s investigations, are unwavering in their conclusion about Little Miss 1565. “There is no doubt in our minds who she is,” Massey said to an audience in Hartford, Connecticut, in July 2010.
It is easy to see why so many people are facinated by the mystery of Little Miss 1565. Conflicting stories among Eleanor’s family and decades of investigation seem to have led to more questions than answers. Is Little Miss 1565 Eleanor Cook? We may never know for sure.
We do know one thing: on a sunny July day, Eleanor Cook went to the circus with her family, but she, along with the 166 other victims of the Hartford circus fire, never came home. The community of Hartford mourned this tragedy as if each person who died was a member of the family. As the years go on, and the disaster has faded from the national newspapers, the people of Hartford still remember. Every July 6 the Hartford fire department holds a memorial service on the site where the big top tent once stood. Survivors and others gather each year so that the men, women, and children who
were lost will live on in our memories.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
I began researching and writing about the Hartford circus fire in 2005. That summer a memorial was unveiled on the exact spot on Barbour Street where the Ringling Bros. circus tent had stood on July 6, 1944. A bronze medallion surrounded by brick pavers and sandstone benches marks the location where the center pole had held up the enormous big top. Dogwood trees that line the perimeter of the field indicate the outer edges of the tent. Looking out at those trees, one can see just how huge the big top was.
I returned to the memorial site on July 6, 2014, to attend the 70th anniversary remembrance ceremony. It was a hot, cloudless day, though a breeze provided relief that those in 1944 never felt. The trees planted in 2005 had grown and now provided oases of shade. Survivors and their families gathered in folding chairs, some moving them under the shadow of the dogwoods. I recognized familiar faces in the crowd, people I had interviewed, including survivors Harry Lichtenbaum, Barbara Wallis Felgate, and Bob O’Connell. The survivors are older; many are now gone. Noticeably absent was retired Lieutenant Rick Davey, who had moved to Florida. For many years, Davey had been the memorial’s guardian and keeper. It was he who would get down on the ground and repaint the names and remembrances printed on the bricks whenever they began to fade.
Hartford Circus Fire Memorial.
At exactly 2:40 PM, memorial organizers rang a bell and then read the names of all 167 victims of the fire. After the last name was read, I heard the distant whistle of a train, and it felt as if the circus had come to town once more to pay its respects.
We had gathered to remember an event that changed so many lives, to provide comfort, and to commemorate the loss. That’s the power of community, to universally share in the hurt when we lose someone we love. Yes, the Hartford circus fire was one of America’s greatest disasters, but out of the ashes we find out just how resilient we can be. We survive, we remember, we love.
At the end of my research into the Hartford circus fire, questions still remain. Among them, did troubled 15-year-old Robert Segee set the fire? And is Eleanor Cook Little Miss 1565? Having questions helps us realize that history is not just a collection of facts, dates, and names. History is made up of the stories of people’s lives. We ask questions because we want to know the truth, not only for ourselves, but for those who survive and also for the sake of others who’ve lost their lives in these kinds of tragedies. Even if our questions don’t lead us to answers, they help us remember and honor our past.
In researching the Hartford circus fire, I consulted many sources, including books, documentaries, and newspaper and magazine articles about the fire. I conducted personal interviews, and I dug through the boxes and boxes of material on the circus fire collected by the outstanding librarians at the Connecticut State Library Archives. As my research progressed, it became clearer to me than ever that the word of one person may not hold the truth. In fact, the words of many people may still leave questions unanswered. I believe the best way to decide for yourself just how close you can get to the truth is to ask questions of as many people as possible. I hope that I have done justice to this effort.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
An abundance of thanks to: Lisa Reardon and the folks at Chicago Review Press; Mike Skidgell, who provided an expert review of this book—any remaining mistakes of fact are mine; Stewart O’Nan, a source of information and encouragement right from the start; the spectacular librarians at the Connecticut State Library, the Hartford Public Library, and the Connecticut Historical Society; Susan Bloom, the first reader of my manuscript; Courtney (Bonner) Saldana, my first “research assistant”; the Gripers (Elaine Dimopoulos, Jane Kohuth, Kirsty McKay, Sonia Miller, and Jean Stehle Roy) for their tireless enthusiasm in reading my many, many drafts; SCBWI and James Cross Giblin for the Work-In-Progress grant that enabled me to discover the treasure trove at the Connecticut State Library archives; Lisa Paradis for going to the circus with me; and my parents and husband (and basically anyone in earshot) for listening to me ramble about my project. Thank you.
NOTES
CHAPTER ONE: THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN
“Coming from Providence”: Hartford Courant, July 5, 1944.
“the real Fairyland … ”: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus program, 1944 season.
“they want to laugh … ”: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus program, 1944 season.
“Good Salary and Expenses … ”: Billboard, May 16, 1944.
CHAPTER TWO: “THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH”
“The last word in high wire thrillers”: 1944 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus program, 1944 season.
“The air was stagnant … ”: Personal interview with Arthur S. Lassow, July 6, 2005.
“I was awestruck … ”: The Circus Fire, Connecticut Public Television (CPTV), 2000.
CHAPTER THREE: FIRE!
“We heard a roar, like the applause”: Providence Journal, July 7, 1944.
“There’s a fire over there”: Personal interview with Donalda (LaVoie) Matthews, July 6, 2005.
“I was watching the lions … ”: Personal interview with Barbara Wallis Felgate, July 6, 2005.
“I came right through the doorway”: Personal interview with Rose Norrie, July 6, 2005.
“I grabbed the hand of my niece Judy … ”: Witness statement of Margaret D’Abatto.
“[I] noticed a girl about five years old … ”: Letter from Donald Anderson to Governor Baldwin, October 2, 1944.
“When the fire broke out … ”: Telephone interview with Eugene Badger, August 11, 2005.
“My hand got torn out of my mother’s … ”: The Circus Fire, CPTV, 2000.
“My foot kind of slipped … ”: Personal interview with Donalda (LaVoie) Matthews, July 6, 2005.
“Let my little boy through”: Telephone interview with Phil Handler, July 15, 2014.
“People couldn’t get past … ”: News Channel 8, wtnh.com, July 6, 2005.
“Some dirty son of a bitch tossed … ”: McAuliffe police statement, July 8, 1944.
CHAPTER FOUR: “THE DAY THE CLOWNS CRIED”
“Tumult and wild disorder”: Hartford Times, July 6, 1944 (extra edition).
“one woman, who was joined by a man … ”: Hartford Courant, July 7, 1944.
“I went back to my car … ”: Providence Journal, July 7, 1944.
“We saw a woman come running out … ”: Telephone interview with Eugene Badger, August 11, 2005.
“The circus people were wonderful”: Hartford Courant, July 7, 1944.
“They were so calm … ”: Hartford Times, July 6, 1944.
“The circus animals were comparatively quiet … ”: Boston Globe, July 7, 1944.
“It was an ideal time for kids … ”: Telephone interview with Guy Cummings, August 16, 2010.
“We were repairing a meter … ”: Weinstein police statement.
“We can be intensely proud”: The Hartford Circus Fire: An Audio Recollection, University of Hartford radio WWUH, July 7, 2005.
“request for Type O blood … ”: The Hartford Circus Fire: An Audio Recollection, University of Hartford radio WWUH, July 7, 2005.
“Telephone service throughout Greater Hartford … ”: Hartford Courant, July 7, 1944.
“Mom, we’re all right”: Unpublished article by Harry Lichtenbaum.
“hysteria will only add to the confusion”: The Hartford Circus Fire: An Audio Recollection, University of Hartford radio WWUH, July 7, 2005.
CHAPTER FIVE: MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL
“We had two hands and did whatever we could”: Hartford Courant, July 7, 1944 (morning edition).
“Please all of you … ”: Hartford Courant, July 7, 1944.
“People as a whole were well behaved”: Hartford Courant, July 7, 1944.
“a couple of pinkies”: Telephone interview with Shirley Lawton, April 2, 2014.
“I’ll never forget the children … ”: Telephone interview with Kenneth Sinkwitz,
July 10, 2005.
“Those were the worst times”: The Circus Fire, CPTV, 2000.
“Remember the girl … ”: Smith personal notebook, Connecticut State Library Archives.
CHAPTER SIX: “WHO KNOWS THIS CHILD?”
“Into the big drill shed”: Hartford Times, July 6, 1944 (extra edition).
“some were so stricken … ”: Boston Globe, July 7, 1944.
“please stay away from the armory … ”: The Hartford Circus Fire: An Audio Recollection, University of Hartford radio WWUH, July 7, 2005.
“I was the one who found … ”: E-mail correspondence with Bob O’Connell, July 15, 2014.
“So long as I know”: Boston Globe, July 7, 1944.
“I’ve been a cop for 25 years … ”: Boston Globe, July 7, 1944.
“This was the one that she had looked at … ”: Freeman police report, July 8, 1944.
“Neighborhood dentist in Southampton …”: Dental chart of 1503, Connecticut State Library Archives.
“Dear Mr. Hickey … ”: Letter from Emily Gill to Commissioner Hickey, July 20, 1944.
“Who Knows This Child”: Hartford Times, July 12, 1944.
CHAPTER SEVEN: WHO WAS TO BLAME?
“Seven officials and employees”: Hartford Courant, January 12, 1945.
“the armed forces had exclusive control … ”: Cohn Report, undated.
“The report finds no legal responsibility … ”: Hartford Times, January 12, 1945.
CHAPTER EIGHT: ACCIDENT OR ARSON?
“An investigation of the cause”: Report of Commissioner of State Police, January 11, 1945.
“tossed or dropped a cigarette … ”: McAuliffe police statement, July 8, 1944.
“That dirty son-of-a-b---- just threw a cigarette butt”: Report of Commissioner of State Police, January 11, 1945.