• Perception affected by size of trapezius muscle that starts at base of the neck 

By Sophie Freeman

Published: 20:33 EDT, 10 September 2023 | Updated: 21:09 EDT, 10 September 2023

History 

Death in the theatre

by Chris Wood (Pen & Sword £22, 208pp)

The summer of 1907, animal trainer Madame Ella Jensen was top of the bill at the Gloucester Palace of Varieties with a speciality performance starring her and a cageful of lions.

One evening, before the show, her assistant Joseph Hasselmenn was left in charge of the beasts. For some reason he decided to usher the largest of the lions into a dressing room so he could clean its cage. 

It was an unwise decision. Once settled in the dressing room, the lion objected to being recaged. When Hasselmenn tried to persuade it to return, the animal seized him in its jaws and inflicted a series of fatal wounds.

This story of mauling by lion is one of the more unusual ones in Wood’s compendium of theatrical deaths. 

Full of odd phrasing and stilted prose, the book is not very well written, but Wood has trawled assiduously through newspaper archives in search of material. Many of the tales he has unearthed possess a morbid fascination.

Even when lions weren’t roaming the dressing rooms, the theatre, particularly in the 19th century, could be a dangerous place. 

In April 1887, the Tyne Theatre in Newcastle was staging the opera Nordisa by Frederick Corder. 

It was a spectacular production, set in Norway, and included an onstage avalanche. The sound of the avalanche was created backstage by cannonballs hurtling down a long, wooden spout. 

Unfortunately, during one performance, a cannonball bounced out of the chute and struck scene-shifter Robert Crowther on the head. He later died.

Two years later, at the Grand Theatre, Glasgow, Miss Rose Lee was wowing the gallery with her rendition of a popular love song when stage-hand Robert Potts plummeted from the rigging hidden above and crashed onto the boards behind her. 

He was killed instantly. Rose, taking the theatrical precept that ‘the show must go on’ a little too literally, continued to sing, but she had lost her audience.

The worst danger in theatres, in the 19th century and later, came from fire. In 1885, the Theatre Royal, Exeter, burned to the ground early one morning.

Two years later, the rebuilt venue was the scene of another blaze. This one broke out during a performance and resulted in one of the worst theatre disasters in British history. 

More than 180 people lost their lives. Some died from smoke inhalation or were trampled to death in the panicked rush to the exits. Others were killed when they jumped from the building to the street in a last, desperate attempt to escape the flames.

The most heart-rending stories are those involving children. The Garrick Theatre in Hereford was the setting for a terrible tragedy in April 1916. 

A charity show culminated in a scene of children dancing. The curtain came down to much applause, until one of the performers re-emerged to throw the place into confusion with a shout of ‘Fire!’.

Backstage, some of the children’s dresses, made largely from inflammable cotton wool, had caught ablaze. 

The source of the flames was probably a smoker’s discarded match. In the words of an eyewitness, ‘Snow maidens were running to and fro, igniting each other’s costumes’. Eight youngsters died.

The most appalling of all the catastrophes chronicled in Wood’s book occurred in the Victoria Hall, Sunderland, in 1883. 

A family of entertainers known as The Fays put on a show of magic and illusions for the entertainment of the town’s children. 

Two thousand packed the theatre, most of them unaccompanied by adults. At the end of the show it was announced that presents would be handed out from the stage. There was an immediate stampede to get them.

Those in the gallery raced to claim their gifts before they were all gone. A door at the end of a flight of stairs was half-bolted and held up the onrushing children. The leaders of the race were crushed by those coming behind them.

As others continued to arrive with no way of going forwards or retreating, the bodies began to pile up. ‘There seemed to be hundreds of children lying on the landing behind the door,’ one eyewitness reported, ‘and it was a most terrible sight.’

What had been advertised as ‘the greatest treat for children ever given’ resulted in the deaths of 183 — most aged between seven and 11. The youngest was three, the oldest 14.

Despite the shortcomings of its prose, Wood’s book is well worth reading by anyone either interested in theatrical history, or with a taste for the macabre.

An evil bouncer who murdered a British heiress and was jailed for 18 years and six months has had his appeal that it was a ‘sex game gone wrong’ definitively rejected by a Swiss court.

Anna Reed, 22, was found dead in her luxury hotel room after lover Marc Schatzle, 33, begged staff to call paramedics because she had ‘turned blue’ but it was all part of his attempt to cover his tracks.

During his trial in the Swiss city of Lugano in 2021, the court heard he used Anna’s credit card to go on a lavish spending spree after admitting he ‘liked the finer things in life’.

Then the jury was told he had met Anna in Thailand in February 2019 and she had lavished ‘£50,000 on him’ paying for hotels, restaurants, and clothes during their time together.

She was in the Far East after her father Clive had given her around the world ticket as a 21st birthday present and she had also inherited £250,000 from her mother who died in a 2016 domestic accident.

Burly Schatzle callously claimed Anna died when he wrapped a towel around her throat during consensual sex in the bathroom of their five-star hotel La Palme au Lac in picturesque Locarno in April 2019.

At his first trial he was initially given 18 years by judge Mauro Ermani who slammed him as a ‘liar’ adding Schatzle was a ‘dangerous man.’

An appeal last October saw him given an extra six months and a second and final request by his legal team has now also been rejected, MailOnline can exclusively reveal.

In the 7,000-word judgement obtained by MailOnline, the Federal Court in Locarno kicked out his claims describing them as ‘merely his own interpretation of the events, with no contesting of the original trial conclusions.’

It added how his version of what had unfolded the night Anna died was an ‘inadmissible theory with no evidence at all to back it up’ and was ‘as such being rejected.’

One telling paragraph in the document said: ‘The force used by the accused on the throat of the victim was clearly superior to that uses in the sphere of erotic asphyxiation.’

At his appeal hearing last October Schatzle described to the court how the couple had returned to their hotel at 2am after spending the night drinking in various bars.

He said he ‘tried to hide her credit card’ in a roof space of the elevator light as a ‘joke’ but it had ‘slipped behind a panel and he couldn’t retrieve it.’

Heavily tattooed Schatzle, told the hearing he and Anna, from Harrogate, north Yorkshire, practiced rough sex.

He told the court: ’Anna liked erotic asphyxiation. She asked me to do it. I used a towel and my hands, I thought everything was ok and then I saw her with her tongue out.

‘Her face was funny and there was a blue mark on her neck. I tried to wake her up. I gave her CPR and then I went downstairs to get help.’

But prosecutor Petra Canonica Alexakis slammed father-of-one Schatzle saying he had been ‘lying for three years and his claims of an ‘accident and sex game tragically gone wrong’ were unfounded.

‘He is a killer and the first trial confirmed this. The first trial didn’t believe it was an erotic game and an accident,’ she said.

‘There is nothing to confirm his version of events and he has refused to cooperate with investigators from the beginning.

‘If things had gone as he claims, then one would have excepted his attitude to be different but there is nothing to suggest he and Anna Reed practiced erotic asphyxiation or sadomasochism.’

Ms. Canonica Alexakis highlighted how the telephone cable in their room had been found ripped from the wall by investigators and Schatzle had insisted it was already broken.

But she added: ‘We know that’s not true because he ordered room service from reception, and this was confirmed by the hotel staff.

‘Instead, he ripped the cable, maybe Anna was trying to make a call or maybe he did it to stop her calling for help.’

She also highlighted how there were no wounds on Schatzle inflicted by Anna, as she was just 55kg compared to his 105kg and slightly built and that her fingernails were short.

Ms Canonica Alexakis added: ‘Anna hated liars and she hated being lied to and the night she died she had learnt what sort of man Schatzle was.

‘She had been warned about him by a previous boyfriend after he had been tipped by an ex-girlfriend of Schatzle, who said he had manipulated and used her, lying continuously.

‘The night Anna died there was no sex game and there was no attempt at a joke by hiding her credit card in a lift.

‘She died because of an intentional gesture and the medical report revealed wound to her gums consistent with a hand being placed over her mouth.’

Anna was described in court as ‘beautiful and wealthy’ with Ms Canonica Alexakis saying Schatzle had ‘only seven Francs in his account and 20 Francs in his wallet’ the fateful night.

She went on: ’But he knew that a Visa card Anna had was preloaded with 25,000 Swiss Francs which may not seem much but to a man who has nothing it was enough to use to flee the country.

‘That’s why after killing Anna he set about falsifying the scene. He hid her credit card in the lift to retrieve later because we know guests along the corridor heard heavy footsteps that morning.

‘He put her body in a bath of warm water to delay the time of death, but the paramedics were suspicious when they arrived because of the colour and texture of her skin.

‘Schatzle waited to raise the alarm, maybe as much as two hours because he wanted to take the time to save his own skin.

‘He simulated an accident in the bathroom before raising the alarm but let’s remember how he raised the alarm he took the elevator to the reception.

‘Would you not rush down the stairs if you were in that situation instead of eating for the lift ? And it was noticed he had taken the time to tie his shoes and get dressed.’

Ms Canonica Alexakis added: ‘Anna was certainly disinhibited when it came to sex but she was not into rough sex or erotic asphyxiation her friends and ex-boyfriend have confirmed it.

‘Schatzle was not into sadomasochism or rough sex two of his ex-partners have confirmed this it’s only he who says they were but we all know he is a liar.’

House Republicans are holding closed-door conference meeting on Tuesday morning, where embattled Leader Kevin McCarthy made his last-ditch appeal for the Speaker’s gavel.

The meeting was heated, with CNN reporting that McCarthy remained defiant in the face of his critics, declaring: ‘God dammit, we are going to win.’

He reportedly told them he’s ‘earned’ the right to be Speaker. 

One of his detractors, Rep. Lauren Boebert, reportedly yelled ‘bulls***’ in response to his claims that critics came to him in search of a compromise.

But McCarthy’s support within the room remained strong as well. A source familiar with the meeting told DailyMail.com that he had received three standing ovations before the meeting even ended. 

Rep. Don Bacon, a moderate Republican who previously said he’d be open to working with Democrats to find an alternative Speaker if the McCarthy rebellion succeeded, told DailyMail.com after the meeting, ‘I think we’re not gonna get there after today.’ 

He said McCarthy ‘did a great job’ in his appeal for the gavel. 

However, not all hearts and minds were changed. Congressman Matt Rosendale, one of the five lawmakers who committed to voting against McCarthy, indicated to DailyMail.com that his opinion remains the same.

Another member of the so-called ‘Never Kevin’ coalition, Rep. Andy Biggs, said he did not believe McCarthy’s spirited argument moved the needle.

 ‘I think it’s the status quo,’ he said leaving the meeting.

The 118th Congress is set to begin at noon Tuesday but as of this morning, the House of Representatives‘ majority party is still divided over who will lead the chamber for the next two years. 

Republicans’ public disputes over McCarthy‘s bid for the Speakership has already set their newfound power off to a bumpy start.

Firebrand GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz, one of the leaders of McCarthy’s opposition, ignored DailyMail.com’s questions on who he’d prefer as Speaker instead while on his way into the morning meeting. He repeated several times that he’s still a ‘no’ vote. 

‘Kevin McCarthy is part of the problem. He’s not part of the solution,’ said Rep. Bob Good.

Rep. Byron Donalds, who supports McCarthy, said he would be open to another candidate if the GOP Leader failed on the first ballot. 

But other allies are standing firm, a source familiar with the meeting told DailyMail.com

Newly returning Rep. Ryan Zinke, a former Trump administration official, told members behind closed doors: ‘I’ll use the words of Teddy Roosevelt. You’re either with us or against us. The stakes are too high. I’m with you, Kevin.’

Fellow GOP Rep. Michael Guest said at the meeting, according to DailyMail.com’s source, ‘I’m one of many members here who will stand there for many votes, as many days, as many weeks as it takes to make you Speaker. You have earned our friendship, support, and vote.’

Rep. Mike Rogers reportedly threatened that McCarthy’s critics could lose their committee assignments, something that irritated House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Chip Roy, according to Politico. 

Roy reportedly sad the GOP had a ‘cultural problem’ and was shouting profanity before even getting the microphone to speak.

Rep. Scott Perry, chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, released a scathing statement just hours before McCarthy’s morning meeting that accused the California Republican of making empty promises ‘at the 11th hour.’

‘We’ve worked in good faith for months to change the status quo. At nearly every turn, we’ve been sidelined or resisted by McCarthy, and any perceived progress has often been vague or contained loopholes that further amplified concerns as to the sincerity of promises being made,’ Perry wrote.

‘Kevin McCarthy had an opportunity to be Speaker of the House. He rejected it.’  

Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw called opposition to McCarthy ‘unbelievably petty’ during an appearance on Fox & Friends Tuesday morning.

‘This is about showmanship; this is about notoriety. It has nothing to do with the conservative agenda,’ Crenshaw said. 

Speaking to reporters after the morning meeting, the Texas Republican called McCarthy’s critics ‘charlatans.’

He told DailyMail.com that he would vote for McCarthy as many times as it took until he becomes Speaker. 

The GOP have 222 seats in the new Congress and McCarthy is expected to need 218 votes, so he can only afford to lose four members to win the gavel. 

Voting is done in rounds until a majority consensus is reached. Conservatives are expected to derail McCarthy in the first round by putting forward GOP Rep. Andy Biggs, who is unlikely to clinch most of the vote but would take enough away from McCarthy to sabotage him.

His critics have not yet said who they intend to nominate instead, but multiple reports have suggested they’re eyeing McCarthy’s No. 2, newly minted House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. 

So far there are a total of 14 members of his caucus who have at least strongly suggested they’re voting against him.

The disarray culminated in a Monday evening meeting between McCarthy, his allies and some of his critics including Reps. Matt Gaetz and Perry.

At around 5pm ET, Republican lawmakers were seen entering the House Speaker’s chamber. McCarthy’s staff moved furniture into that office earlier in the day in an apparent show of confidence – though it’s reportedly standard protocol to make the move so early.

Gaetz told reporters the meeting was ‘brief and productive’ but insisted he was still opposing McCarthy, according to a video taken by NBC News’ Haley Talbot.

He’s one of five House Republicans who vowed to vote against the GOP Leader under any circumstance.

McCarthy’s allies, however, like incoming House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, expressed confidence after leaving the meeting. 

‘He’s going to be speaker,’ Emmer told reporters, according to CBS News.

McCarthy and his supporters have spent weeks trying to convince his critics, mainly conservatives to his right, to fall in line behind the California Republican. But they want concessions that moderates in the party – and until recently, McCarthy himself – have been unwilling to give. 

In a Sunday letter to colleagues, McCarthy announced several key concessions including a motion to vacate the chair with a five-vote threshold in exchange for conference-wide support.

Under the current proposed rules, it would allow any five House Republicans to call for a vote for a new Speaker. Moderates argued that it would fuel instability within the conference, comparing it to hanging a sword of Damocles over the party leader’s head.

But later that night, a group of nine additional current and incoming House Republicans signed a letter calling McCarthy’s announcement of concessions ‘almost impossibly late.’ 

Promising to further fuel the chaos, however, moderate Republican Rep. Don Bacon suggested Monday night that such a mutiny would not go over easy.

According to CBS, Bacon told reporters that he’s considering nominating an outgoing member of the current Congress for Speaker if the five ‘Never Kevin’ Republicans put up Scalise to McCarthy.

Bacon wrote an op-ed in the Daily Caller on Monday calling McCarthy’s leadership ‘superb’ but reasserting that he was willing to work with Democrats for an alternative should the anti-McCarthy rebellion succeed. 

‘Much has been made of me saying I would work with moderate Democrats to elect a more moderate speaker,’ Bacon wrote.

‘But my actual words were that if the five refused to coalesce around what the vast majority of the conference wants, I’m willing to work across the aisle to find an agreeable Republican.’

McCarthy has had a wide spectrum of surrogates trying to persuade the holdouts over the last several weeks, from traditional conservatives like Gingrich to Donald Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene – allies of many of McCarthy’s biggest detractors. 

But their strategy to pressure detractors to conform, and warning that a worse alternative was on the horizon, appeared to do little to move the needle. 

Greene wrote on Twitter after reportedly also meeting with McCarthy on Monday night: ‘Unreal that people claiming to be America First are negotiating for “Me First” positions when it comes to the Speaker’s gavel.

‘The base deserves the truth. They would be as sickened as I am,’ the far-right Georgia lawmaker said.

But Rep. Andy Biggs, one of the five original ‘Never Kevin’ Republicans, tweeted after 8pm ET on Monday: ‘Even after the McCarthy Machine’s attempts to whip votes and smear my name for several weeks, McCarthy is still well short of the 218 threshold.

‘Our party still requires new leadership and I will continue to oppose McCarthy for House Speaker,’ Biggs said.

The Greek pilot who killed his British wife, Caroline Crouch, in May 2021 has convinced his parents to testify in his defence as he appeals his life sentence.

At an appeal hearing in Athens today he told the court ‘I regret what I did’ and apologised to the family of his late wife.

Babis Anagnostopoulos, 35, was sentenced to 27-and-a-half years for strangling his wife, 20, in front of their infant child at their home in Glyka Nera, Greece.

The 34-year-old staged a crime scene, where he tied himself up and hanged the couple’s dog, Roxy, from a bannister in a bid to throw police off the scent. 

Babis appeared at court after the trial was postponed when his defence lawyer, Alexandros Papaioannidis, fell sick and was unable to attend on 24 April.

Babis is looking to convince the court that the murder of his wife was not premeditated but a ‘heat of the moment’ act. 

‘Babis’ Anagnostopoulos was found guilty of the pre-meditated murder of his wife and sentenced to 27 and a half years in prison in 2022 for the crimes.

He had claimed that burglars had broken into the couple’s home in East Attica, killing the dog, Roxy, in an apparent effort to make the crime look more realistic.

Babis was given a 27-and-a-half year prison sentence in May last year for the crimes.

This included a jail term of 11 years and six months for the killing of Roxy, as well as a 21,000 euro fine (£18,316).

For the murder of his wife, he received a life sentence.

After the sentencing was passed, his lawyer said the outcome was ‘expected’.

But Babis has sought to reduce the sentence on the basis that, he claims, the killing was not premeditated.

In February, Crouch’s family spoke out against the appeal.

Her father said: ‘It is absolutely despicable that my daughter’s killer is trying to get his prison sentence reduced because of his ‘good behaviour.’

‘The crime committed by the murderer, that of femicide, is a heinous crime that should deserve particularly severe punishment. 

‘In my opinion, men who kill their wives, for whatever reason, are the lowest of the low, ranking alongside paedophiles.’

Babis will now call his parents and another four witnesses to take the stand in his defence during the appeal.  

Ahead of today’s hearing, defence lawyer Alexandros Papaioannides said: ‘There are going to be quite a lot of new witnesses and documents that will contain elements that will help reverse this case. 

‘I think there will be a more correct assessment [by the court] of the circumstances that prevailed that day in regards to the crime he committed and whether it was committed in the heat of the moment.’

Babis’ lawyer, Alexandros Papaioannidis, has previously argued his client is a ‘model prisoner’ who ‘reads a lot and works in the prison canteen’ and should not be punished for a crime ‘that was never premeditated.’ 

The state coroner has said that Crouch would have suffered ‘a long and agonising death’.

She was pinned down by the pilot as she slept in the couple’s Athens maisonette, resisting as she attempted to fight back as he suffocated her for five minutes with a pillow.