The New York Herald Newspaper, March 9, 1877, Page 3

A PANIC! A Congregstion af Women Stampaded in St Frans Xaver’s Charct, A FALSE ALARM OF , FIRE. A Woman Faints and a Rush is Made for the Doors. THE TERRIBLE CRUSH. Two Thousand Five Hundred Fren- zied Women, SEVEN PERSONS KILLED. A Number of People Slightly Injured. BREAKING THE CRUSH a Sad Scenes with the Dead at the Station House, eee ele It seems to be impossivle to impress on the minds of Ministers and managers that a crowded congregation br audience represents in itself one of the gravest ments of danger. Time and again has the civilized world been horror-stricken by frightful los: of life resulting, not from firo or the falling of build- Ings, but trom the wild, ini ate panics that bereave crowded assemblages of all human sense. The records of shipwrecks goto show that in many instances more lives are lost by panic than the destruction of the veasel, People will Insist in for- Getting everything but the idea of escape, and in tho effort to accomplish it they lose all nse of what constitutes real danger. Mon and ‘women precipitate themselves into the sea when they tear that the ship 1s sinking; so will the audience at a theatre render thoir destruction inevitable by a wild Tush toward places of exit on the least alarm forgetting that it is only by cool and collected action that they cap reach place of safety, In like manner crowded congrega- tions in churches, though surroundod by all the calm- ing and reassuring influences of the time and the place, Decome as regularly panic strickea as if they were assembled for a more worldly purpose, The disaster which occurred last night at the Church of 8t Francis Xavier, in Sixteenth street, furnishes another sad example of tho influence of terror on a large gathering. During the religious exercises of the evening, which were a part of the programme well understood by those who took part therein, a trivial accident, having in itscli no relationship whatover to danger, converted a devout and attentive congregation into a shrieking, struggling, frantic mob, the individuality of whose members was merged into a mighty force that bailed all attempts at control, Tho business of the evening was a lecture to women only, one of a series which was to be completed to- night by tho Rev. Father Langcake, S. J, While the preacher was discoursing on the subject of *‘Hell’’ the vast and, indeed, overcrowded congregation of women and girls remained silent aad attentive listen- ers, Doubtless the terrible picture which tho reveread lecturer drew ot the eternal punishment of the sinnor, Wrought their feelings up to the highest tension, and he undesignedly prepared his hearers for the terrible the of tire, dénovemont that was to follow. With one’s thoughts directea to the uncertainty of lite and the certainty of damnation upless that life was led according to tho law of God, the auditor is. least prepared to face the terrible ceality or even the bare imagination of death’s presence, The tntense heat and overcrowded stato of the church bad the effect of causing a woman the west gailery to faiot. When the swoon ahe cried out, and at this alarming sound some excitable person in the church screamed *'Fire!’” The consequences are fully described below, and tho description coes only justice to the scene that followed. The love of lite, that life that they were taught to re- sinking — in gard ag only an ordeal of existence, which was necessary before the final passage intoetermity, became to them the one thing worth preserving. They forgot God Himself in that trantic rush toward the aoot “aid They , heard but not heed the appeals of the brave priests, who rushed to their posts and endeavored to stem tne living torrent that poured and surged and battled for exit. With the memory of hell m their minds and the heaven of safety before them in Sixteenth street they strove, as no martyrs ever did to gain the palm and crown, to reach the open air. But death revelled among them and snatched bis victims trom the crowded stairway of the west gullery. He pressed the matron’s foot ou the maiden’s breast and strangled the little girl in the embrace of her elder Sister, The very trappings of fashionable attire formed the meshes of Deuth’s net, and skirts and Cloaks were tatai to their wearers or brought them bruised or broken limbs. Iu vain the priests shouted for the choir to commence tho sweet music of religion, hoping therewith to calm the struggling victims of | Seuseless panto inv something Hike au apprecia- Mon of that tact that they were themselve the only danger to thomeelves, in vain the weak ap- poaled to the strong tor help and mercy. The reason that lighted them in the contemplation of religion u few minutes betore, was extinguished in the animal in+ -preservation, Nature asserted herself bver ull and the body ruled the spirit for the nonce, Could it be hoped that after this feurtul disaster fome precautions would be taken by the clergy against overcrowding the churches, even in the name of re- gion, the deaths and maimings of last night would do good service the community. bome regulation must be established by which this reckless disregard for safety can be counteracted. If those responsible would only remember that a crowded buiiding 16 @ magazine charged with death, tewer deaths would occur from panic, Two thousand five hundred women assembled last ght in the Jesuit church of St Francis Xavier, m est Sixteenth reet, to attend the fifth of a course of lectures delivered by Re’ Father Langcake, The NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 1877—TRIPLE SHEET. course was one of instruction for women, and is known as 3 mission oF retreat. All hearts were bowed :5 bumble submission to t! will of the Creator, the Dispenser of tife and death. There wore gathered together the mother anc the | daughter to learn the lesson that al! must d: and that over their heads was ewinging the | scythe of Death even while they prayed tor mercy and forgivness. There was the ol¢é woman tottering to her grave, and looking over the brink of eternity for the resting place which God bas prepared in the unseen world for those who serve Him 1 this, and young women budding into life who came to Jeary that = all human passion must end in the grave. Already the services | were drawing to a close and the preacher was preparing to bring bis exhortations to a closo when | in the crowded gallery. there —_ suddenly | arose a loud cry from a hysterical woman that torilled the congregation to the core, Startled people rose through the audience, and 4 movement began which too soon developed into a panic. THE VaTaL Rusa, ere wae a momen: of terrible suspense, How, on startied dars, rang out the awful cry, “fre!” In am tnatant all control was that terrible cry had paralized all power of thought and filled the terrifed congregation with a frantic desiro to escape from a death of horror. Like a fiock of frightened birds the occu- pants of the galleries rose up ang fied | toward the stairways which empty into the vestibules of the church. The stairs were almust | immediately choked by the sudden inrash of the ; people, Checked in their flight, the occupants of the | gallery lost all control of themselves, Heediess of the obstraction, those in the rear struggled to pass beyond those in fromt, and im their desperate forte rendered egress more difficult, The scene now became hbeartrending. The struggling mass of women shrieked with pain and dismay, and some, in an excess of desperation, threw themselves over the bulustrades and were trampled to death by those beneath At first the panic was almost wholly confined to the galleries, but the shrieks of the struggling crowd soon filled with terror the crowd which filled the aisies, und the ainovement to ‘escape became = gen- eral. Uut trom the body of the church began to pour the immense congregation which,, meeting in the vestibule the fleeing occupants of the gallery, made a new obstruction and effectively blocked all egress. Then ensued a terrible struggle to escape from an imaginary danger. TIMELY ALARM. When the panic first declared itself an alarm was promptly sent to Police Headquarters by Officer Ryder, who was on duty at the church, Had it not been for this prompt action many more lives would undoubtedly have been sac- rificed, In the meanwhile the struggle ‘on the gallery stairs continued and as the aifilculty of escape becamo greater the terror of the people in- creased and their ,efforts frantic to get outofthe chureh, In vain the priests mingled with the frightened crowd and tried to calm their fear, They were blind to everything but the phan- tom of a terrible death which had taken possesston of their souls. Outin the street there was safety and hope of life; of this only were they con- scious, and all their enefgies were concentrated on passing beyond the doors that shut them off from hope and life, Under such circum. stances even the potent voice of the priest was une heeded, In the struggle womon were pushed down und trampled to death. The news of the accident | trance of the church was terrible, | | | THR PANIC, | | 1 sproad with wondrous rapidity, and the friends of the worshippers gathered rapidly in crowds about the door. Husbands fathers and sons, urged by the wish to save their rela- tives, attempted to enter the church, and so added a new difficulty in the way of those who were trying to escape. HXLY coms, Matters were in this condition when Company No. Fourteen, of the Fire Brigade, cumo thundering along. The rumbling of the wheels and tho warning ding dong of tho fire bell echoed with ghastly signiflcance through the ckarch and renewed the panic. This cflect was partially foreseen by the commander of the fire company, aud when he arrived within bulf a block of the church he halted his command and ordered hig men to take off their helmets befere”init«sl wita the’ crowa in order to avoid increasing the terror, These urders were obeyed, and the firemen advancing to tho main entrance of the church mingled with the crowd, and, forcing back these who were uao- wisely attempting to enter tho church, succeeded with some difficulty in making a passage for tho congregation. A strong detachment of police under the command of Captain Williams, arrived on vhe ground almost simultaneously, and forming line hela the excited crowd in check. The work of ex- tricating the peoplo was then pushed on vigorously, and m a few minutes the church wag charred, Six dead bodies were found at the bottom of the stairs where they had been trampled to death, One well dressed Iudy was picked up and brought to u drug store m Sixth avenue, where she shortly aftor- ward expired, Six women and one boy were killed, Many persons undoubtedly received slight injuries, but in every case they were taken by thor friends to their own homes. The cauge of this sad accident was of such @ nature that it could not be guarded against, The means of egress provided in the church seem ample for all ordinary occasions, butthe emptying of the whole congregation into a vestibule, however spacious, seems to be a dangerous error in construction, wbich should be remedied as s00n as possible in al! places where it exists, DIAGRAM OF THE CHURCH, Sixteentn street, g 63 > a3 : $3 aa $3 as Neen as Vestibule, | where the great rush took place. are asain i | 1 i Organ. | | Stairs, l b ene | 1 H | g ze &3 a | & A of é [one P | £ 3 | 2 | | 11 H j i | altar. THE POLICK AND FIREMEN ARKIVE, ‘The scene upon the outside of the church was a most | exciting one The alarm seut out by the officer on | duty at the church was promply answered by Engine Company Number M, Captain McCabe, The Captain, who displayed the utmost cooiness and enution thoughout the exciting scenes that followed, is desory- ing of most creditable mention, Halting the engine about ball a block from the church he called his men together and cautioned them to be exceedingly careful und pot add to the panic, A TRRRINLK STRUGGLE, At this time the uproar and confusion at the en. | Wemen were struggling aud fighting tw get out, and men, who thought that their families were inthe church, were struggling to getin. The firemen and one or two citi zens, prominent among whom were Mr. James Ovis, quietly made their way (0 the entronce, and soon became a part of the swaying mass, They worked with a will, however, and in afew moments a passage was cleared through which poured a dense throng, The firemen made their way into the church and their } presence was only known by the effect for good, The helmets wero taken off so as not to increase the alarm, it seemed as if many of the women bad lost the power to move, They stood in one compact mass, swaying to and fro, those io front seeming utterly paralyzed with fear, and those tn tho rear frantically seeking to escape from—they knew not what After the passageway had been cleared Chief Jatequel, of the Fire Department, and a platoon of police ender Captain Wiliams arrived. Order was .t0 @ certain extent restored, and the church was emptied of its congregation of 4,000 ail alive save seven, BTREKT SCHNKS. When it became known that some of the people Were dead those on the outside became more aad more excited until it was almost impossibie for the police to | preserve order. Chief Jicque! telegraphed trom one of the street boxes for ambulances, aud they in a short time ca umbiing to the spot. The news of the dis- aster bad in the meantime spread and the strects were literally packed with peopie trom house +2 house. So dense were the crowds 02 Sixteenth strect that it ‘was with the utmost difficulty passage could be made for th@armbulances, and in Sixth avenue, a considerable distance from the scene of the disaster, the people were 80 closely packed as to make :t necessary for the police to keep the car tracks clear, The dead were there to the Twenty-ninth police precinct station house, The crowd of people that watched the removal of the dead was unusually quiet and many heads were uncovered as the borne by on atretchers. Commissioners Brennan and Cox were early on the ground and did everything pos- sidle for the wounded, as did also Police Captain Williams, The wounded, who were in all cases only slightly injured, were examined os far as possible by Doctor Disbrow, of the Ambulance corps, and sent to their homes, AT THE STATION MOUSK. The bodies were removed to the Twenty-ninth pre- cinct station house, and the crowds in Sixteenth street rapidly dispersed. Many of them proceeded up town and stood before the station house in the drizzling rain that had now commenced to fall. Women pustied their way through the throng erying bitterly. Many persons who had been in the church were missing trom home ana their iriends looked for them in the etation house. As the bodies of the dead were taken out after identification the crowd would press eagerly | forward to catch a glimpse of the blanketed forms as they were put into the ambulances, At a very late hour last night the crowd, fewer :n numbers, still stood in the rain gazing at tho station house, IN THR POLICE STATION, It was a mournful sce which presented itself to the beholder inside the Twenty-ninth police precinct. Atthe desk Captain Williams, aided by Sergeant Car- penter, was busy with the work of taking down par- ticulars relative to the dead bodies that lay stark and stiff in the next room. Coroner Flanagan and Commissioner Brennan were occupied in hearing statements and making the necessary orders respect- ing the disposal of the poor, trampled remains that were stretched befofe them. Sorrowing relatives and iriends of the deceased victims of this terrible catas- trophe wept with that bitter anguish of soul which can only tind expression on such beartrending occasions, Strong men wept burning tears of soul-felt griet and bereaved women beat their breasts in tho ex- tremity of their agony. The victims, who all bolonged to the working classes of society, were mourned by their friends with that excess of feeling that is only ‘exhibited by the poor, HEFORR THE DBAD, At the west side of the back room in the Police sta- tion the bodies were laid out, thoir feet to- ward tho door and their heads resting near the wall on tho west side of the apart. mont, Police officers, {riends seeking missing friends and members of the press crowded in tront of this ghastly array of corpses, On the lett iay Mrs, Michael Spencer, of No, 89 Ninth avenue, and ber son of six years old, Stretched side by side in the arms of Death they slept on, with a placid expression upon their faces, as if they tarried in a natural slumber from which they migbt yet awake, On thoright of this dead mother nd her child was the body of Eliza Masterson, of No. 408 Seventh avenne, a very stout middle aged woman, whose remains wore claimed by her brother. Her clothes were torn in shreds here and there, and bore ampie testimony to the violence of the struggle which had deprived ber of life, With the exception of a large contusion on the left side of the cheek the body bore no signs of violence. Anon Forbes, of No. 61 West Nincteenth street, a woman of apparently forty years of age, lay va the right of the Jast named victim. The body was covered with a dark greeo plaid shaw!, and the texture of ber dress showed that she belonged to the comfortable sort of working people in her neighborhood. Thera was little appearance of violence on the body, excepting about the lips, which were swollen and discolored from a surcharge of blood, which, in the moment of supreme distress, had doubtless rushed there. She bad on black gloves; that on the mght band was halt opened at tho wrist, as if she bad made an attempt ut tho tirst instant of the strugyle to pullit off. Tne leit haad was doubled up vy the side, the arm seemingly broken, A woman standing near by went In between this body and that on the left and by the aid of a knife severed the lacing of her corsage and disclosed to view a carefully wrought scapular which the late Mrs, Forbes bad worn, AN AGED COUPLE SUNDERED, Mrs. Mary Coughlin, of No, 202 West Twenty-ffh street, lay extended on the right of Ann Forbes, This venerable old woman was stout in person and respect- ably attired. Her hair was completely gray; but from the evident vigor of physique which she manifested it scemed that she might haye lived for mauy years yet By the foot of this corpse there knelt upon the bare boards an old man of some seventy or more winters, He was rospectably dressed and placed by his sidea still ser- viceable silk hat, His hair was very white and con- trasted pleasingly with the healthy glow of his ruddy face. He raised bis aged hands in an attitude of mute resignation; the tears chased each other down his cheeks whilo be crossed bimself and prayed fervently in an audible voice to the great God of heaven and earth, after the manner of the Catholic faith, He came there to claim the body of that companion who bad waiked by his side through all the burdens and trials of Iife and who was now extended belore him a liteiess lump of clay. He was gently informed that without ue- lay the body of lus Jate companiun would be sent to him, “Yes, I will go, Sergeant, I will go and make ready fur her; and may the Lord help me,’’ quietly | said the old man as he made his way out of the cham- ber of death, Next was the body of au unidenuted young womun of siendcr yet well proportioned fgure, Her white, bloodless hands lay extended at her sides and her corsage was apparently rent asunder in the desperale efforts which she must have put forth to get | &@ footing among the fleeing congregation, Her lips were colorless, and on the lelt side of the face could be | noted @ contusion which extended away down the neck and breast. Last of all lay the body of Mary Carey, a young gitl of sixteen ycars. It 18 a remarkable fact that all the frees of the dead, | gave that of Mrs. Forbes, bore a plactd and tranquil | appearance, Thoy secmed to slumver for awhile father than to sleep inthe arms of cruel death. In justice to Captain Williams, it must ve said that | he and his officers aid everytuing im their power to | taithiully discharge their onerous duties upoa this anbappy occasion, fle was well seconded by | Sergeant Carpenter, who was at the desk, | and = who lost time in summoaiug | to the spot Police Surgeons Satterlee and Enso to nssiss i aiding «any Wounded that might be brought in, and in making arrangements tor the reception and delivery of the bodies, Corover | Flanagan aud Commissioner Brenuau did everything 10 their power that men could do under such trying cir- cumstances, no INSIDE THK CHURCH. Tn order to reach the church after the disaster it was necessary to pass around into Fifteenth street and ap- proach by way ol the rectory, The deep clang of the bell was answered by the porter, who conducted the visitor to a pleasant sitting room, where, in a litte While, be was waited upon by a haudsome-taced father in the flowing roves of the Jesuit order, “lL have really very little to say," said Father Ministéro, for ib was he, “and Tam still very much excited. All I know ts that a woman fainted in one of the yalleries; that there was AQ immediate stampede, and that the great trouble eventually oveurred, 1 heard no one cry fire. Alter the disiurbance first began there was a suificient ccssu- ion of 14 for the benediction to be said. Then it broke out afreshb) The service was the mission tor women, and was being conducted vy Father Langeake. [t was almost over when the moan and halt-cry of the oe were hoard. I. waa probably taken to a stable near the chufch ana removed from | i shrouded bodies were | the heat of the building that overcame her, but at any rate she succumbed. You would like to seo the church, perhaps?” The father beckoned to a gentle- man who stood silently ne: Without further ex- planation the person motioned to took a taper, lit it and started alonx a gloomy haliwa: ‘The reporter fol- lowed, After passing through aroom in which were many sacred symbols of the church beyond the interior of the edifice, where the great tragedy bac been enacted was at length reached, The writer's at- | tendans, with reverent feet and standing in front of the altar, beld the tiny fame of the wax coil aiott, It pierced the gloom: on every side and showed a build- ing Of the rigid objong form, with a galiery on three sides of it, The aitar is at the Fifteenth street trance. Directly oppo: it, at the other end, is the organ tof, The ordinary galleries are, therefore, on either side, baying 4 full laterai extension, WHERE IT OCCURRED, For a moment or ao alter the report aud the taper bearer had penetrated imto the awesomo building there | nothing said. The remembrance of the terrific crush and the terrible tragedy still clang about every- | thing. The very silence was eloquent with the sugges- tion that it made of the moans o! the dying. ‘Do you see that corner!” said the reporter's com- panion, pointing through the gloom to the angle on Sixteenth street, woward Sixth avenue. **Therc’'s where it occurred, Some woman fainted, and then there wasapanic, As is always the case, there was some one ob hand to shout ‘Fir You can imagine how much worse that made matters. Just, however, as they were about subsiding and getting into that e where they might have been quieted, not seeing any Gre you know—then a steam cogino came tearing up the atreeL That ixed it, They were howling mad in @ moment and acted lke sheep, The worst was over im that corner,” ‘The baud of the good man shook as he spoke, and the tremulous taper made fantastic shadows on the wall “They were piled up there terribly; some threw thewseives on those below, and, in the end, it wasa sickening crush, This church bas ten exits and all the doors open outward.’ THE CHURCH, St. Francis Xavier’s Church 1s an unpretentious looking editice, situated, as described by the directory, at No, 36 West Sixteenth street, being just a little above Sixth avenue. Quite recently it was the scene of the imposing burial ceremonies of John O'Mahony, the celebrated Fenian chieftain, Regarding the history of the church, we find the follow- ing extract in a very usetul volume called “ta Briot Sketch of the Karly History of the Catholic Church on the Island of New York.’? ‘This book is from the pen of Archbishop Bayley, The paragraph is as follows:—‘‘In 1850 the Fathers of the Society of Jesus purchased a number of lots on Fifte@uth street, between Fitth and Sixth avenues, on which they immediately commenced the erection of the College of St Francis Xavier for day scholars, It was opened in September 1850 and has since been in successful operation, At the sume time the Church of St, Francis Xavier, tront- ing on Sixteenth street and abutting on the College, was erected upder the direction of the Rev, Father Ryan. It was dedicated by the Most Rev, Archbishop on the Gth of July, 1851. They have sinco erected a large building as a free school for boys, which was opened in May, 1853, THE DEAD, Mary Casey, No, 188 Eighth avenue, 16 years, Mrs. Ann Spencer, No. 89 Ninth avenue, 39 years, Michael Spencer, No. 89 Ninth aveuue, 6 years, Mary Coughlan, No. 102 West Twenty-flth atrect, 68 years, zabeth Masterson, No. 408 Seventh avenue, about 46 years, Aun Forbes, No. 61 West Nineteenth street, 40 years. An unknown woman, about 22 years, THR WoUNDED, The following is @ list of those who were slightly wounded and removed to their homes by friends :— Ellen Rooney, No, 127 Fifth avenue, Mary Murphy, No. 127 Fitth avenue, Mary Shay, Nineteeuth street and Eighth avenue, Ehza Cunningham, No, 221 West Twonty-eighth street, STORY OF ONK OF THE CONGREGATION, The following story of the occurrence was given to a Henatp reporter by a lady who was present and escaped unhurt, and, trom her narration, she owes her safety to her séll-possession, “She occupied a seat on the Filthavenue side of the gallery, which, like every other quarter of the structure, was crowded to excess. The retreat or mussion was given for women, and there were consequently no men present excepting the ushers and assistants, whos business it is to provide seats for the congregation. The lecture was the fifth of a series begun by Father Langeake on Sunday evening Jast, and the closing nights brought out ipcreased numbers to attend the course, which 1s une of instruction adapted to the Lenten season, 1t was nearly nine o’clock, when the reverend father was" drawing to the close of his discourse, that a loud shriek was heard, which for a moment created astonishment, and was followed a cry of “Fire!” which was the in- stant cause of alnrm, followed in turn by confusion and panic. People rose and turnod, looking anxiously at each other for a moment as if seeking to know what cause there was for fear, The only answer that camo was the oft repeated cry of “Fire! fre!” coming from the front region of the building. Then thero was a rush, pell-meil, from pews to aisles and toward the Sixth avenue entrances tothe church, Women, sobbing and shrieking, puil- ing, dragging and hauling each other, pushed and crowded and climbed as best they could to reach the doors of egress from the gallery. Shawls aod Vonnets were torn from their owners, and, in some instances in scrambling over the backs of the pews, tho frightened creatures were voppled over and walked upon by their more fortunate though no less panic-stricken companions, Before the panic bad reached such an alarining state Father Langcake ad- mouished the congregation from the pulpit, saying to them, ‘Be still; there iano danger. Have no fear,’? But his words were as idle as tho Winds withuut, and the confusion grew worse. At this point the lady who gives the above narra- tive and who 1s familiar with the plan of the cuureh, made her way toward the end of the gallery nearest the altar - and = passed = thongh =a door leading to an iron staircase which communicates with the rectory of the church where the priests reside and visitors are received. A few moments later she returned, thinking the excitement must have subsided, Ou entering, however, the cries of contusion were still to be heard comiag from the front of the church, where a mass of women, crowd- ing each other almost to suffocation, wero seeking to excape a terror which they little knew was due to themselves alone, In thelr mad eiforts to es- cape from the building they tormed a wedge which made it impossible for anyone to get through. The quiet demeanor of the clergy was remarkable and the even tenor of the services was only disturbed by the stentorian voice of Father Merrick, who, tearing the panic might extend to the choir, cried out from the altar to them to sing the “Tantum Ergo” while the Rev, Father Langeake prepared to expose the sacrament | and prowounce the benediction as calmly and coilect- | edly a8 af nothing unusual sounds that followed were str the solemn and impressive ceremony, accompanied by the stratus of the choir music intermingled with the sheieks of frigbt trom panic airicken wonen wild tor a momeut with fear and lost to all the iitluenees of religiou, ‘The priest on the altar, sur- rounded by a dozen or more acolytes, went calmly through the ceremonies of the benediction, while the choir promptly made the responses, and ere the eure. mony was over the panic nad coused, and there was again the asual bush of the church made more solemn by the presence of seven dead bodies trampled aader foot in a moment ot woridly fear. STATEMENT OF OFFICER RYDER, Otficer Williim Ryder, of the Tweaty-niath preemet police, makes the following statementi—l was ou post at the time tue panty occurred, aud was standing at the corner of Kightevath street and Sixth avenue about hall-past eight when a littie girl came along and told me that something was the matter at the church im Sixteenth street, Not knowing exactly whut nad happened 1 rau down the avenue us fast as 1 could and dashed across Sixteonth street to the churct. As Teame up | found a crowd of some thirty or fory people, mostly men, standing at the door, ana I in. qtured Whut Was the matter, Some one said;— “There's a panic inside the church, and people aro being trampled to de something to help tuem! had transpired. The nKe Unes for a churen ; | go consoling | | | | | | | 1. For God's sake, officer, do | These men seemed helpless and to have lost thetr | ‘wits, for they wefe jooking inside and doing nothing to help anybody, All of them began shouting and hal- Joong, and made so much noise that 1 could not distinguish what they were saying. Finding tbat these men were of no use, | pushed my way through the crowd to sec for mysel!. As soon as | got mto the vestibule I sawa pile of people in the passage, all jammed together, The pile was at least tour feet high, und the unlortunate women were jammed together | in all sorts of ways, Mere was a head, there a leg or an arm, ang the whole mass was strag- gling together, each trying to get out of the crush. You must imagine bow they looked, for they were | piled up every which way, us it might be said, all | struggling and screaming. As soon as | got in some of the women saw my uniform and began crying out:— | “On! officer, save mo, save me! Oh! God, save us!”? As I entered the vestibule some of the crowd outside pushed in after me and hemmed me rightin so that l | could scarcely move. Then saw an old woman in the jam, and she gravbed me by the buttons of my coat, and another seized me by the shield, The frst old lady died afterward, I understand. As these ; two women caught hoid of me, 1 managed to get hold | of two little giris and pulied them out of the crush. As I did so J saw a man near by whom | knew as | living ta Sixth avenue, and I shouted out to him | to run up to tho siation house and give the alarm, 1 \hen rapped on the door with my club, togive the peopie notice thata policeman was on hand, and got my messenger sately ou the sidewaik, and ag I did this I ord the men who were standing idle to heip me to pull the people out, With the help of these men I got the jam broken and wo cleared that part of the vestibule. We pulled woman after woman out, and as each one was got hold of we passed her out to the people on the sidewalk, I knew that Otficer Duff was there, so felt cusy about the women as soon as wo got rid of them, Du! was seeing that tne work out- side was being done properly. By the time Captain Wiiliams and Sergeant Douglass arrived with our reserve wo bad the vestibule clear, but there were, of course, iots of people inside the church, and I was glad enough when I saw the Captain and our men. A¥ Soon as the vestivule was clear, and before our reserve camo down, I went into the church, on the ground floor, and found two or three thousand women and children there, I shouted out to thom that everybody mast keep their seats, and said ‘that there was no fire and no danger. The priest who was at the altar hoard me, and also spoke to tho congregation and {mplored them to keep quiet. I went up to him and asked him to say that if anybody wanted to go out they could do so, but that only a fewat a time must rise, While he was telling this to those in front I went buck toward the door, and sald the same thing. I then went to the door and kept the sidewalk cloar; just then the Cuptain came and took command, and the ambalance drove up; I was busy at the door alter that aud saw tho people dis- perse. OFFICER DUFF'S STATEMENT. James Duff, an oflicer of tho T'wenty-ninth precinct, gave tho following details:—I was on post in Sixtceuth street at the tine the panic occurred, and bad reached the corner of Broadway when I heard a dre engine, and, on lovking around, saw it stop in front of thechurch, Supposing that the building was on fire, and knowing that the church was full of people Iwas mugb alarmed, sof ran down the street as fast as I possibly could, and asked what the trouble was, No one answered me, tor everybody was excited, aud I saw a great crowd of peop.e come rushing out of the church, 1 then asked was there a fire, and then a man near me said:— “No, there’s no fire; but there is a panic among the women, for they think the church is on fire,”” Finding that the church mombers were being frightened to death, I at first tried to go Inside, and as I did so I saw Officer Ryder’s hat in the vestibule, Several men caught hold of me, and asked me lor God’s sake to give the women some reliet, I enw that there was no use in trying to do anything by myself, 80 I called out to the mento holp Officer Ryder and then ran up to the station house and guvo sergeant Carpenter the alarm. He telegraphed for ambulances, and I started back to the chureb, and found that some of the women who had got jammed in the passage were being taken out. I kept the crowd outside in order fora few minutes, when one raesyy came running down and we soon got things In stiwpd; whon 1 got back I found that four dead bodies had been taken into the livery stables near by, and that one had been taken to the drug store in Sixth avenue, while two others were lying on tho sidewalk. The ambulances come soon after, and the dead bodies were takeu to the station house, [t was an awful sight, and the confu- sion was great and terrible, AKRGKANT DOUGLASS’ STATEMENT, Sergeant Joseph Douglass, of the Twenty-ninth pre- cinct, thas describes the scene as be saw it:—I was in the station house, here in Thirtieth street, at twenty minutes to nine o'clock, just getting ready to on my round of patrol. As 1 stood atthe desk speaking to Sergeant Carpenter, who was in charge, Oillcer Dui! came rushing 10, all outot breath, and told us that there was some sort of a panic ut the Church of St. Francis Xavier, in Sixteenth street, and that men, women and children were being crushed and trampled to de: Just then acitizen ran in, and, with a white face, gun telling the same story, Sergeant Curpenier at once pulied tho alarm Dell, und [ ran to the stairs that leads to the men’s ‘dormitory and shouted out to them to tumble out and aasembie. The men heard the bell and my shout, and Oe eds ake vatenic Cee ee ee In less than three minutes we had the whole forty-five men on the reserve under arms, and I gave the word, ‘Forward!’ As soon as we reached tho street { shouted, *Muubie quick 1” and away we went toward Sixth avenue, Just thea Captain Williams came up, and we all ran down the avenue as fast as own legs could carry us. The people on the sidewalk Jumped aside as we came, and every face | saw wore a look of wonder. With the reserve | had Roundemen Watterman, Murphy and Donovan, When we reached Sixveonth street I saw 3,000 or 4,000 people gathered in the neighborhood of the church, Cuptain Willams and myself dashed through the crowd and began Jorming a regular fire linc. As soon us tho men were in luo they pushed the people back clear ot the church doors and drove the fast increasing crowd away as far back as Sixth and Fifth avenues. The dead were then picked up and carried into the Stables and tho drug store. When the ambulances came we sent the dead to the station house for identification, 1 should say right here that while tbe crowd were being driven back I saw tweuty or thirty women who were citer limping away or were being assisted by others, It was impoosible at that moment to get any names of the injured, I asked 4 tew of the women if they wished to go to the hospt- tal, and offered to send them there, All asked por- mission to go home, so L allowed them to pass. STATEMENT OF OFFICER ROOSA, Officer V. 8. Roosa, of the Twenty-ninth preeinet, made the following statement: —“l was on duty at the corner of Nineteenth street and Sixth avenue, when i heard an alarm of fre Tran down Six. teenth street and saw a large crowd of citizens carrying Vodies from St, Francis Xavier's chuteh, J helped to put some im the livery stable and others in the drug store, I heard from the people in the crowd that the trouble was caused by a taise alarm of fire in the church, I saw a considerable number of wounded wud inured persons, burryidg away, They did dot stop, but went right home. Some were burt in arms, others in legs. Wured persons. There were probably more hurt that ee. I bad to keep the crowd back to enable to be brought out and the injured taken care of, When the reserve arrived | was attached to ion regular duty, STATEMENT OF CORNELIUS GLERHON, Cornelius Gleeson, who works iu a stable at No. 39 West Thirteenth street, gives the loliowing version of the accident: —*l Was ta Lhe street at the time, Hear- ing the alarm of fire given by the officer outside, I ran to the church, I went to the west side gallery and found there a crowd of women strug. ghug oo the stairs, Lsaw Fathers White and Daly and two others, Whose names 1 do not know, trying to keep the peopie back, Tbe priests were in their roves. 1 saw Woman who appeared to be about thirty years of age, lying on the siairs, Sho I saw tiftoen or sixteen a drink if water and put s buffalo robe over her, I then left her and went Ddack to the church, and helped to remove the dead bedies to the stabie, In the church I found a young woman who was so weak from fright that she could not speak. Another young woman who knew her told me her address, and L took her home ia @ coach to No. 127 Fifth avenue. Ther another girl from the same house, who got home before ua Sho had gone to bed. Don't know whether she was much injured or pot, JOSBPH O'CONNOR'S STATRXENT, Mr. Joseph O'Connor, one of the proprietors of the livery stabie, No. 52 Sixteenth street, made the follow- ing statement of what be saw;—I was in my office, and had just looked up at the clock to time @ coach that had come ig, and saw that it was twenty-five minutes to nine P. M.; just at that moment J heard a queer noise outside in the street, as though somebody was ight- ing; 1 ran out to the sidewalk and taw a crowd of people at the church door, which is only a few doors from my stable; running up I reached the vestibule that leads to the gailery in the eside. The stairs are winding ones, and they were crowded with people, so that I could not getup. I thea ran into the main hall, or vestibule—there ts esort ot space between the pews and the vestibule wall. As I got inside I saw a whole lot ‘of women jammed up together im this vesiibule—it was ® sort of box, as you might y—and the poor women were unable to move oF to get out because they were all piled up on top of each other, It mado my hears jump to see them straggling and! almost lost my mind, so dreadful was the scene and the confusion, 1 saw just then that Father White and Sexton Dowd were pulling the women outof the press as as they could, so I began helping them as much as I could. It was fully Ofteen minutes betore we got the jam broken. When ‘the work grew a little eusier 1 happened to get hold of Mrs, Duggan, my partner's wife, and helped her out of the church and took her into our stable of- fice, AS {came into the stable some men carried in a dead man, then another came, and next a boy. Mra, Duggan was trampled a good deal and somewhat hurt Sho is all right now, being of course a good deal shook in the nerves. I remember that I pulled out four women before I found Mrs, Duggan, and 1 could have done a gapd deal more if the people round me had not caught hold of me and prevented my doing any- thing, It was a dreadful sight, and there would have been many more killed and hurt had not Father White acted coolly and courageously as he did, The people ran into our stable by hundreds as the dead were brought in, and it took a whole platoon ot police to clear the premises. In fact the crowd was #0 dense in the et that I had to tell one of our men to lift one of the sky- Iights to give them alr, Only for that we would all havo been smothered. BELLEVUR HOSPITAL—THB WARDEN’S STORY, At forty-threo minutes past eight P. M. the first signal for an ambulance was received at Bellevue Hos, pital, Warden O'Roorke and Dr. Disbrow at once started for the scene of the disaster in Ainbulance No, 1, Atfive minutes past nine another call for an aime buiance was received and was responde] te by Dr. Ureenc, At nine minutes past ning o'clock another call was received, and Dr, Cuddeback started with the ambulance, A minute later a fourth call was received, which was responded to by Dr, Griswold. Thus, within the space of twenty-five minutes, four ambulances were on their way to the ill-fated church. The rapid calis for ambu- lances to the same place created considerable excite- ment at the hospital, and preparations were at once made to receive the Injured. At ten minutes past ten o’clock the Warden returned to the Hospital, but before he could descend from tho ambulance another call was received for his presence at the cor- nor of Washington and Jay streets, On bis return at fitteen minutes past eleven he was inter- viewed by a HrraLp reporter, and in answer to Inquiries said:—‘'When the alarm from the Sixteenth Street Church disaster reached hero (Bellevue Hospital), I started with Dr, Disbrow for the scene, When reached the church there wag considerablo excitement on the street, fully 5,000 per- sons be!ng congregated in the vicinity, When wecame to the door wo found that our services were not necessary, excepting in two instances where there were slight wounds, The dead wero beyond our assistance, Our ambulance surgeons ren- dered all the aid in their power, but as there was no Surgical work we assisted in the removal of the bodies to the Twenty-ninth precinct station.”’ President Brennan and Commissioner Cox were presont, and a thorough investigation tailed to show any break or damage to the church. A GREAT CRASH, FALL OF A FIVE STORY BUILDING ON WASH: INGTON STRELT—MIRACULOUS ESCAPES AND HEAVY LOSS OF PROPERTY. ‘At ten o'clock last night the five story brick wares house extending from Nos, 339 w 347 Washington street fell with a tremendous crash, shaking the ground hke an eartpquake and startling tho entre neighborhood, Only one person, fortu- nately, 18 known to have been injured; but itis within the range of possibility that others ara buried beneath tho ruins. The lateness of the hour when the accident occurred is aguinst such possibil. ity, however, Still, tho fact cannot be deilaitely settled until @ portion of the rams which extended over the rullroad track im the mid. die of the street can be cleared away. Wash- ington street is ordinarily but little irequented by pedestrians at that hour, yet some may have been passing, The toss will aggregate, 1 18 estimated, about $00,0U0, The fallen premises were occupied a8 Wholesale grocery warehouse by Monry Welsh, and contawed au unusually large stuck of four, canned goods and sugar, The building ts the property of tho neirs of William B, Skidmore. NARKOW ESCALHS. Shortly before the vrasti a Ninth avenue car, partly filled with passengers, passed the building, and Captain Charies W. Caffrey, of the Fifth precinct, and Detec- j tive Hogan, ul tis’ command, were putroling aloag Washington street, near Hurrisou, on their way to the station nuuse, They Were on the same side of tue street 3 tue bullding, aud were within 160 feet of tt whew the Captain suggested that they go down Harri- sou street aud see that the officers were all on their posta ‘The suggestion saved their lives, for a minute ulwerward the building fell, The startled officers rushed buck and saw the ruins, Theo the Captain hastened to the statiun house aud ordered the reserve platoon out. He next lormed a cordon of police around the block, and put ap ropes stopping pedestrians and teams frou approaching the spot. The wrribie crash had the effect of soon bringing to the scene crowds of people, aud within « few minutes lire engives were on the spot, The iitst impression uf the poiice was that aeverul persous were buried in the ruins, and Captain Caflrey at once took steps to ascer- ong personally apd sending officors among the CAUGHT IN THE RUINS, Immediately soutn of the doomed vatlding stands a frame house, occupied by a family of seven pei all of ir escape, A portion of the wall of the ry had fallen ou the Foot, and Ofticer Budd and Fireman Spence, of Engine Company No. 7, found @ man wedged in amoog the ruins, He was badly injured, but thanks to wiriendly beam his lite was saved. ‘The oilicers quickly extracted him for bis periious position, The man proved to be Rubvert Morson, a baker, who lived in the atte Of the frame hoi prompily piucea in lls Wounds dressed, A ailtge jailed to fd any other injured persons, but as the | ruins extended over a vast area, aud boxes and bar- Tels in jarge quaucities, together with bricks of the fallen wails, covercd the pavement to the depth of Iwenty feet, their searcl: Was lar irom conclusive. A’ FRIGHTENED URIVATE WATCHMAN, The only person m tue vurlding at the ume of the ac- cident wax Jolin Churiion, the private watchman, who was on the Franklin street side, He was xo ttigtte cued at bis narrow eseupe as to be totally unable to speak for several minutes, All he remembers 14 that he Leard somethiag like a “rummage of thundel and thea the building caine tubing down, STATKMENT OF MK, WALSH Information of tue acid was promptly tele~ graphed tv die, Welsu, at bis residence, No, 121 Waver- ley place, by the police, and he soon arrived on the xeene, When questionod by a Hxratp reporter as to the provable cause of the accident he said tbat the Veams were uo doubt rotten, He had, how- wever noticed any danger. His | stuck large, and the sevoral tivors were weil buiiding, be thought, was orected about twenty years ago. Friogiyale occupancy it was used 4s a sugar warehouse by ® Mr. Harris, Who removed Hive yours ago. ‘The work of clearing away of the ruins commenced at miduight, the pole aud firemen working indus. triously. The rear of the ouilding still stands, but the ootire front, extending @ disiance of fifty leet, is im ruins STABBED BY AN ITALIAN, Ferdinand Antoni, of No. 57 Thompson streot, and Samuel Moore, of No, 172 West Broadway, had a quare rel last evening at the corner of Canal street aod Soa Filth avenue, which terminated in tho Italian stabbing Was fair aud pretty tall, She was shouting, “lam the wotnan that farmted; take me out.’’ 1 Look hoid of id took hor to the stable, J gave her Moore io the head and peck with a penkuite, The in- juries were col ered slight Moore was sent home gs Antont was locked Up in the Filth precines station: rrr