The Sun.
London, England, 1828-06-19 00:00:00

DREADFUL ACCIDENT AT KIRKALDY.

(From the Edinburgh Observer.)

Intelligence having reached this city early yester-
day morning, that a most disastrous event had oc-
curred at Kirkaldy on Sunday evening, in conse-
quence of the fall of the gallery of a church during
divine service, we lost no time in despatching one of
our most intelligent reporters to that town; and it
is with infinite concern we state that the authentic
particulars which he has put us in possession of fully
confirm the lamentable rumours which first arrived.

Sunday last, being the Communion Sabbath in
Kirkaldy, a more than ordinary assemblage of people
had collected that evening at the parish church, a
modern building, under an impression that the Rev.
Edward Irving was to officiate. The church Eras
crowded to suffocation in every part; and just about
the time when the clergyman was expected to make
his appearance in the pulpit, a part of the great
range of galleries on the western side of the edifice
yielded to the enormous pressure of the multitude
it supported, and fell, with a terrific crash, upon the
yet morn hapless assemblage underneath. The
frightful tumult which ensued among the congrega-
tion is indescribable. Hundreds of people rushed
simultaneously to tae different doors, under the im-
pressi©n that they had no other way of escaping
instant death; and in the attempt to quit the build-
ing many were trodden down and perished. So far
as we have been able to ascertain, the bodies of the
following individuals have been identified:—
Mrs. Beveridge, widow of the late Michael Beveridge,

thier, Kirkaldy.
Grace Cunningham, daughter of John Cunningham, inn-
keeper, Kirkaldy.
Three daughters of Mrs. Mathewson, Kirkaldy.
---- Anderson, daughter of Mrs. Anderson, cork-cutter,
Kirkaldy.
Millar, son of Thomas Millar, shoemaker, Kirkaldy.
Cunningham, servant-maid to Mr. Kirk, agent fur
the Commercial Bank, Kirkaldy.
Janet Curren, servant to Mr. James Bogue. manufacturer,
Kirkaldy.
Henrietta Brown, spinster, Kirkaldy.

Nancy Johnston.
Janet Stenhouse, daughter of Robert Stenhonse, 'West

Bridge.
- Murray, daughter of George Murray, weaver, New-

ton, Abbotshall.
:lira. Watson, wife of Thos. Watson, late baker, Kirkaldy.
Sarah Penman, poultry-keeper, Dunnikier.

Mrs. Smith, Mill-spinner.
A female—servant to Mr. Pratt, manufacturer.
David Lawson, weaver, Park, Kirkaldy.

Robert M'Caul, Kirkaldy.
Peter Nicol, son of Andrew Nicol, upholsterer, Kirkaldy.
A boy named Barns, apprentice to Mr. Ayton, Linhs.

John Brown, Path-head.
Matthew Brodie, weaver, Links.

Alexander M'Dougal, a boy, Kinghorn.

James Oswald, senior, Path-head.
John Hepburn, shoemaker or weaver, Links.
A Young Lady—a stranger, whose name we are specially
requested not to publish.—She had in the first moment
of alsrin effected her escape, but returned in search of
her mother, and perished.

To these we maJ add James Grant, tailor, who is
so dreadfully mangled, as to be considered beyond
recovery. Exclusive of this man, the sufferers above
named amount to twenty-seven, and we have reason
to fear that we shall hereafter have to make an addi-
tion to the list. The number of wounded we could
not ascertain, but it must be very great.
To account properly for the accident, it will be
necessary for us to give .t short description of the
edifice in which it happened. It was built in 1807.
The contractor was a Mr. Alexander M`Farlane,
now deceased, who executed his contract in a man-
ner by no means to the heritors' satisfaction. M`Far-
lane became bankrupt, we believe, and a law-suit
ensued with his creditors. Ultimately the dispute
was referred to an architect, who reported that the
church was sufficient. Still, however, the minds of
many of the inhabitants misgave them as to its sta-
bility, and there was a general impression that it
would be unsafe to overcrowd it. The galleries
swept round the building nearly in the segment of
circle, and were supported in front by wooden pil-
lars, certainly in appearance more ornamental than
trust-worthy. Upon these rested a beam, 13 inches
by 11, against or upon which reposed one end of the
joists, the other being slightly inserted into the
walls. The accident seems to have been occasioned
by the beam yielding a little at a particular point
near •the centre of the western gallery, when the
joists slipped off it, and consequently out of the
sockets in the wall behind, whereupon the entire
portion came down, with the exception of the beam
and the front work attached to it. The church was
calculated to contain about eighteen hundred, but on
this occasion the crowd within it could not be less
than two thousand.

Those persons who were in the gallery that fell,
escaped generally with bruises and contusions more
or less severe ; and, in all probability, the casualties
would have been comparatively few, if the rest of
the congregation had retained sufficient presence of
mind to remain for a little time in their seats. But
as soon as the crash took place, they rushed to the
doors i►► the wildest consternation, and many were
suffocated or trampled to death, particularly on the
gallery stairs, and in the vestibule. The mortality
was doubtless increased by the friends of individuals
who had fallen under these circumstances, trying to
stem the human torrent that was rolling over them.
The temporary stoppages which these fruitless
efforts occasioned, only rendered the multitude be-
hind more eager to force their way out, and their
power was resistless ; most of those who fell, fell to
rise no more. As far as we could learn, only two in-
dividuals, Mrs. Beveridge and David Lawson were
actually killed by the falling of the gallery. The
former was struck on the held or chest by a joist,
and killed on the spot, while two blind boys, her
twin sons, who were seated beside her, escaped
unhurt. One man, in a paroxysm of terror, leaped
from a part of the gallery that remained standing,
sprung to his feet again after his descent, uttered a
word or two, and expired.
..-;uelt persons as had sufficient fortitude to remain
in their pews escaped unhurt. Several who were
under the gallery when it fell, prostrated themselves in
the pews, and also sustained no injury. Many reached
the open air in a state approaching to nudity, their
clothes being literally torn off them. Though the
number of the sufferers who have escaped w►th life
is great, we were assured by more than one surgeon,
that very few of them have had bones broken or
joints dislocated—the injuries generally being con;
tusions.

The panic in Kirkaldy, when the lamentable news
spread, was truly terrific. Multitudes rushed to the
scene of disaster in search of friends and relatives,
whom they had reason to suspect might be among
the sufferers. Yesterday the general agitation con-
tinued nearly as great as ever, and had even extended
to Leith and this city—many families here having
connections on the other side of the Firth. The
Council Chamber at Kirkaldy was crowded with
people claiming shawls, hats, and other articles which
they had lost in the tumult. The Provost, Mr.
Fergus, Mr. George Miller, junior, and Mr. Skinner,
of the Post Office, were particularly 'active in their
endeavours to satisfy the claimants.
We are credibly informed that Mr. Irving was de-
sirous to preach last night in the church-yard, in the
middle of which stands the edifice in which this
frightful disaster happened, and that he was only
dissuaded from so doing, by the remonstrances of
the very respectable provost of the burgh. In that
same enclosure, graves were then opening to receive
the mortal remains of several of the unfortunates
who had lost their lives in their anxiety to be present
at his prelection. We take not upon ourselves, at
present, to question the motive that induced Mr.
Irving to make such a proposition ; but we doubt
much the propriety of him, or any other person simi-
larly circumstanced, obtruding in so singular a man-
ner on the notice of a mourning population.

(rgom A CORRESPONDENT.)

KIRKALDY, JUNE 16.—Yesterday being the Com-
munion Sabbath here, and being understood that
the Rev. Mr. Irving, of London, was to preach in
the evening, the church at an early hour was
crowded to excess. Just as the clergyman was pre-