The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-05-19
SUFFOCATfON OF no BOYS!

Minute by the lieutenant governor Of
Malta, dated, Palace, Valietta, Feb. IA.
"His honor the lieutenant governor
having received report from the most
rev. archbishop, the bishop Of Malta, re-
lativc to the unfortunate catastrophe
which took place on the evening of the
18th inst. in the convent Of the Mino,i
osservan,i--and having also perused the
evidence Of the persons examined before
the magistrates Of policc--some of them
companions and survivors Of the unfortu-
nate sufferers, and others, witnesses who
were on the spot at the moment, and the
report Of the medical men, Ire is enabled
to publish for general Information the
following details of this truly melancholy
accident.
'Ht has been usual for many years past
IN this island, on the last days of the car
n'tai, to collect together, in Valletla and
IN the three cities on the other side of the
harbor, as many boys of the lower classes,
oil from eight to fifteen years of age,
as choose to atteDd-to form them into a
procession, and to take them out to Flo
Ran or elsewhere where, after attending
service IN the church, collation. of bread
and fruit (provided from funds partly
given by government and partly by bene-
hcient Individually was distributed to
lthem-sn this with the view OF keeping
| them out of the riot and confusion of the
| carnival in the streets ofthe cities. The
arrangement of this procession is under
the control of the ecclesiastical directors
ofthe institution for teaching the cate
chism.
1t appears that this procession had ta-
ken place on the 10th iDst.-that the
children went to Florian, Just outside of
Falletta, and from thence returned 20 the
| church OF the MiLoIi 0sservanti, in Val
| letta and that the bread was on thar day
distributed in the convent OF that order
without any accident or confusion. On
the it'll the procession was formed as
| usual, proceeded TO Florian. and returned
to the church of the Minori Os.ervan,i,
& The bread was to be distributed, as on
the preceding day, in the same convent.
unfortunately, however, the cercmo
ny had been prolracted To later hour
than usual, and it appears, Che carnival
being over,) that multitude of boys and
full grown people, passing by the church
| and knowing tina, bread was to be distri
buted, mixed with the children in the
church, with the view Of sharing il with
them. The boys were TO enter the cor
| ridor of the convent from the door Of the
vesuy OF the church, and were 10 be let
on, through the opposite door of the
convent into strada st. UrioIa, where the
bread was to be distributed ; and it had
oeen customary, when they were colIec.
ted In the corridor. TO Look the door of
| the vestty, fer the purpose of preventing
those boys u ho had received their share
OF the bread, from entering second time
! into the corridor. On the door of the
vestry, however, being thrown oEen on
the present occasion, which took place
about sun set, after the entrance OF the
boys who originally attended the process
sion, and who could not have exceeded
one hundred, the whole multitude of mcD
and boys who had subsequently entered
the church, forced themselves into. the
corridor TO an unknown extent, and pres
sed them upon the foremost, pushing
them gradually to The other end of the
corridor, where the door was only half
open, with the view of letting one OUT at
time.
AS soon as the people had all entered
the corridor, the vestry door was as
usual locked, and though there was one
lamp lighted in the corridor, it appears
by some accident, TO have been early
put out; thus leaving the immense crowd
entirely IN the dark and there being
unfortunately flight of eight steps with
in the half closed door. at the opposite
end OF the corridor, the crowd behind,
who pressed upon the foremost, forced
the boys down the steps, who fell UPON
the other, thus, unfortunately, choaking
up the half shut door at the bottom
(Which opened inwards) and added to
the distress. The shrieks of the children
we're soon heard by the persons employ
ed in the distribution OF bread which
they had just commenced issuing, and by
the inhabitants of the neighborhood and
1t appears that every aid v as immediate,
ly giyen.l' Some persons, after endeavor.
ing ~ vaiDfto get the boys out Of the half
closed door, rushed into the church and
got the keys OF the veslry door, which
was then opened while others entered
the corridor from the yestry, passed
through the crowd to the other end, and
broke down the door at the bottom Of the
steps but unfortunately these exertiuns
were not in time to save the unhappy sui
ferers. Many however, were taking out