The New York herald., 1868-04-27
ANOTHER TRAGEDY CAUSED sY SHAM AacHITuaE.
Terrible Finale Of a Fenian Meeting In
ChcaSO-The Floor OF the Hall Gives Way
and the Crowd is Precipitated to the Base.

From the Chicago Times April 24.l
Chicago was revisited ny anOther terrible calamity
last evening. Following close upon the Sea Bird
Ignslui ia OF buildings upon state street CONES yet
addition to list OF involving
terrible peisohal INJURY and loss OF life. ihe acc-
dent ol last night the result Of the giving way
OF an insuilicenly supported noor upon which were
congfeea.ed hundreds or men, all Of wnom were
p.ecipi,ated III an instant and with terrible crash
Ia confused and struggling mass many Ieet below.
This terrible accident constitutes yet another arg-
ment 10 those Already wased against the practice too
common tins CITY OF erecting light baoon frames
for buiuiDys, wnen II is known tnat these same
builungs u.ay at some time be called upon to sus-
tam the immense weight OF a crowded audience.
Tue scene oI the disaster was known as Healys
Hal, and was located In one OF the most pOpulous
precincts OF Archer avenue. II two story frame
STRUCTURE owned by man whose name, in the con-
fusion incident to the accident last evening" IL was
Impossible to ascertain and rented by Messrs.
Heaiy FOX. The lower portion OF the structure
was used as saloon, While The second story had been
nGted up hall, thirty by seventy-two ieet area,
and capable VI containing an auuience Of nearly
quiJe one thousand persons.
Last evening the hall was densely packed with
members OF the Fen.an organization and their
h,enJs. 1t hid been announced that General O'Neil
President OF the brotherhood, would be present to
address the members Of the order, and urge upon
hishmen tile importance OF the cause they were
seeking to maintain. The announcement drew forth
representatives every circle OF the order In the
South division, and, at the hour appointed for the
eoinme mencement OF the exercises the hail was 80
denss9 nled that 1t was almost impossible to obtain
standing 70 m.
some preliminary business had been transacted,
bage. He had scarcely begun his address when
terrible crash ensued, and III an instant amid tue
WIDEST cries, the crash OF falling and breaking tim
bers, the mass OF human beings were precipitated
70 me lower floor. That giving way in ils
tne Immense pressure and accumulated weight, the
struggng, irantc beings were permitted TO descend
70 the ground, where, crushed and mangled, they
their terrible position
Tue scene beggars description. Hardly house in
the be'glboihood but had one more representa-
tIves in the assembly, and, as news aways travels
fastest but few moments elapsed before ali were in
formed Of the catastrophe In addition the groans
oi those lnpaeu Dy the falling and spntered TIM
bers were the shrieks of the wives, children and
otner relatives OF the sufferers calling upon them in
the most endeartng terms OF anection, not knowing
whether they were awe or not An immense crowd
collected and, panlc-stricken, mpeded rather than
tine ruins, and 1t was hours before the work was uly
The name OF the man known TO have been killed
Hockey street. From the position In which he was
found 1t was supposed that ne was struck by a fail.
ing Joist and that death was instantaneous. lie
was thirty four years OF age and leaves wife and
The following is a partial list of the wounded
Thomas Dennis, who resides al the corner OF
Archer avenue and May street dangerous cut in
Aet MP IL was feared that the femoral artery was
dition.
Nicholas Conlon, residence corner OF Archer ave-
nue. and Quinn street; severe CONFUSION In the head
aud east, and, 1t was feared, seriously injured In
Mcnael Higgins, residence $50 Archer avenues
neal severely confused and one knee dislocated
Cnarles kavanagh, residence on Bonleld street,
ing out Of the window ~ 'F
Patrick Murphy, residence No. 533 Archer avenue:
eead severely confused, hip fractured and ankle dis
located. ~ o "s
Richard Brown, resides at No $50 Archer avenue.
gerous character. '' ~
Daniel Murphy. residence No. elo Archer avenue.
injuries In the head. S'
Timothy o,Calaghan, No. All Archer avenue; dis.
location OF hips and ankles. ~
Nike Delaney, $50 Archer avenue; both legs frac-
fured. ~
The foregoing is only partial list Of those who
suffered serious injuries, and further Investigations
Will undoubtedly swell the list to scores, and pos
siby hundreds
The lesson taught by this fearful calamity is very
obvious and should IL be the OF the
Sham style OF architecture long In vogue In the city,
sno sl 80 earIuIly prevalent here, though fearful
W. ,ce mas been paid for the Information that human
Mes are thereby endangered, the catastrophe will
@os nave been without iR beneficial results.