Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-05-05
THE RICHMOND DISASTER.
Fifty Persons Killed and Over One
Hundred Injured.


RICHMOND April 27,--The Court of Ap
peals of Virginia was crowded this morn
ing with eminent citizens, many local poll
ticians, and great many of the public al
large, drawn there by curiosity to hear tho
decision upon the question of the Mayoral
ty. Among many prominent men present
were Ex-Governor Wells, ex-Congressmar
Nelson, Judge John A. Meredith, Patrick
H. Ayalett, l. H. Chandler, and others,
At II o'clock the galleries of the court
room, which were crowded, fell in. The
floor followed. and descended thirty feet
to the floor below, which was the floor Of
the House of Delegates of Virginia, on
which some few of the members ofsa eau.
Gus were waiting. There was general
crash of the timbers, and falling of the
inside wall.
The following persons were killed: Pat
rick H. Aylett; Capt. Charters, chief of the
h~e brigade; f. M. Schofleld, city assessor
anI brother of Gen. Schofield; DR.. j. B.
Brook, editor OF the Enquirer; julius A.
Hobson, city collector S. Digger, mem
Der of the House of Delegates; t. A. Brew
is, commission merchant Of Alexandria
Samuel Eaton, of Boston, a former theatri.
cal manager; Powhattan Roberts, commits
sioner in chancery of the Court of Com
mon Pleas; Jas. A. Blamire, of Berlin,
Prussia; S. f. Burnam, of SYRIA
cuse, New York; N. p. Howard, lawyer:
Ash Levy, merchant; j. W. D. Bland,
colored, Senator from Prince Edward and
a merchant of Danville; Thomas II. Will
cox, ex.Confederate general; Samuel H.
Harrison, wealthy landholder OF Henry
county; Charles j. Gruman, of Washing
ton, D. c.; Robert II. Many, Jr., land
agent; Edward Ward of England; William
II. Davis. coal merchant; John Robertson
colored, Baptist Minister Colonel Piclrig-
new Voolfolk; T. H. Foley, Deputy Z. S.
Marshall W. r Randolph, Of New York;
r. E. Bradshaw, grocer, and twenty-three
others. Among them are one captain, one
sergeant, apd nine privates of police on
duty in the building.
Among the wounded were Gov. Wells,
ribs broken, and o. Berwese, internally in
jured; Maj A. Kellyson, slightly; Mayor
Cahoon, slightly: H. H. Chandler, Judge
John A. Meredith, James Reason, John
Howard, Rush Burgess, collector of the
district; VIM. c. Durham agent Of the Vir
ginia, New York and st. Thomas steamship
"Iuce:" Hon. T. S. Bocock, right leg am
pntated Gen. M. d. Corse, Of the Confed-
crate army; Col G.. Brend, Capt. G. W,
Allen, VIC. Elm newspaper correspond
ent and broker; T. Il. Baldwin, merchant,
from Newark, N. j.; W. d. Chesterman, of
the Petersburg Index; VIM. II. Sepper,
merchant of Baltimore, and about one hun
bred others.
Directly after the disaster the fire alarm
was sounded, and the hook-and-ladder
companies ofthe city repaired to the rescue.
A Gordon of police was drawn around the
building, and ladders were thrown up to
the windows. For three hours the scene
was full of horror. Minute after minute
there appeared, swung by rope tied
around the middle, the body ofsome popu,
lar tavorite, who, after being swung on
the shoulders of one of the fire brigade,
mangled and dead, were brought down
the ladder into the green of the public
park where it was instantly surrounded
by 1000 or 3, 600 of those who had gather
ed to recognize the slain. The park was
filled with weeping and anxious men until
2 o'clock, when the last victim was drawn
from the building. After this the police
closed the park, and refused admittance to
any one, the bodies of the dead having
been sent out.
All the stores in the city are closed, and
placards put upon the DOORS "Closed in
of the disaster at the Capitol;
no more business done during the day.
Tonight meetings will be held of members
of the press association, late military or
bar, and citizens generally.
Tomorrow will be observed as day of
general mourning.
RICHMOND, April 26.-Last night great
meeting of the Chahoon and Ellyson police
was held at which resolutions of respect to
the memory of their deceased brethren
were adopted, and it was agreed that both
parties should join and participate in
the funeral services. All day kilograms
were being received from every portion of
state and country inquiring after the well
fare of friends and relatives in this city and
what with the press reports and the inces-
SAINT messages sent and received, the ope-
rators were taxed to their utmost capacity.
To-day business will be suspended, so
that every citizen can devote himsel to the
memory of the dead.
1t is needless to say that no decision has
been rendered in the mayoralty case, and
it il now doubtful when it will be deliv-
cred.
Both branches of the general Assembly
held session at the Exchange Hotel,
merely meeting and adjourning until to-day
at ~ O'Clock, to avoid any interruption in
the procession.
1t is believed the Capitol will now be
abandoned as public institution. 1t was
built in 1892, and is now nearly rs years
old
The burning o. the theatre in 1911, when
a large number cf persons including many
ladies, persisted, is the only disaster in the
history of this city that affords the slightest
parallel to the terrible calamity of this
long to be remembered day
LATER. 1t is apparent that the calamity
is much greater than yet reported. The
number of killed will reach over 60, and
the number of wounded is known to be over
200. The scenes Of despair and anguish in
the vicinity of the Capitol are beyond de.
seription Dark mourning covers the