The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-04-28
Terrible Accident.

RICHMOND. Va. April 27.-A large
crowd was collected in the upper portion
OF the Capitol building, this morning,
,where the Supreme Court of Appeals is
located, to hear the decision in the
n1ayorality case of Ellyson vs. Cahoon.
About Ii a. M, the floor gave way be-
meath the dense weight, precipitating
the crowd to the floor below, upon the
conservative caucus then sitting in the
hall OF the House Of Delegates. It is
impossible to ascertain the extent of the
injuries at this hour: Among the killed
are: p. II. Aylett, Esq, a distinguished
lawyer of this CITY; DR.. J. B. Brock, a re-
porter for the Enquirer. and Examiner:
Sam. Eaton, Clerk of Mayor Cahoon ::
Capt. VIM. A. Charters, Chief of Fire
Department; N. P. Howard, a lawyer;
Ash. Levy, Richmond merchant; Chas.
Watson, of the Danville Railroad; Hugh
Hutchison anu Lewis N. Webb, of this
city; Schofield, brother of Gen. Scho-
field; II. FL. Maury, Jr.; Senator Bland,
(colored,) and Powhattan Roberts. It is
supposed that twenty members of the
State Legislature are killed and wounded.
The Judges of the Court Of Appeals all
escaped unhurt. Ex-Governor Wells
was badly injured; L. II. Chandler,
counsel for Cahoon, on the mayoralty
case, was injured; James AIeson and
George Meredith, counsel for Ellvson,
were also badly hurt. About 200 persons
were hurt by the accident. The greatest
excitement prevails; hundreds of persons
are on the Capitol Square, weeping and
wailing as the dead aud dying are brought
out of the building. Governor Walker
escaped unhurt, though on tho court
room floor at the time. Richmond is f,-
nous for terrible accidents. Among the
principal may be mentioned the destruc-
tlon OF the theatre-the site of which is
now occupied by the Monumental
Church-in December, 1911, when more
than !OO persons lost their lives. The
breaking down of a bridge leading to one
of the islands in James River. last sprinc
and the present disas trOus event.
Among the many prominent persons
present were Congressman Nelson.
Judge John A. Meredith, Patrick H.
Aylette, ex-United States District At.
torney for this District; ex- United States
District Attorney L. H. Chandler and
others. At II o'clock the gallery of th.,
Court room, which was crowded. fell in;
then the floor followed. and thereon de.
scended thirty feet to tie floor below,
which was the floor of the House OF
Delegates of Virginia, on which some
few OF the members of caucus were
waiting around. There was a general
crash of oil the timbers, including the
falling Of the inside wall.
The following additional persons are
among tho killed: julius A. Hobsop.
CIT City 4 Collector; s. Digger, member OF
commission merchant. of Aiexondria
James A. Blainier, OF Berlin, Prussia: s.
T.. Barnham, Syracuse, N. Y; J. Wat.
son, merchant, of Danville; Thos. viii
cox, ex-Confedernte General; Samuel II
Hairston, wealthy land holder, of Henry
County; Charles j. Grenan, of WASH
ington, D: c.; Edward Ward, of Eng
land; William II. Jarvis, coal merchant
John Robertson, colored Baptist minis
ter; Col. P. Voolfolk; Il. P. Foley
deputy United States Marshal, of New
York; r. L. Bradshaw, grocer, ant
thlrty-three others, amongst them on,
captain, one sergeant and nine private