The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-04-29
VIRGINIA..
The Richmond Cutosta'ophe.
A Whole City in Mourning.
Terrible Scenes.
THE NARRATIVE OF SUFFERERS.

RICHMOND, April 28.-To-day all the houses
Of business are closed having Grape on their
doors and inscriptions "closed in consequence
OF the calamity at the Capitol" The streets
are nlled with funeral cOrteges. In thefuner-
al corteges of the dead policeman both set of
policemen Joined. All the late political feel
ing seems to have been forgotten. The bells of
the city tolled all day and the streets look lik
sunday, Seven thousand people are now as
sembled in the park hearing addresses of con-
dolence from Gov. Walker, Judge Orr, Judge
trump, Gov. Wise and others, delivered from
the southern pOrtico of the Capitol. Both
Houses of the Legislature held an informal
meeting and agreed to unite with the citizens
n any general funeral proceedings. The body
OF the colOred Senator (Bland) was sent home
this morning, the hearse being followed by
white and colOred members of the Senate to
the depot.
Steamship Co., is better and hopes of his re-
cOvery are entertained. Ex-Gov. Wells con-
dition is still critical. The joint of one of his
broken ribs has entered his left lung, which
causes much splitting blood. Major Kelley, of
Fredericksburg, was conversing with Mr.. Ay-
lett when the crash commenced, and says that
Aylett was killed by a beam from the gallery.
The larger number of deaths occurred among
persons standing under the gallery. DR..
Brock was sitting at his table, writing, when
the same beam which killed Aylett struck him.
when he was brought out of the ruins he was
breathing, but expired in a few minutes.
The scenes on Capitol square were such as
cannot be described. In several instances
wives came upon the bodies of their husbands,
and one was so shocked that it is scarcely
hoped she can live through the day. Another
is insane, with little hope of recovery. A
member OF the Legislature describes his fall as
follows:-"l heard low rumbling sound and
felt myself sinking rapidly. I was facing the
gallery and saw it falling towards me, but for
tunately it did not reach me- l saw men
scrambling over each other in the gallery, and
heard what seemed to be one unearthy yell of
agony. Then came the crash, and sank into
darkness. I found myself under a mass of
rubbish, with dead man over me, a wounded
one under me and another at my side. The
poor fellow under me said, ooh me, but if L
could only fear God always as do now; how
forgive me; spare me and will be a true fol-
lower of Jesus The man at my side ex-
claimed, oh death, where is thy sting? Oh
grave where is thy victory?' Iheard a number
OF cries all about me; some speaking about
their wives, others OF their children, while
others were begging for air. I believe many of
them died from sufocation, for, although but
little hurt myself, should have died from suf-
location if had not been removed when I
was"
MIR. Jaynes tells the following concerning
Dr. Brock: was sitting behind DR.. Brock
and fell under him. lay with my mouth to
his cheek and could feel him growing cold. He
asked me my name told him who I was-
ho Saul dm uyluS. lell my poor wife now
much loved her and thought Of her in my last
moments"
kilograms Of sympathy and Offering aid for
the afflicted are coming from all parts of the
country. A citizen of New York has given
authority to draw on him for thousand dol
lars. A telegram from Alexandria announces
the death from sorrow of Mrs. Brewis, wife of
one of the victims.
There have been about twenty-five addition
al funerals this evening. Hearses could not be
obtained for all of them, and furniture wagons,
appropriately draped, had to be used. While
the funeral Of Patrick Henry Aylett was going
on five professions passed st. Paups church,
The funerals Of John M. Turner. a page of the
House of Delegates and Powhattan Roberts
took place from Monumental church at the
same hour. The general assembly attended
the funeral of young Turner in a body. The
pages of the House acted as pail bearers and
the scene was very affecting.
A mass meeting of four hundred citizens was
held on Capital square this afternoon, address
ed by Governor Walker and adopted resolu-
tions OF coincidence and sympathy.
Wednesday next will be observed as day of
fasting, humiliation and prayer.