The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-07

40 many others differently situated from me can
! honorably undertake the case, why should
| damage my own honor by doing II? My con-
science tells me that my abasement, far from
serving the cause, would injure It.. And as 1t is
| never too late to avoid making mistake, sub
NIT these grave considerations to your patriot
\ ism, to that of your friends, and TO that of Nj.
Louis Noir himself, who, in the midst of his
| profound and irremediable grief Is above all
| things q citizen. / beg for an answer as soon
| as you have well considered the matter. Should
you agree in my opinion, i am quite willing
| that my reasons for not accepting the grand and
| magnificent task offered me should be pub
| lished. Sincerely yours, LEDRU RoLL1N.
The Pays gives an account of o visit lately
paid by five military officers to the chief editor
| Of the MdrSelLdtse, in consequence of the man
| ner in which the French army was spoken of in
the series of articles entitled "La Tribune
| Militare:'-
'These officers" says the writer represented
all the grades of the military hierarchy; that is
to say, there was a colonel chef-de- battalion a
captain, a lieutenant and a sub-leutenant, so
that the step they took appeared to be
| sanctioned by the whole regiment.
The colonel spoke first, and ad-
dressing NJ. Rochefort, made him clearly
understand the object of their coming. The
reply of M. Rochetort was perfectly courteous,
and nearly to the following etfect:-"My fellow
| laborers and myself have no complaint to make
| against officers for which we feel personally
much esteem. Only our military tribunal is
the political lever whom we use to disorganize
| the army, the only way to demolish the empire.
| To this the colonel replied that he had nothing
| to do with politics. and least of all in the Offices
fthe Mdrselidise; but that M. Rochefort might
hold 1t for certain that if he did not put stop to
his offensive articles, he would have to make his
choice in the reparation that would be demanded
of him, either by beginning with the colonel or
the sub-lieutenant. The staff of the journal
! accepted the lesson, and slnce that day. we are
happy to see, they have put mute on the string
of their calumnies.'
II..
Men and Women Trsdden to Death.
From the LiUerpool Mercury, Jan. "a
larger congregation never assembled within
| the walls of st. Joseph's, The capacious build
| galleries, and even the staircases and passages
| were crowded by worshippers. Many came who
| were unable TO obtain admission to the church;
and to provide accommodation for those who
were desirous of attending the mission service,
but who were unable to find seats or stand
ing room in the church, supplementary
service was held in the school-room-a
| large apartment underneath the chapel. The
entrance to this room was by a door, at the
! northern end of the building, and was also used
| for entering the chapel. II was at this point
| that the catastrophe occurred, and therefore to
| understand the terrible nature of the occurrence
it will be necessary. to describe somewhat mi
| nutely the mode of ingress and egress to the
| chapel and school-room. The doorway at
| the north end of the building, as we have
| stated, leads to both the school-room and tie
chapel is about six feet wide and is raised three
| or four steps from the pavement. On entering
the doorway there is flight of stone steps lead
ing to the school-room beneath, and another
flight frohl the same landing leads to the body of
the chapel. Round the chapel runs gallery,
and under the portion of the gallery at the north
| end, and close to the doorway described, was a
dense body of people. The staircase leading
| from the doorway under the gallery, and the
| steps which led to the school-roOm beneath, were
also crowded with worshippers. About 745
o'clock, when the Rev. Father Raphael was de-
| livering his lecture, the occurrence took place
which has been attended with such direful con
| sequences.
The majority of the congregation in the body
of the chapel had brought with them wax can
| dies to be blessed. At the time the cry of fire
was raised these candles were lighted and the
glare caused by the illumination led to the belief
that the building actually was on fire. Those
who were in the school-room attempted to force
their way into the street. The narrow staircase
| and doorway soon became blocked up with a
seething multitude, who, in their alarm, strug-
gled to escape from the building. The cry Of fire
had been heard too by the worshippers, who
crowded the staircase leading to the chapel and
those under the northern gallery. They were
seized with panic, and imagining that the school
room was in fames rushed wildly down the
stairs to the landing. 1t was here that the two
! crowds--on coming from the school-room and
the other from the chapel above-met. A terrible
scene followed. The people fought and struggled
to reach the narrow street. The doorway, how
ever, was soon blocked up and escape by this
| means became impossible. Loud cries of alarm
were raised; the cry of fire" continued; and the
panic increased. Strong men fought and
struggled with each other to reach the street;
the shrieks of the women and children told OF
the terrible alarm that had seized them. Some
persons near the spot attempted to compose the
multitude, but still the struggle continued
Women and children and old men were knocked
down and trodden to death under foot, or suffo-
Gated in the terrible crush.
While this fearful scene was going on. the
maj ority of the congregation were unaware oil
the existence of any cause of alarm, but in q few
moments intelligence reached the fathers who
were conducting the service-Fathers Raphael,
Dominick, Alphonsus, 0'DonOvan, and M'Grath
- of the terrible scene that was taking place on
the staircase. They at once proceeded to the spot
and by their almost superhuman efforts got the
crowd from the staircase, and in few moments
| restored order. But their help came too late
| In that few moments-from the time the cry oi
fire was raised until the arrival of the fathers
the mischief had been done, and at least fifteen
people had been suffocated or trodden to deatl
by the terror-stricken crowd
The alarm also had reached the interior of the
chapel. The occupants of the northern gallery
became terror stricken, and many of them made
| their way to the staircase. Women tainted, anC
men struggled to leave the pews. The fathers
here eXerted their influence with the multitude
and by their efforts order was restored, and
| calamity which might have been even worse
| than the first was averted. The fathers assured
the people that there was no cause for alarm
and the service went on. Still there was con
| siderable uneasiness among the congregation
and until the end of the services it was feareC
| that there would be o recurrence of the alarm
and that further fatality might ensue.
L A