The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-28
A BALLROOM FATALITY.
Sudden Interruption OF Colored .sIop''
Mt Mott Haven-Music Changed to
Mourning-An Accidental Push Results
In n Broken Neck.

Sudden Interruption OF a Colored .sIIou,,
Mt Mott Haven-Music Changed to
Mourning-An Accidental Push Results
In Broken Neck.
cOlored ball, at which some fifty or sixty
couples participated. was held In ROdecker's Hall
situated ut Mott Haven, near Harlem Bridge, on
Thursday night. The dusky dancers enjoyed them
selves in a hilarious although harmonious manner
until half-past one O'Clock yesterday morn
ing, when the band struck up march,
which was the signal for each happy Lothario
10 escort his partner to the supper table.
The repast was spread in an apartment under
meath the ballroom, which is reached from the
ground door by flight Of stairs some eighteen or
twenty feet in length. This leads directly from
the street door and is the only means OF ingress
egress to and from the ballroom. While majority
OF the company were eagerly discussing oyster
stews ana ham sandwiches, a heavy weight tum-
bling down stairs caused temporary suspension
OF gastronomlc operations and general rush en-
the part OF the guests to see who was hurt.
colored man named Thomas Bren lay insensible
and bleeding from his mouth and nose in the hall
way.
Alter gancing at the dying man for a few mo.
ments most OF the company returned TO complete
their supper. while two or three friends carried
Bren TO the sidewalk and tried in vain TO restore
him by an application OF whiskey and water
These agencies proving useless the man was again
carried into the house, where he expired in a few
minutes This broke up the ball, the parties scat
terlng in all directions for their homes The police
authorities were quickly on the spot and ARE ted
some ten or twelve persons OIL oth sexes who were
taken TO the Thlrty-thlrd precinct station house
ana there detained as witnesses. subsequently
transpired that the deceased had been pushed
toward the head Of the stairs by another coored
man named James Williams, who was acting as
d0orkeeper on the OCCASION Williams lett at once
for his home in Harlem, and while the police were
endelvoring to discover his whereabouts he went
TO the Twenty-second precinct police station and
surrendered himself He was subsequently taken
I ha We
locked up.
An inquest was held by Coroner Miller, at which
Deputy Coroner Joyce having made pOst-mortem
examination OF the body, testified that death was
caused by COMPRESSION or the spinal cord, near
where 1t enters the brain and that the injury
proceeded rom a fall ana not IRON a blow. Sew
eral OF the colored people were examined, but
none OF them witnessed the pushing by the ac-
cused, and OF course, could throw 40 light on the
matter.
James Williams, the accused, stated to the Jury
that the deceased commenced TO fight with one
Joe Teamer and, after separating them twice. ne
took him by the shoulder and told him II he wanted
to fight he had better go outside: when about
eight feet from the door he pushed deceased with
DOtn hands, when the latter stumbled against the
door, which hew open; he Immediately stumbled
over stool and fell down the stairs; deceased and
he were always friends, and he had no intention of
hurting MIN when he pushed him toward the door
Williams also tried to restore the deceased, and
falling IN this, ran for doctor.
The jury were convinced of the truthfulness OF
Williams story, and rendered verdict in ac-
cOrdance with the facts, adding, sbur we DO not
think that said Williams had any intention to do
injury to the deceased" Upon the rendition of
this verdict Coroner Miller held Williams in $500 to
await the acuon OF the Grand Jury. Deceased was
about twenty-iour years old, and lived in Harlem.