The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-03
Continuation Of the Investigation Before
Coroner EickhOG.
HER0ISM OF PATRICK LAVELLE.
Don't Mind Me, Get That
Woman Out First"
THE WALL KNOWN TO BE CRACKED
Testimony of Mr.. Shaw, the Owner
of the Dangerous Building.

OF the Dangerous building.
The Investigation to discover what were the
primal causes Of the awful occurrences within st.
Andrews church on Thursday night last was con-
tinued yesterday In the Coroner's office. Mucn OF
the testimony elected was monotonous. All the
people who were in the church appear to have
had the same m entail experiences except those
who were wounded. When they heard the por-
tentous rumpling above them they thought or
earthquakes, OF tornados. Of almost every
devastating natural phenomena, ana never
dreamed OF their terror being caused by
the sudden demolition Of some OF mans
rlckety handwork. So far there have
been but three persons discovered who were GER
tain that the noises they heard came from Shaw's
building and the roof OF the church. These three
were Father Curran, ROundsmaa Mudoon ana
Mr.. Dononue, VINO testified yesterday. The last
named gentleman lives at No. Is City Hall place.
next door TO the church. and he himself felt
sense OF impending danger ever since the fire &C.
Cured, which left the western wall Of Shaw's
Building standing. menace to It's less proud
fronted neighbors. The wall has been q spectre
ever coming before the eyes OF Mr. Donohue; 1t
has murdered his sleep and kept him al night pac-
ing tine roof OF his dwelling.
HEROIC CONDUCT OF A WOUNDED BOY.
There came out in the testimony the narrative
OF an instance OF herOism on the part OF one OF
those injured In the church. such has rarely been
surpassed. 1t mas hitherto been unknown that
Patrick Lavelle, the strong-limbed young man who
now lies in Park Hospital couched uneaslly upon
the softest beu that could be made, exhibited on
the night OF the catastrophe almost divine
combination OF unseltshness and courage. The
words he addressed to the fireman who came 10
rescue him from the pile OF rubbish In which he
was almost buried, though they lack epigrammatc
force, are such as plain man OF honor and cour-
age would utter spontaneously without thinking
tnat he was expressing himself like a hero
John Donohue was the first witness called. He
d. reside at No. 10 City Hall place; was
acquainted with Michael McCarty on the evening
OF the 25th OF February was 10 ST. Andrews
church, in the eastern gallery; was sitting
alongside OF Michael McCarry deceased l heard q
strong wind and rumblng sound, and said TO
myself, "Tnat Is Shaw's building falling downs"
the first knewI was covered up by rubbish;
GOT myself out and saw three girls covered up;
called to Captain McCloskey for assistance and
young man, named FinneGan, and myself got
the girls out from rhs ruins. / saw
young man named Quinn lying there ana bleed
ing; he is now4n tne hospital; gong to the back
part OF the gallery saw an old woman whose legs
were covered up: We endeavored to get her out;
by this time the fremen were in the church and
had ladder raised against the gallery; after try
ing to get the CID woman out. went back beneath
the first hole; there I saw the back oil q pew
jammed against wOman's head; she was
taken out, and l think she was dead !;
she appeared as II sne was smothered; near this
woman young man was found who
said he could not rally, as his back was broken;
while taking him out some one spoke, and an
swered the person wlose voice heard; 1t came
from under the ruins q beam now fell, and seeing
another portion OF the wall about to fall we all
stepped back with rush: then went down the
ladder; do not think anybody was hurt at that
time; after seeing that nv mother and brother
were ali right went BACK to the gallery; looked
looked among the bricks, but could not see MIN ;
the pew was IN was under the hoie, nearer TIE
door; 1t was Knocked down by the bricks, &C.; /
noticed
CRACKS IN THE WALL OF sHAw's BUILDING; =.
after the IRE saw smoke coming out.ol those
would tall, and IOr some time alter the fire could
not sleep well at night; used to get up at might
and go up on the ROOF OF my house to look at the
church.
James Lanieln testified Il live at No. 81 Park
street; l was IN the eastern gallery standing
against the wall on the evening OF the 25th OF Feb
ruaty McCarty, Quinn and DOnohue were stand
ing about Jour Ieet In front OF me l did not see
McCarty carried out Of the churon; did
not see MIN I'm til he was AIKEN to the station house;
was Knocked down ny some o. the stun that Ieli
and had my hand slightly mashed; have noticed
church; saw them on the morning OF the fire.
ana saw smoke lssuiug from them; saw an old
woman, WAC think was dead, carried out Of the
when the crash occurred 10 the time the eastern
gallery was emptied; stepped into tue choir gal
lery and remained there till the church was
empty.
Lydia GiIen testifed:-I live at No. 81 Park
street; was In the eastern gallery OF st. An.
urew's church when the roof Tell In Thought the
crash was That OF an earthquake; Michael McCar-
ty was sitting IN pew alongside OF me; when
the roof Tell IN was buried in the bricks aud
tar; was taken out from among number OF
got there; my lace was bruised by the falling
bricks; did not see McCarty after the root lell
sarah Reddigan, OF No. 90 Duane street, testl.
ned IL was IN st. Andrews cnurcn at the time oil
tine accident; heard o loud noise and ielt some.
thing Iail on my head; a,terward, whom was try
ing to yet out, was struck on the back by bricks
was carried out ny the crowd and forced Gown
stairway saw people walking over peoples did
not see any dead bodies IN the caurch.
MIR. SHAws TESTIMONY.
James NJ. Shaw. of No. 100 East sixtieth street,
testiaed:-l AM the owner OF the building known
about hai.pass seven c'clocK on the the morn mo-
ing OF January IL, 1873; WAS was at home
Graph ates .hs nrs AA was S''Hs sxsSyus sss
noticed that the west wall was cracked IN three
& Ss mn 81 ias s se S
other walls were apparently IN good condition;
went to Mr. snook the ar arcnItect: ne next day
aud do whatever was necessary to II; knew moth
ing about building myself; MI. snook got Brown
buding so as to make 1t temporarily secure. until
q letter from the superintendent OF Bund.
ings on January "a; 1t was marked Janu-
the same day. and again authorized him to 90
what was necessary to the building; MIR. Snook
had employed Brown Adams to make the walls
temporarily secure before he received the com.
munication OF VIE superintendent OF Buildings !;
men whom the witness considered competent mad
assured him that the work or strengthening and re-.
pairing was going on all right; the insurance au-
thorliies had charge OF the building IRON the time
OF the nte until the 26th or 18th or January
he visited the olhcs OF the Williamsburg
city Fire Insurance Company on the ed
OF January, and met the President OF