New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-02
THE CHURCH CALAMITY.
OFFICIAL AND RELIGIOUS ACTION.

THE ISoyrsr ON THE VICTIMS or THE DISASTER IN
ST. ANDREWS CHURCH-TEsTIMONY OF PERSONS
IN THE cHURcH-REQUrEM MASS AT ST. PETERS
CHURcH-ADDREss By THE REV. FATHER
ORARREIL.
Coroner ElckhOff began the inquest yesterday
In the case of the five persons killed by the disaster
st, Andrews Church the night OF Feb. ID In tho
court Notwithstanding the general interest 10 the
case there only small attendance OF spectators the
Coroner having issued strict i2junctlons to the police
man I'm attendance to prevent the admission OF the usual
crowd Among those present were Father Carroii'
Father Currau, the pastor of the cburch inc rev u
ward Flynn, the assistant pastor DstricEhteornoy
Phelps Mr. Shaw, the OF the building the iaihk
OF the walls OF which caused the disaster Assistant ou
perlntendent OF Buildings Dudley Inspectors Cros anu
Murphy, Mr. Shook the architect and Mr. Titus the
builder number of couDselors were also present,
empowered to institute for damages on Dehaf Oh
the wounded when verdict Of the ny should decde
what person department Is to be hed respousiDe'
The following jurors were present: Oswald otendore
foreman; Eugene Kelly, Edwin r. Meade, James Lynch
Thomas d. Thornell. Edward o. Jenkins Edward L.
Donnelly, John F. Trow, Henry 8. Therbel' GustaVe
Lewick Joseph Meus D. ODonoghue. Thomas Maher'
The Rev. Edward J. Flynn assistant pastor OF st'
Andrews Church. testified sthat he was seated In the
choir gallery, listening TO Father Carrols Sermon on
the evening OF Feb. 25 the sermon had been gong Oh
about twenty minutes when there was SOUND OF rush
ing wind which .ratted the windows; Father Carroh
stopped speaking for moment and then resumed; im-
mediatey aftepward there came crash, ana the VIII
ness cast his eyes up to the roof; hole had been
broken I'm tho ceiling and planks and bricks came
tumblng through tho aperture the occupants OF inc
gallery began rushing and pushing one another 10 ges
down STAIRS several gentlemen assisted him
to calm the crowd aud clear the stairway
witness then kwent down stairs, where no
saw woman who evidently dying;
aaffh a
went into the street. where there was great crowd
coected: thence he went TO the Pack Hospital, ana
the solatOns OF the Church 10 the SUI
ferers; on the morning of the fire In snaws cfocAey
store witness heard Father Curran say that no had oeoh
warned by engineer that the walls might DC oan
gerous; afterward further warning was gwen 'na'
witness aware Of.
The Rev. Michael Currap, pastor or st. Andrews
Church. testified that he in the church at the time
of the Disaster Father Carroll was preachng witness
heard heavy crash, like clap OF thunder; ne cacd
out to the people to run but endeayored 10 MAINTAIN
quiet and order by his admonltions ana ILL.,
was great confusion people were running about Willy
the doors all open; witness had not oeen Wafned
of any danger from the falling of the wall since the ne
at that time an officer told him to keep away from tae
wall 1t dangerous but he had had no otncr
than that; the insurance authorities told nun
20 go on aud TX up tho church where it had been dam
aged by the flames; no examination Oh the meahS Vi
bartholomew Buckley OF No. II City Hallplace tes-
titled that middle aisle OF the church when
ceiling tho altar; t1en came ahother CRASH anu
anot her hole made great confusion enSued In the
OF which the witness escaped through Tue door OF
the middle aisle, which about three quarters open
James j. Wynne telegraph operator at Ponce heaa'
quarters TESTIFIED that he heard rumble IKE tornado
aud then crash and, looking up ne saw tAe foo com
ing in; panic instantly ensued, and lie made MS way
Thomas f. Rouse of No. 81 Pne-st, usher. testified
that he III the yesiry when .ne crash came ana nc
opened the private door leading from Tue VesIry III
order to allow Of escape that way.
Patrick MuIdOon. rOundsman OF the sixth Precinct,
testified that he thought the prernontory runDng OF
the crash was caused by ice carts going along Tue
streets, until he tho bricks and mortar tumOiing IN
70 the people to keep quiet as tue danger
Some OF people were jumping over ~ sides % tue
gallery. Father Curran asked him TO 70 and get the
other MALI the front door Toe people were lying
against door, and their pressure Kept IL closed IL
was not bOed TIE witness did not know now IL was
opened. Tie lremen after and cgress was
rendered easy Witness picked up several persons who
bodies afterward IN Sweeny's Hotel Witness ala not
know the walls OF Shaws building were dangerous
He had never had any intimaon 10 tnat eject except
that had said az the time OF the fire that they
might fall Oh the church. - ,, -, 49,
tilted that he had called 10 st. Andrews Church
to preach ana delivering his sermon when the
era came He heard rafting against the win
doly and stopped but resumed his discourse, and an
Instant lftorward tho crash came ana the panic fol
through tue vestry door. He had never been IN ST.
Andrews Church before, and did not know OF any
danger point tue Inquest Was ADJOURNED until
to-day at 10 a. M
THE REQUIEM MASS AT ST. PETERS.
The mortuary services for the repOse of the
souls who the victims OF the catastrophe
al st. Andrews Church held yesterday morning in
St. Peters Roman Catholic Church. in Bareay-st. The
galleries pulpit OF the church were heavily draped
with black the three altar cloths OF black with
white Maltese aud silver fringe; twelve largo
mortuary hour glasses Of black were placed on the
altar six OF which tied in tho center with white
satin ribbon, aud the vestments OF the priests and
acoytes of tho somber coors In the center
AISLE the altar. placed catafalque on the top
of which long white Latin cross extending from
the head to the foot At the head OF the caafaQue was
candida brum, containing five lights, embematical of
the five persons who had been suddenly deprived OF
life. The services were begun with funeral march,
nerformed on the organ by william j. Lacey, after
which Mines Requiem Mass was sung. Tue Rev.
Father OF st. Andrews Church celebrated the
Mass Oh 9eo sy Ftbe Flynn Az The
church well hied. In the pews nearest the altar
were seated the relatives OF those IN whose behalf the
services were being held.
The Rev. Father NJ j. OFarrell. Rector OF st. Peters
church delivered an address TO The cUugreg alton ia
the community, and great calamity had IN the dspeD-
Catholic Church. They had assembled to show their
sympathy for the survivors, and to offer their prayers
70 Almighty God that no might extend mercy ana grace
10 the souls the departed. Gods ways always
wonderful, aud man could not always sound their
depths would say 1t was fatal destiny but Chris
tians believed that 1t done III all kindness and love-
for noe a sparrow falls without His knowledge IL WAS
nor matter OF chance although 1t was not possible to
witnes directly the OF Gods hand in the work
How that accident occurred all present knew WE'LL but
why could tell. One thing he would say openly
and firmly. He did not know that any blame could
laid on the shoulders of the pastor of St Andrews
Church II he had not known that the public anth0ri-
ties had examined that wall which had fallen he had
not been fully aware that those who were responsible
for safety OF the czens had looked into the mat
ter he might perhaps have been considered negligent
in not calling attention TO the condition OF Affairs. The
attention OF the authorities had been called To It, and
he felt no more trouble anxiety he considered the
wall would be properly looked after He. as well as all
other citzzns, knew that the police active enough
when re snow was not cleaned of the side walk. and
poi0t out tue necessity taking precautions to prevent
accidents Those who the wall concluded II was
L fhern VIVA ne