New-York tribune., 1875-02-26
A CHURCH CRUSHED IN.
and sympathy were heard on all sides. The recog-
milton of the dead was followed by the loud lamen-
tatlons of friends and relatives.
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT
A WALL WEAKENED BY FIRE AND FROST CRUsHEs IN

water 1rOZe on JnO 'front.' OF JDe Dullulng as IL was
thrown from the engines. The heat of the fire
doubtless injured the high side brick walls of this
building, and the water which had frozen and
thaved and frozen again upon these injured and ex
posed walls further weakened them. The thaw of
| the past few days has also helped TO reduce the
strength of the walls, which had been left
without further security than the weakened
beams to hold them together The high wind which
succeeded the ran-storm last evening blowing from
the eastward expended its full force the westerly
wall of the burned store. and blew portion of 1t
down upon the roof of the church. causing the de-
structon and loss of life which has been recorded
| above. AS death has resulted from this accident
the Coroner will doubtless make thorough inves-
tigation of the facts connected with the case and
fnd out, If possible who should be held responsible
| THE WORDS OF EYE-WITNESSES.
THE EXPERIENCE OF THOSE WHO WERE IN THE
| CHURCH AND ESCAPED DHURT-HELPLEssNEss AND
TERROR FOLLOWED BY A PANIC-sTRICKEN RUSH.
From some of those who were In the church,
and who the first warning sounds to the crashing
of the falling walls upon the gallery watched the short
work of destruction, the following description OF the
| accident have been obtained.
Officer Patrick MuldOon OF the City Hall Police, who
was present IN the church time Of the sad acc
| dent made the following statement to TRIBUNE re-
| porter: seated in my pew in the church at me
time when tue accident occurred Ny about half
way down the center aisle the left hand side OF the
entrance. and in full view OF the whole scene My
attention first aroused from the lecture by noise
like that earthquake, or the rumbling or heavy
laden wagon being rapidly driven over rough cobble-
Ny attention almost Immediately attracted
| by falling of some Of the plaster or the
ceiling, the gallery on my right, or on the
east OF the Church. All this did not occupy more
than a second two when terrible crash was heard
aud the Church rang with screams. portion or the
roof had fallen upon the persons in the gallery The
next moment about 30 persons. men and women,
scrambled the front Of the east gallery and were
hanging by their hands. 1t did not take me long TO
comprehend the situation, and L called upon those
TO aid the women before they fell on those
| beneath and dld i called to the men who were
thus banging be careful how they dropped. as they
would perhaps hurt doing so than in remain
| ing where they were When the women were got down
the men were also assisted and all got down with
| out much injury.
But IN the meantime persons who in the west
gallery entirely Of the OF danger became panic
stricken and began TO rush down the stairs in their
haste to get Had they remained in their places
there would not have been 40 many injured; but VINO
can control pantcstricken crowdi They rushed down
the and filed up the passageway which led from
the stairs to the entrance door, Father Curran came to
me and SAID, For Gods sake MudoOn, come and help
| me clear the doorway" went Immediately with hlm,
| and found passage-way completely blocked
| up. Men, women and children were Nlns IN
heap upon another, three OF four feet high and
others were shouting panic and fear Persuasion was
no use at a nome like this, ami seized hold OF one Of
the fallen persons with hand while with the other
I pushed the crowd back far 1t was possible. In
this manner managed get few on their feet, ana
then tried to open closed half Of the double door OF
the main entrance. From some cause the boits were
stiff and it was with great difficulty that they could be
4 moved Meanwhile Father Curran and myself were
being pressed crowd all sides. and nothing
we could say would keep them back The people struG-
gcd and tore they mad all anxious to be FIRST
! ont of the building although they would have been
they had remained in their seats, except those WRO
were in the east gallery Tho scene OF confusion that
ensued falling OF the ceiling was 81 great that
could not take accurate notice OF all that occurred
but the destruction which has ensned Will tell you more
than can further say When the alarm was given,
assistance as possible ana then the people,
both injured and unnjured, were helped from the build
| ing The chair Of Father Curran was completely
crushed and had he not got up when dd, IL Is more
! than likely ho would have been crushed in It,
Father Carroll, in conversation with q TRIBUNE re-
porter said that Just accident he speak
ing in his OF the careessness OF men as 10 ther
future and spiritual welfare and OF the suddenness OF
death when suddenly II in terrible Illustration OF Ills
words a noise as a great gale suddenly arrested Ills
attention. and looking he bebed one OF the side Walls
of the church crashing n hurnG 0ricks ana mortar
upon the heads OF the immense throng winch cro"deu
| n
fee mingled with the cries ana groans OF those VINO
ware injured by the flying tmbers ana crushed beneath
the weight of the falling rush was then made
for the doors and windows, and many VINO re-
mained uninjured in the portion OF the Rallery
which xas spared attempted to leap down upon
the heads Of beneath and 1t was only Dy the COM
bned efforts Father Flynn and two or three persons
bo retained their of mind and arusn
for the doors that panic IN measure a7erted ana
greater loss of life prevented AS IL was the rusn was
so great that stairs broken down ana nnOer
OF persons precpitated in mass distance OF SIX OF
seyen feet Father Carroll said that from bis position he
WAS enabled to take the situation OF affairs at
glance He expected that the entire side wall would
follow and thought proper to get the congregation
ont as soon as possible The fremen were soon on the
ground he said aud did excellent service assisted Dy
the police In removing the dead and wounded and con-
gregauon to places OF security
Father Flynn also conversed with TRIBUNE reporter
and ad that he taken part in the services previous
n the sermon and had passed into tho choir-oft
He WAS there when the wall fell In and, seeing the
rushing wild and impetuous terror toward the
atairyay comprehended that they would crush ana
trampe each other If not restrained he Immediately
nlanted himself before them, and with his hands
nnlifted commanded them TO remain quiet and
h seated This had the desired effect Of restraining
bs manic and then they passed out In quite
an orderly manner considering the circumstances aud
tho fact that the roan and cries Of the wounded arose
from beneath the heavy weight OF Tue Hactureu WAL
nd ,,mhers OF the gallery He hoped that he might be
snared looking again upon such sight Of suffering
His place. he soon saw, among the sufferers and
thither he repaired.
An eyewitness Of terrible disaster who was in the
church. told a TRIBUNE reporter the following story
The Church Of St. Andrews at Duane-st and CITY Hall
Iaoe was packed with those who had assembled TO lis
,en N a lecture BY the pastor of ST. Stephens
Church Upon each, side of the church ran
long galleries., which. we'll as the body Of