The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-03-07

sieged by crowds OF anxious lDquhei''
According to the latest accounts five per-
sons had succumbed and two were not ex-
pected to survive till morning. In addition
some thirty wounded persons were brought
to the hospital, many of them grievousiy
mi ured. Those whose wounds were silght
were conveyed to their homes, ana we
have, therefore, no means OF discovering
however, to be hoped that the list we pup
lish in another column includes all VINO
have sustained serious injury.
THE HORROR DESCRIBED.
A congregation of devout people, mainly
women, seated listening with pions rever-
ence to the words of priest who DIS
coursed on the uncertainty as to the time
at which death would arrive to end their
lives. This was the scene in st. Andrews
church at twenty inmates past eight
O'Clock last night. There was no SOUND
within the church but the measured tones
of the clergy mans voice and occasional
evidence given by some emotional listener
that the admonitions of the reverend
speaker were reaching his or her heart.
minds of the listeners than that or present
security. They were assembled for wor-
ship in an edifce consecrated to the SER
| vice of the Almighty, and, though the re-
marks of their spiritual teacher might have
awakened fears of death coming with sud
! O6ppeS9 upon LDen hitcE bhoJ uou AO'S eilo
| church, those declarations could not impair
their faith that, suppliants as they were be-
fore the mercy seat, naught could work
them harm. The Lenten services were
drawing to a close, and the Rev. Father
Carroll, of St. Stephens church, was near
the end of his discourse on "The necessity
to be prepared for the
ADVENT OF DEATH AT ANY MOMENT"
He had pictured the misery of those
human beings who die, their souls being
laden with sin he had implored his hear
ers to shuu vice, that they might not be
surprised in it's midst by the fall upon them
of the palsyipg hand of death and he had
/ pressed upon his hearers the necessity for
them to keep watch upon their consciences,
30 that they should know when they were
guilty of sinful acts. At the moment ne
was beginning to speak the words which
are quoted below, a sudden gust of wind
swept over the church and thrilled every
thing that it struck. 1t shook the sashes oil
the windows on City Hall place until they
} ratified. 1t dashed rain drops that were
falling, against the glass, and made them 8
. within the church felt the least disturbed oy
the sounds of the commotion outside. They
were com letely under the control Of the
reverend speaker. His words were thos'
of warning, and they could not be Listened
, to carelessly. While the gust of wine
lOWleO ana SHOOK every tuluB III tiO OIL 0ct
Father Carroll was saying, "Oh! examin
, your consciences at this moment. Look a
them with the eye guided and made shar
by the sense of truth and sincerity. Go
now knows whether or not you are
q PREPARED TO MEET HIM"
He concluded as the wind ceased it
raving; hut the sound of his last word wa
" almost overcome by sharp, snap-lk
p noises that came from the roof of the ga
" lery at the east side of the church.
/ the same time a shower Of small pieces
4 plaster battered upon the startled occupan
o. of that section of the edifice. These Peep
q had not time to rise from their seats ere
rushing noise and then thunderor
il crash occurred. The Mortified people
the body of the church and IN the othe
n gallery had not time to see what occurre
RI when the sounds were repeated, and theI
a was a veil of thick dust laised over ii
pr gallery which obscured it from view.
I'd THE MAD STRIFE TO GET OUT
A. But only the coolest, the most c"urag
IN GUS of the membero of the congregati,
the outlets of the church. The scene b
came one of the most startling characte
In their mad haste to escape q threateniI
% danger-whence it came they did n
as know-the people plunged toward t
in street. They caught hold of each other il
q | pnIeIVoly, anu uAily uolhy Gu JUG .
m other. In the galleries they fought fierce
sb on their way to the narrow staircases tn
Nv led down to the vestibule, and in thu
~ eagerness two or three would wedge theI
cS selves immovably between the sides
No. the staircases. There they would rema
alv until the gathered force Of the many
nt. hind dislOdged them violently and thru
led them headlong down the awful desce
IN Thus they would strike their predecesso
cir and, il not overthrow themselves, wou
M knock the latter to the door. Once do
m no one could arise until the seuseless a
inc patiesB mob had passed over and trampl
rh7 upon and kicked their bodies into mt
cor horrid shapes than ever the Comprachi,
~ devised. In the FIRST moments of the rr
from the church the vestibule beca
crowded with people, and the masses
ain the staircases could not move. Those p'
ap pie at the foot of the right band stairc
eep became jammed between the wall and
the shield of wood meant to be guard at
aud the outer side of the stairway. This shi
rise was fragile aud could not resist the pre-
irm ure of the rushing mass of humanity.
4 to soon gave way and the panic stricken p
way pie pressed against it, and fell with it