New-York tribune., 1877-03-09
DETAILS OF THE CALAMITY.

DETAILS OF THE CALAMITY.
II being "wOmen's week in Lent, st. Francis
Xaviers Church has been filled on each evening Of
| the week with audiences of women and small chill
dren who could not be left at home by their moth
crs. Last night the building was crowded as usual,
and large numbers of the women present occupied
the two side galleries, extending the entire length
of the church. Suddenly, little before O'clock n
woman sitting in the western gallery attacked
with Mysteries and became frantic, screaming at
the top OF her voice and throwing her arms wildly
about her. Intense excitement was at once caused
in the great congregation, and many of the women
imagining that the building was or fire began TO
rush for the staircase leading into the street. The
priests strove to quiet tem and succeeded in far
dispelng the fears of majority that they remained
standing until blessing pronounced. In the
western gallery, however, numbers Of women lost
their self-cOltrol, and pressed madly toward the
place of exit, narrow, slightly winding staircase,
connecting at the bottom with outside door of
the church. and also with an inner door opening on
the main hall. Near the bottom of the staircase
there is angle and two large women
coming together at this point caused temporary
check in the hurTying throng They were immed-
ately pressed against and thrown down by the wO
men behind them, who, being unable to check their
progress, forced to trample their fallen
sisters in their haste to escape in turn pros
trated. In moment the moving thrOng on the
staircase was blocked by heap Of PROSTATE
women who sought i'll vain to regain their footing
Wild with terror the women imprisoned on the
staircase made despairng efforts to move forward,
and soon the place rcsOunded with cries Of agony
from those who were trOdden under foot at the base
of the staircase. The panic then became general
that nothing could stop the rush down the stairs
and soon the shrieks Of pain were hushed by the
death of the victims who were crushed and
smothered.
Fearing that tie building might have taken fire.
the priests sent word to Engine-house No. Ii, and
Capt McCabe, in command, at once went to Six
teenth-st. with an engine and company Of men,
DrcadIng that the tumult might be thus increased
he stopped the engine near Fiftli-avc, and with
single aid hurried to the church, from which a
stream Of people was fast pouring. lie then used
every endeavor to make the people retreat from the
church and the neghborhood, being assisted by po-
locmen who came fastening TO the spot. The fore
thought Of Capt. McCabe probably prevented a
very much greater disaster from taking place for
had the engine been allowed to dash up TO the door
of the church, alarming still mere tie frightened
women, much larger loss Of life must have ensucd.
As soon as the police could clear space in front of
the church the work of removing the bodies OF the
unfortunate women was begun. One after another
the c0Ipsps were taken up and conveyed some Of
them to No. IL Sixteentst and others to the stable
of Joseph OConner at No. 80. The utmost exertions
of the police were then needed to keep the bodies
from being pressed upon By crowds of
anxious people who sought to get glimpse
of the dead faces. People who had rela-
tiycs in the church during the service,
hearing of the disaster, ran to Sixtcenth-st. and
J,fo VII 10y I'M
cernlng the fate of their friends At the livery
stable one girl of 1G years recognized az Mary
Casey of No. 1SS Eighh-ave. On the arrival of the
ambuances which were at once telegraphed for, the
bodies were removed 10 the Twenty-ninth Precinct
Staton-house and 1t was then discovered that seven
perscas-six women and little boy about years
old-Iad been killed. So far as could be ascertained
no one else had been seriously injured Ranged
in n row o.: the floor OF the statlOn-housc thc bodies
of the victims did not show many signs of mutila-
ton or even OF serious bruises and 1t WAS the belief
of many physicians who were called Ill that they
died from the Effects of suitocatlon aud fright.
Three of the women were beyond middle age, and
their features looked Chasty and repulsvo i'll death
The little boy hal small mark on his forehead,
which showed that he had been struck by some
object as the heel Cf shoc but hrs face ana that OK
the dead girl, Mary Casey, were calm ana sweet Ill
expression, As TX tlcy iltl liitiy idiiSu
crowds of anxious people soon came to the sta
tiou-bouse and eagerly clamOred for adinttance.
Many were wringing their hands and calling the
names of relatives and friends whom they feared
had perishcd When these unhappy people were
admitted in small groups into the sta
tion-house n most heart-rending scene was
nortroycd They passed tremblngly along the line
f urostrate bodies eagerly scanning the faces before
them, When face was recognized cry OF pam
,rose and then the whole was filled with sob
hin,s of sympathy or mourning. Among the num-
hcr of those who called at the staton-house was
Michael Sullivan of No. 80 Nntli-ave. Scanning
the faces of the dead for a moment hiS
eve fell OH the little boy. and he uttered AT once
dospair1uc cry which went to the hearts OF all
nrosput Soon he recognized among the other
cornsos that of his wife. and he fell Oh the floor
and went and moancd like child Shortly after
ward a woman knceled on the floor by the
side of another corpse, and broke into hystercal
cries of My sister, Oh, my sister"
The police were obliged to exclude from the room
all who failed 10 identity any Of the bodies. Many
t,,rncd away from the lifclcss forms and went out
tb loo.s of intense relief. Coroner Flanagan soon
arrived Mt the station house. and after brief sur
yev of the bodies signed permits 10 have them re-
moved by friends as soon as they could be recog-
nized.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
s,v pop,ys RECOGNIZED AND REMOVED TO THEIR
HOMrs-ONR WOMAN CNRrCOGNZED-VERf FEW
PERSONS SERIOUSLY ISJUEED.
The following list embraces the names OF all those
Nyb Indy Iu.I