, 1877-03-12
PANIC.
The Disaster in St. Xavier's
Church, New York.
A False Alarm of Fire, and Terrible
Rush of Fear.stricken
Women.
se1en Persons Crushed to Death In tho
Awful Melee.

seven PERSONS Crushed to Death In tho
Awful Melee.
Ned FORK Sun, Nareae o.
! There was n mission Tor women In 81. Francis
Xavler's Catholic Church IN Sixteenth street
last evening. A!slcs, galleries, and vcstlbulo
were crowded with women and children, and
tho churcli-yard md sidewalk beyond wero
thronged with those who could not obtain
standing room In the church, At 8:o5 O'Clock,
when Father Langcake was drawing near tho
conclusion Of his sermon, tho shrek Of faint
Ing woman distracted tue attention Of tho con-
Errgatfon. Tho voice camG from tho west gul-
lcry. Many persons thcro seated stood up to
sco tho cause Of tic trouble. boy'6 shrill
volco pipcd out, "Ftre, Fire." and in an In
stant
A WILD rANlc
took possession Of tho gallery occupanta, who
started tcrror-strickcn toward tho exit from
tho gal1ery-a narrow staircase tint cmpttcd
into ono Of tho three front exits from tho
church, Eight wooden steps led to the first
floor vcstthulo, and eight stone steps thence into
the church-yarl; but, before tho gallery was
cmpt'cd, SIX women and one boy lay dead in tho
vcstibnlo and the yard.
Three thousand persons, 80 The priests estl-
mate, were in The church, ind nearly MI Of
them were women. Affair the cry OF "Ftro"
many, nrose, but Fatler Langcake continued
his o1hortation. The collegiate fathers, trained
to timely m1nlstrntlon, Herc out Of thtfr o1ato-
rics and INTO tho church before haf tho wos-
shippers knew that thexo was bangor. Tho
sound Of trntuping feet coming from tho Entlery
was fast working panic among those sitting
in tho body Of the church; but tho preacher still
talked on, md It was only when brother priest
Urged his closing that tic tcnedIctton was pro-
nounccd. By this tt1ne. hnif tic congregation
were IN the aisfcs, and pressing toward the
ness, had opened every exit; and the narrow
pews and utrrowor afsles did moro to prevent
greater fatality thun any human a9cncy could
have aecompllshel The panic tn tho body Of
trollab|e; but wido and etralght steps ut the
main entrance were capable Of giving passage
to tho women as fast al they came. After thoso
able TO get cut had reached safety. not less
frightened to fatntfuR By the cries Of terror.
THE SCENE ON Tun s1DEwALK
was scarcely less appalling. Many women had
tainted on react!ing fresh air. They fell and were
shippers, many Of whom meyer alackcncd their
speed until they iIad reached their homes. Then
tho rocollecttons of friends and relations, from
then, shrickine back 10 tho cllarei, doors.
Officers stationed at the cntfnnce sent for help
as soon as they SOW It was needed, mud very sooi,
6crgt. Douglass and q platoon Ut tho Thlrtieth
thcy, can,c tue streets were blocked with d mu1-
ttutlc, through WlEcl! those who sought missing
relatives could scarcely forcU y way. The street,
once cleared Of tllpso who wcrp not pcrsunafly
injured. Thu priests of the collrga wcre alrcady
lusy In rcylyfnr tic fatntlng, and seHdln9 home
thu wounded who could tell their residences.
Tic poltcc, AZ soon - notified, had tc1egraphcd
hojIr - III s.,1,
iances and President brennan, Commissioner
Cox, md nh amplc corps Of surgeons wcro IN
attendance. Thoir arrival was too late to be OF
much. hcrytco to the wounded. most OF whOsn
had already been sent homo In carriages lly the
priests. Tho dead were at once removed to tho
Thlrtictai Street Police Station.
THE sADDHsT a10uTs
were In tho hour after tho disaster, The news
nelghboriug tenement-ho,,ses, whence ,nost Of
thu Worshfpcrs had come, and tho GORDON Of
police was assa!led on nll Sides with frantic on
treaties for allnisston to look for missing rcla-
t,f the dead were iOunl IN tue littls ycstibulo
into which tile west cutlery and west astes lead.
rhe Other thrco were tu the church.yarl at the
foot OF tho steps leadiu9 out at the vcstlbulc.
Tho entlro loss Of !fe occurred among tllUso In
tho gallery In which tic panic originated.
Assistant Sexton Clancy says TINT slncc tho
accident In st. Anlrow's last year, the sexton
las had orders to have some oi'c afways stand-
tHet ho9y1 ~ AaMus Acat tnu nuots' A!aoEy "Aa
80 staGuihg, and O. ne hEat sign OF danger
every uoor was unlocked. Ihey all opened out
waruly. Ihc panic being In t4e west gallery 10
WANT tn!Lnef: aho cnuea4oreu 10 stay tltc tlae
q bahie-stfleRen women. Ono woman lcil on
TUG Htat lana11R, anA tt'ose ocHshu her enoeas.
ored to hold her back, but wcre trrcsIatlbly
prcssca forward, % Clancy tried to qnlct tho
panic W WORDS, buk the women could hear 1f
th!nk o. notlIinE In their fright. Alter the gal
Iefy tlal pccn clearcu ho Hclpc.I to farry tho
deal out of tho vostibulc. Everything that
coula DO done was dono to revive thcln.
An EfR'wlrAEss
givcs The following aesount' ~ saw men,
women, ana children rushing by scorcs from tho
single person coming from tie exit toward
Sixth Avenue, There. DackCd like Aar{tfnGN fn q