The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-10
Among the Dead and the In.
jured-Sad Scenes.
A GRAV E CHARGE.
THE C0E0NEE'S VISIT TO THE SCENE.


at st. Francs Xaver's Church in West Sixteenth
street. Mass was celebrated in the morning, aud was
heard by large congregation of dcvout worshppcrs
many OF whom have been attending the mission for
women III progress this week. Alter mass Father
Langcake spoke ieelngly OF tho accidcn, night
before Every Of the priests he sad had celebrated
mass IN the morning tor tho dead and injured they
would DO SO again and again. by his request tho
whole congregation knclt prayer for them also and
ierventy offered up pater and are Tor tho victims.
After low words of explanation about the intorrup
ton oil the mission services caused by the accident he
closed by cautioaing his against excitement in
times OF great or imaginary danger.
During The day lew siraggIers lowered about the
church cdilce, drawn hher by tho morbid curiosity
so sure TO bring the ider to the OF any stirring
event at time when his presence benefit to
any one Nothing remained To mark the spot lately
visited by the reaper Death. Not blood stain was on
tho sidewalk or on the steps within to show whore
the dead and wounded had lain IN helpless disorder.
No debris WAS piled up there to indicate that any
wreck was caused by the dying in their strug-
giles. Tho place bore an every day APP.
pcarance, ana within the house and tho
college building the priests pursued their daily
tons interrupted only by the influx of inqulrng visit
ors And indeed, they had no occasion tor disturbing
or rcmorseiul reflections Tor the truth is their calm
moss and selpossession wero mainly instrumental IN
checking panic that else would have resulted In
much greater loss OF life. Another circumstance that
operated favorabIy In this painful affair was tho
fact that in the largo congregation there
were scarcely any men. Once seized with tho dread
Of impending death these would have been by no
submissive to the admonitions the priests
as the congregation Of women proved. Men in their
terror have much force and fcrocity and are far
less tractabc than women When the commanding tones
terrified people in tho church, panic had already 20.
such hold upon their minds that they were rushing
wildly toward every place Of exit in vew and crowding
even into tho sanctuary.
Quoted by the assurances OF the honored pastor
that there was danger, some promptly ap.
Piled themselves TO their dcvotons again, while
others, though still apprehcnsive, suffered a
nervous anxiety to take the place OF fright
Meantime the cries and shulling noises of hurrying
feet continued at the door leading from the
northern end of tho west gallery. Tho hustling
throng pressed forward from tho gallery To b..
met and oslled by as swift aud strong human cur
rent from the space just within the storm leading
from the northern corner of tho western aisle 1t was
the clashing OF these two streams that caused the
disaster. In such event some Of the fore.
most were sure to fall, aud one PROSTATE human
form were massed in disastrous confusion more
than "a score. SO much the priests on the altar
absorbed in their efforts to induce quiet that they re-
NAMED IN total ignorance of the death that
were In progress the stair just the vestbuie
and in the passage outside the storm DOORS The truth
is, though apprehensvc OF danger whose fright
rendered them deaf to admonitions, tho priests
feared TO set an example OF flight by
leaving tho altar, and did all within their
power to engage tho attention OF those they had under
control Not little credit is due to the mass of the
crowded congregation, too, who in the very face OF
wild panic, aud listening to tho tcrrornsprng cries
oil "Fre!" "Firel" could sufficiently control their
desire TO escape INTO the open air before they had
become perfectly assured of their safety within
And when throughout the body of tho church
the excitement had completely subsidized 1t re.
quired tact to dismiss the people way that would
insure order and prcventa second 1t was only
when the bencdiction that the condition
Of AFFAIRS in tho weather box discovered by most
OF the priests and the great body Of the
The story OF The efforts that then exertcd Tor Tho
cnre IL the wounded and The removal dead has
been told already
To-day viii be held the funeral services for the dead
anu Two vi the victims Will be buried IRON the church.
IL Is nendcd to Keep these services ms quiet pos
sihle and to admit to the church but the fcla
tlvcs aud friends OF the deceased
For some TINE the present building has been much
too small Tor the congregation, and a movement to
build larger church has been progressing rapidly.
Houses to the OF the church have been removed
aud The open space Is boarded up PRIOR TO COM
increment OF the building In this new ed lcc ample
room Win bo provided Tor safe exit danger.
FATHER MhRHIck TO THE RESCUE.
" was hearing confessions IN tie Basement
Father Merr'ck, pastor OF the church, said to a
could hear tho movements Of the people over
head as they kneil down or Resumed their
seats, and from the stiilncsS | knew that
Father Langcakc must be delivering his sermon.
Suddenly heard considerable, Commotion and
leaving re confessional ! rushed UP through the
sacns,y INTO the sanctuary here crowa OF people
was already WITHIN the rails swarmlng toward The
doors on either side OF The altar leading the sacrsly;
! stopped them ana scoded them, hoping BY
an appeal To their respect for the house
OF Cod 10 bansh fright from their minds Tor
the moment, and eve them IN the interval a chance
70 see Tor themselves there was no real danger
When had spoken few words those IN the body of
tho church became calmer but the commotion con
tnucd ia the west gallery. supposed, however, that
IL was nothing very serious, 10 insure a connu-
ancc OF order instructed the choir sing .Iantum
Ergo ana ADVISED Father Langcake. VINO soon hn-
ished his Sermon TO proceed with cou of The
blessed sacrament After the dcvotIOus were at an
end We were al loss Tor the moment to know how TO
dismiss the people, lest another panic should seize
them. We rather indicated than announced that the
services mad terminated, and without appearing per-
peAcu We permitted Tue congregation TO dispcrse Un-
VII this TINE was unaware o the extent OF the dsas-
ter. had thought some may have been hurt IN the
melee, but did not suppose any had lost their lives
flasher Whiic u appears, left the, basement about
The same imc with Father McrricK, aud being near
the street side OF the church he came up.
stairs that way anu entered the church from the 'front.'
he was thus enabled to assist IN freeing some OF the
fallen from danger and TO give spr tual consolation TO
WHAT FATHER LASGcAKK SAYS
Rev. Father Langcake, who was preaching tho sor-
mon at the time the panic began, made statement
yesterday winch substantially corroborates the account
OF The disaster already published IN the HERALD.
Father Langcakc preached IRON the altar not from he
pulpit, but was yet In excellent position
To derive a correct impression OF tho painful
occurrence and all its leading features Ilo says that
some oil the statements IN respect 10 The numbers
the church appear DO greatly exaggerated. In his
opinion there could not possibly have been
1000 persons Ia the church., had been
N ms no ..f
the church would only go the extent OF AFFORD.
Ing accommodation Tor some l. 400 persons and
allowing the widest margin, no more than /, 100 could
be dcd with standing room. This would limit the
extent OF the congregation AT the outside TO
300, the tgure winch the HEgALD put IT, Nearly
all OF them were women. The services were begun,
Father Langcakc says, shortly before eight O'clock
He made aicw ANNOUNCEMENTS, and then com mcnced
bis sermon icl. He had been speak ng about ten
minutes when no perceived that there was com