Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-03-21
Particulars OF the Recent Panic in n
New York Church.
NEW YORK, March Q

New YORK, March9
At the time Of the alarm last evening in
st. Francis Xavier Church, which resulted 90
disastrously, Father Langcake was preach.
ing on Hell and the Horrors of the
Damned" and perfect stiffness prevailed
Suddenly, as the preacher was picturing the
torments Of purgatory, young woman in
the northern corner of the west gallery
overcome by her feelings, tainted, ard gave
utterance to hysterical scream, startling
the worshipers, and causing them to spring h
their feet The next moment some reckless
person cried "Firern and this gave rise to a
panic. Father Langcake, who was nearing the
end OF his sermon, stopped and implored
people to keep their seats, as there was an
solutely no cause for alarm. Father Merric,
the pastor, heard screams, and rushed into
the sanctuary. He called upon the congre.
CATION to keep their seats as there was no
fire, and no cause for alarm. The sexton
also endeayored to stop the panic These
efforts were partially successful. Father
Langcake then retired TO the yestry-room
and III few moments returned attired In
his cope, and uttered the benediction, dis
| missing, the congregation, and the organ
began 20 play.
the women in the main body of the church
and in the east gallery passed out in am or
derby manner, and not a single person in the
portions OF the church last named was in
jured
The PEG pie occupying that portion of the
gallery where the comm ution had begun
and centered, lis ened To neither priest, pas
tor, sexton, bencdictiOn nor organ. They
rushed toward the exit from the gallery, and
almost crazed With fear, pushed and fought
their way into the narrow stairway IL aiding
to Sixteenth street. The stairway is but
l fg,Iyv foot do nd .tritl in,
steps of the bottom makes a sharp turn be-
fore it reaches the yestiuule. The crowd Of
maddened women rushed downstairs, and
would probably have all reached the
street in safety, but at the bend in
the stairway an aged and very stout
woman, IN her cagerness TO reach place Of
safety, fell h, adong down the stairs Be-
| fore she could regain her feet, the frantic
/ crowd, pressed on toward tie yestoule,
came upon the PROSTATE FORM and those in
| the foremost ranks fell upon her. In a mo-
/ ment the passage-way was chOked, and
/ scene of the widest confusion and intense
/ excitement ensued. The crowd in the rear
1 pressed IN with almost irresistible force,
and nothing could be done to stop Their ad-
vance The crazed women fought their way
toward the choked-up stairway trampliug
upon those who had fallen in front, and
/ crushing the life out of them. They screamed
and fought like maniac., and every effort to
hold them back so that the stairway could
/ be cleared was Of no avail.
4 Father Nhyte and several other priests,
] who were in the church parlors ut the time
/ the panic occurred, rushed round to the
\ front of the church, and, assisted by patrol
men, by main force dragged out some Of the
women who were lying on the stairs. A
number of women were then got out alive
and only slightly injured. In the struggle
for life they were almost denuded OF their
clothing, As the priests and police, aided
( by number of citizens, made their way up
! the staircase, they found lying ON the steps
/ four other women and small boy. These
were taken out to the open air, but life was
extinct. One woman, Ann Forbes, was
brought QUO alive and apparently not much
injured. she walked, with the assistance Of
policeman, TO the drug store on SIKH
avenue, near Sixteenth street, where she eX
pired in a few moments.
The assistant sexton says he distinctly
heard the cry of Fire. but did not see who
gave utteranCe to it, A gentleman standing
outside of the church informed Sergeant
Douglas he saw a man in the yUstibule OF
the church put his head inside the door and
heard him cry "Eire.'
Father Whyte and othe priests connected
with The church are of opinion that the cry
OF fire was given by one of a gang Of pick
pockets, with the intention of creating o
panic, during which time they could ply then
uetarious vocation Father Whyte says he
was in the Confessional at the time, and
when he reached the front o. the church he
was almost crushed TO death while endeayor
ing to cXtricate some of the women who
were in imminent danger Of losing their lives.
-
/ VICTOR HUGO hau something to dd
witht the stWtingot the RecBe dey DeAr
/ UoHdes. lie suggested to Buloz the
+ purchase Of periodical of that name
which had a feeble existence and but
100 subscribers. 1t was then simply
a repository for travellers tales and
tenth-rate geographical articles. Hugo
! u-r-tn y unnD1. ru1. an n.,.L-- LLlu.nnl. of