, 1877-03-12
PANIC.
The Disaster in st. xavier's
Church, New York.
a False Alarm Of Fire, and a Terrible
Rush Of Fear-Strioken
Women.
Sercn Persons Crushed TO Death In tho
Awful Melee. -.


Awful Melee. -.
Hftt rork Sun, Narth o.
There was a mission for wot1icn IN 81. Francis
Xavicr's Catholic Church In Sixteenth street
Inst evening. Ais1cs, galleries, and vcstibulo
were crowded will. women and children, md
tho church-yard and sidewalk beyond wcro
throngel with those who could not obtain
atanltng- room in the church. At 6:25 O'Clock,
when Father Langcnko was drawing near the
conclusion Of ll,s sermon, tho shrek Of a faint
Ing woman lstEactcl the attention Of the con-
gregation. The voice came from tic west gal
lery. Many persons thero seated stood UP to
see tho cause Of the trouble. 4 boys shrtll
yoico rIped out, "Firc, Fire" md in mn In
Btant
A WILD PANIC
took possession OF the gallery occupants. who
started terror-atrickcn toward the exit from
tho galcry-a narrow staircase TINT cmptictl
Into otto Of the three front exits from tho
church. Eight wooden steps lcl to tic first
floor vcstlhulc, nn,l eight stone steps thence into
tho church-yanl; but, before tho Gnllery was
cmpt!cd, ak women and one boy lay dead In tho
vcstlbulo and the yard.
Three thousand persons, so tho priests esti-
mate. were In the church, md nearly all Of
them were women. Aftar tho cry Of "Firo"
many nkosc, but Father Langcake continued
his cxhortatton. The collegiate fathers, trained
to timely mlnistratton werc out Of thar osato~
ries and into tho church before bait tho wof-
shippers knew that there WIS Danger. Tho
sound Of traupAzg feet oomina from the gallery
was fest working q phntc among thoee sitting
In tho body Of the church; but tho preacher still
talked Oh, and 1t was only when q brother priest
| Urged his closing TINT tho leBedctIon WINS pro-
| 1lounced, Dy this time half tic congregation
yero IN the a!sies, and pressing towald he
ness, nsd opened egsry sit; and ne naEroT
greater fatality than any human agency could
es9eS Rs a ad p' se rsn nS as pns
| trol'ablc; but Wide and straight steps as The
inaln cntranro wcro capable Of giving passaEo
| to tho women as fast as they came. After those
able 10 get out had reached safety. not less
than twenty-aye women wcrc left ir tho pcws,
frightened to faint1uG by the crles Of terror.
TIE SCENE ON TIN BlpEWALK
ls,s MGny T9nen nn haa
troddcn under foot by their 1ccInG follow-wor-
shippers, many Of whom never 'slnckened tllcir
spCel until they had reached their homes. Then
them shrIektng back to tho church doors.
Officers stationed at the CntTnnco sent Tor help
as soon as they saw II was needed, anl very soon
| GEIBts UOuE1uSb AuQ " E4AlQ9Ll u tHI AuttktEkls
street police wcro at tie cl.urc., door. l,efora
tlloy came the streets wcrc blocked With nu!-
titatlc, through which tllosewho sought missing
relatives could scarcely forcc way. The street,
Interested, account was takcn of tic Killed ansl
injured. Tho priests VI tho cul1ego were already
busy in rcyiyinG tho faintlng, and sendlnY homo
the wonnded who could teli thcir residences n, =
to boIlcsue Hospital, aud by Q o.elock dtibti4
lances md President Brennan. Commissioner
Coz. and nh ample corpA OK surgeons were i!!
attendance. TkicIr arrival WIS too late to f,e ot
much service to the wounded. most OF whom
had already been sent home IN carriages by tle
prlusts. Tho dcnl wcro Mt once removed to tho
Thlrttcth Street Polite Station.
| TMg 9ADDHaT bI0HTa
'scro In tho hour after tho disaster. Tho nova
sprcal! with rapIdity among the dcnfzcns Of thC
nefghbUrtug ttnenlontaluuses, whence must ot
pocs 1 ss sasa On ss at sdss sna @ tss
trcal!cs for admission 10 look for EntsslnE rcla
tlyes. All such applicants wcre admitted. Foni
Of tile dead we're i0nnd In the llttfs Fcstibult
Tho other three wcro In tho chureh-yard At tils
foot Of tho steps leading out of thu vcetibIlo
Tho cntirs loss Of life occurred among those it
the gallery In whicl, the panic originated. -,
Incident In St. Anlrew'A last ycas, tho scxtot
Inns hali or.lcrH to lIava some one always stand
tug, kcys In hand, ncar tho doors. Clancy wa
50 standing, aud ct the h1st r. slEn M 81 DANCE y.
wayfly. Thn raric being IN thu wcst gallery h,
/ ,ynpt fhtther arl cntlraynred To bta tho lid,
Of nanIc.strickct1 women, Ono wolnan fell Of
Tho tlrst landiur, and those behind ller enlcav
trctj Ia hold her tack, but wcro irrcsistibl
nresscd forward, as Clancy tried to nulct TIL
rnnIo by words. but the women could lcnr o
ihink al notLt1ir in thclr fright, After the raj
icry hn,l Gccn cicarcd hp helped to curry tn
dead out Of tho vostlbulc. EyorythlnE TIM
cOuld bu done wns dopp to revive them.
An xYr.wlrNxys
giyes tho following account; ~ saw men
} Women, and children rushing by scores from I'll,
n simgie person coming from tue e1it towar,
slxttt avenue, There, I,,ckcii like sar1itnes III
box, higher than d tail mans hcad, wcro wotnc
and rhiItirgn in t]p attitullcs in which they La