The Morning herald., 1877-03-10
CHURCH PANIC IN NEW YORK
List of the Killed and,Wounded.

NEW YORK, March 9.-The names and
ages of the killed in st. Francis Xaviers's
Church last night are as follows Mary
Casey, aged sixteen years; Mrs Ann Spcn-
cer,aged thir ry-nine; her son, Michael Spen-
Ger, aged six years; Mary Coughlan, sixty
eight years; Elizabeth Masterson, forty-tive
years; Ann Forbes, forty years; an unknown
woman, about twenty-five years of age;
Ellen Rooney, Mary Murphy, Mary shey,
and Eliza Cunningham, were injured and
taken home.
A number of other women and children
names unknown, were bruised and hurt.
but were helped home by their friends.
The body of the unknown woman has
been removed to the Morguc.
FATHEB LANGCAKE's STORY.
Father Langcake gave the following
story : had begun last Sunday to give a
"rctreat" or series of spiritual exercises to
the women of the parish and the exercises
were to finish TO morrow evening. The
subject l was discussing this evening was
"Hell," and in my remarks ! strove to
impress my hearers with q fear Of offending
God by picturing to them the horrors OF
the damned. It was near the close Of my
sermon, when woman who, as | believe,
was in the gallery, fell into Mysteries ard
began to scream. There was momcntary
silence at first, when somebody cried "firc"
A few persons repeated the cry, and then
general flight began. From the galleries,
which were dens@ly packed, the occupants
rushed to the doors, all in state OF the
| most uncomfortable excitement. The
women in the body Of the church W. re more
calm, and, though unable to see what to
do still did not act with as much excite
ment rs the people in the galleries. l cal
| led out to them to be calm, that there was
| no fire, but my exortations were but slight
| Nv needed. It was then / descended from
the pulpit. A moment aftcer Father Mer-
rick appeared on the altar, ard again ex-
hortcd the people to be quiet, and he called
on the choir to 90 on, as there would be
benediction.
The orgauist obcycd and began to play
the 0 Salutaris, and shortly after the Tan
tum Ergo, anl the services went on, the
people having become quiet in the mean
while, ard when the services were over
they quietly left the church. st. Francis
| NaVlcr>6 Cnurcn runs nOrtu anu sOuLu, dNu
two side galleries extend the entire length
of the church. These as well as the body
were both crowded last night, with women
and children. Suddenly, little before 8
o'clock, woman sitting in the western
gallery was attacked with Mysteries, and
became frantic, screaming at the top Of her
voice, and throwing her arms wildly about
her. II was this that caused the cry of fire
to be raised, and the consequent rush for
the door. The priests strove to quiet them.
and succeeded so far that they remained
standing unit! the blessing was pronounced.
The women in the western gallery how-
ever: were beyond control, and the panic
soon became SD general that nothing could
stop the rush down stairs, ap0 soon the
shrieks Of pain were husbed by the death
OF the victims.
Ranged in a row on The floor Of the STA
ton house, The bodies Of the victims did
not show many siGns Of mn'ilation, or even
0. serious bruises, and il was the belief OF
many phyaiciADs who We're called in, that
they died from the effects Of suhOcation
and fright.