The New York herald., 1877-03-17
THE PANIC VICTIMS
Inquest on the Dead Of the Crush in St.
Francis Xavier'S Church.
4 VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH.
recommendation TO Have Policemen on Duty
During Divine Service.

Deputy Coroner CushmaD, held the inquest In tho
OF tho victims Of the panic in st. Francis Xaviers
Church in Sixteenth street. the night OF Thursday,
the sth inst Tho investigation took place in tho
college building attached TO the church, No. 40 West
Fifteenth street, and the taking Of evidence began at
four O'Clock Several OF the jesuit fathers were pres
ent, and evnccd deep interest in the proceedings
The Hrst witness called was Father Langcakc, who
preached the sermon She evening of the panic. He
described the scene in tho church substantially as
pubiisbcd In the HERALD at the time On being qucs-
stoned as to the oil the panic, he said he was
decidedly of the opnion that, except some feeling
generally prevailed among portion OF the congresa-
tion that had broken out in the church, no panic
whatever would have occurred
SUPERINTENDENT ADAMS EVIDENCE.
SUPERINTENDENT Adams, of the Building Department,
was next called and testified that about two ago
the Church of ST. Francis had been examined by the
Department OF Buildings He read the inspectors re-
port giving the dimensions OF the building, number
pfpcoplc it could accommodate, and pronounced the
means OF egress amply Sufficient plan OF the church
here submitted so that the references might the
more easily be understood
Coroner Elngor-hays you examined the building
since that timcs
Mr. Adams--Not lately; but my assistant has made
IN examination tho panic, and reports that he
cannot suggest any Improvement in tho construction
or the means OF cgress.
Coroner Elngcr-Are not the stairs from the gallery
Of the class called SPIRAL and do think nesc stairs
safe OF egress in case Of 1re or Of panic
from any causoY
MIR. Adams--No; the stairs not spiral they
what called winding stairs; the question whe ther
that kind OF stairs Is as good means OF egress IRON
church or other such building Is an open one; some
prefer stars with platform on top having the steps
running straight down; as matter OF fact there
have been Of crush the platform
stairs than the winding; consider thcre Is
less danger OF n crush on the winding stairs Tor
the reason that when people rush OF a
building in state OF excitement and ieel the steps
OF stairs under their tcet and bavc 10 descend, the
feeling that they are getting away from the danger IS
Eome relief and tends 10 alay the panc in the case
OF tho platform Stars, especially II It be. dark, they
keep rushing Till they are stopped by the wall or rail
at the end OF the platform; the crowd from behind
presses them forward, their feet give way and they
fall and get crushed.
Coroner Ellinger-Did you examine tho bottom Of
the stairs and It's connection with the body OF the
church.
Mr. Adams-l did, and can point out nothing that
might DO improved; no building Is safe from panic,
and plan be devised TO put 'level hcads
people under excitement or panc the Department OF
buildings suggest improvement IN the means
ofcgrcss In this church. the general calculation mado
by architects Is eight feet OF passageway Tor 800 peo
pic fifteen inches for every additional hundred.
In reply to a question put by a juror Mr. Adams
that wider door instead OF two as at present
would not be an Improvement; five feet six inches
would be amply sufficient Tor tho exit Of 400 people,
except some fell, and IN that case wider door
would not prevent crush; he did not think a hand
Of the necessary space in long straight fights
OF stars hand rail would be Of great service.
In answer to another question he said that holding
people back from below III q panic OF that kind is
great mstake even II those IN front are convinced OF
the ooshncss OF rushing out they are pushed from
behind anu cannot stop some cool head IN the rear or
In the middle of the crowd would be of infinitely
service; one human voice appealing to the people to
be calm aud admonishng them OF the ioolishness OF
their panic would be worth all the brute force
could he used in 'front.'
THE sExroN's EVIDENCE.
vfn I'M 0fS Xavip yvng
called He testified that OF his special duties
keep order in the church during service HI has
lion OF the church A man named Mulligan one of
The ushcrs, had charge OF the galleries the night
pew from the altar. He became aware Of
tue panic instantly on its occurrence and
heard some one say there was lire. He stood
up and called 10 the people in the gallery
10 keep their Seats telling them there fire; he
made his way rs best he could to the scene Of the
crush and to work Immediately to quiet the pco-
pie; all the doors open except the middle one,
and that was only fastened with one small bolt and
cas- lis pushed ope he cou not calculate the number
OF peop,e he found tho stairs, but found them
piled one on top OF the othcr; there was jam
the bottom OF the STAIRS, and he tried to push the
people back and get up those who had fallen there
excitement OF consequence in the eastern GAL
cry this the nrst instance Of panic he had
known III the church. In answer To u question by
juror as to the hcatna OF the church. witness said
fire had been lighted that evening and that be had
no lear whatever OF iire; he ou was drsh,ened,
with people; the sergeant Of police gave him the first
Information about being killed, and he did
know who carried the bodies TO tho stabe he could
not say how many people were in the church that
night there might have been 5000 but he could not
say; on recollection, he thought Mulligan was not on
the western gallery, as he mad asked some ono to 20
with him 10 make a collection; he did not Know who
was on the western gallery.
FATHER MERRicKs STORY.
Father Merrick, j., testified that at the time the
panic occurred he was engaged hearing confessions
The basement; he heard shui ng noise overhead and
thought was panic OF some SORT but could not say
whether the thought OF IRE occurred to his mind
or not; he hurried up stairs and endeavored to aay
the panic best he could; the people in
the other parts OF the church heard what
said to them and became comparatively quiet,
but the noise was too great ut the stairs to allow Of the
people there hearing IL, and the rush could be
stopped ior the time bcing when he spoke TO the peo
pie they went out slowly and orderly and fully twenty
minutes elapsed from tho the panic started iii II
over; while occupied with one who had
tainted boy came ana told him some was dead
q stable near by, and that was the first he heard Of
any one being killed.
A WOMAN FROM THE CRUSH.
Mrs. Mary Shea testified that she the church
that night she little and stood near the
door, and many others also standing unable to
hnd seats: she heard lady near her say that some
woman had tainted; she then heard
scream, the people became excited and
those near her said that had shouted "Firc!n
those who were standing were the first TO run when
The woman faiutcd; the witness carried by the
rush, and In short time found herself her face and
hands at the bottom Of stairs, but did not know
how she got there; priest came and lifted her up.
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FIRE,
Father Pcllctier testified that he was IN his room
when the panic occurred; he heard ono down
stairs cry THERE'S a hre l'' aud he mmediatcIy went
down; hc could not get into the church because tho
crowd was rushing out, and IL was impossible the
moment. On being asked what precautions
were taken against Gre he said that Two
years ago they were notified TO have the
doors made to open the outside, and was
done within two weeks: the centre door Is eight eet
two inches and the side doors .cet two inches;
The general precautions taken against fire arc-.onc
Babcock fire cxtngusher Is kept under the altar and
two in the galleries; some arc also kept in the college
10 that they would be able to deal ciccualy with any
Hre that might break out; he had given orders To
have no fire lighted that night as tho night
and there WAS danger OF nrc whatever
pATRoLMAy's STORY
Officer w. J. Ryder testified that he was patrol at
the corner OF Eighteenth street ana Sixth avenue
about bapast eight O'Clock the night OF the pane
when a little girl ran up and told him something was
the matter 10 sixteenth street Church; hc ran down
and found a crowd outside the door halloolng
and pushing back tho people who we're
trying 10 get out; one said there tire in The
church. and the crowd were very excited; he found