New-York tribune., 1879-03-13
A SCENE OF WILD EXCITEMENT.


Ennis bringing up the rear.
A SCENE OF WILD EXCITEMENT.
TIE FALLING OF A PORTION OF THE GALLERY IN
JURES SEVERAL PERSONS, THREE sEvERELY-A
NARROW ESCAPE FROM DISASTROUS PANIC
INCIDENTS OF THE ACCIDENT-LIsT OF THE IN
JURED.
The interest in the great walking match at Gill
mores Garden, which has outrun all expectations,
was heightened yesterday by several startling incl
dents The news of O'Leary's withdrawal from
the contest was known outside of the Garden and
down town almost as soon as it TO the eye-wit-
nesses of the walking. With this an
nouncement the interest In the match In
creased rather than lessened. and early IN
the evening noisy and excited crowds were
gathered in the vicinity of the Garden, eager to
see the three remaining men who were testing their
endurance. At 1880 there was a line of strug-
Cling men reaching from the ticket Office on
Madison-ave. along Twcnty-sixih-st., around the
building nearly to Fourth-ave. Hundreds of men
were gathered about the ticket office, trying to get
tickets without entering tue line. Spectators
reaped a rich harvest.
This constant stream of people completely filled
tbe house, and it was with much difficulty that
one could get from one place to another. The seats
ON the north side of the Garden were filled
with hundreds Of ladies and their escorts.
The contestants, at about twenty minutes past 8,
were forging about the track attended
often with wild applause, when crack,
and n moment after, a crash were heard
in the southwest of the Garden.
Every eye was immediately turned to that point,
and a terrible sight was presented. A portion OF
the balcony that was built for the AriOn ball. over
tbe priyate box of William III. Vanderbilt,
fell The scores of people who were stand
ing on it. in front of the tables that connected
with the restaurant in the were thrown head
long into the pile of broken timber below. and
bodies could be seen in al sorts of positions There
were fortunately only few persons underneath,
and these we're thrown in all directions.
The excitement that followed the accident was
intense No one could estimate the injury done to
those who had fallen, it certain for some
time whether any were killed A panic seemed TO
seize all those who were in the house. Men fled pre-
cpitately from the balcony the other side of the
entrance filing the track and rushing wildly into
the centre of the floor. The greatest excite
rnept however was in the neghborhood of
the seats occupied mainly by ladies. There were
many present. and when the crash was heard their
faces were white with terror Screams heard on
all Sides as those with cool heads tried to prevent
general rush to the open space below. The men in
front of the wOmens seats shouted frantcally for
all TO keep their places as there was no danger
The shouts, however, accompanied by wild
ceetures were mistaken in the din and
confusion for commands to come down, and
II seemed for time as though all the
seats on the north side would be broken
down in consequence Of the attempts of their
occupants TO escape. Men and women struggled
and jumped TO the ground in great confusion. and
MANY of the latter fell faintlng in the arms OF
their attendants. Through the efforts of the men.
however. those who remained were finally per-
-, ,,,afn no6
nuiet and comparative order WAS restored.
Meanwhile the scene about tho wrecked balcony
was even more exciting From the first moment of
the crash, hundreds had crowded upon the
track, and the walkers were forced to retire
for few minutes Ennis seemed to
he the coolest of the three He had just finished
mile and finding it impossible to go on, had re-
turned to his house. Hartman and Rewell walked
TO the stand occupied by the women and also re-
turned. The spectators at the east end
Of the Garden, unable to see the
extent of the accident rushed toward the scene
Some one slouted Fire" and this added
TO the excitement 1t was alleged that tins
CRY was raised by some friends of OLeary. who
wanted to break up the match in a general
ROW" in order to prevent, if possible, the other
contestants from winning the trophies. This re-
port however was generally discredited
Fircmen have been stationed at various parts OF
the building during the contest. Martin Cock OF
Engine No. 80, John Brown of Engine
No %, aud Daniel Dempsey OF Engine
No o. were standing in the vicinity OF
the accident, and Immediately began the work
of rescung the injured. Captain Williams,
who had thirty-fve on duty IN and
ahout the building, at band immediately ana
began the almost impossible task OF keeping the
crowd away from the ruius. The crowd surged
Il tIot nd
of the accident was known, thousands began
a mad rush TO get ont of the building
The crush about the door, near which
Police Commissioner Nichols standing, was ter
n5le. The managers and doorkeepers, assisted by
the police tried in VAIN to make the multitude go
ont Of the regular exit. They were pushed aside,
however and all the doors were used 10y the
frlgA,ened men and fanting women, who emerged
into the open AR only to find crowd even more
dense and excited than those inside. Ihe
news of the accident spread rapidly, ana
before many minutes the lobbies OF the
hotels i'm the vicinity were filled with men dis
cuSSng the probable extent of the accident. Ihe
extent of the damage to life was OF course M
known, and as many believed that the binding
was OH fire. great crowd soon completely block
AIDED the street near the scene.
RELIEF FOR THE INJURED.
Word was Immediately sent 10 Police Hcadquar-
ters for aulbuiances The message. however, was
misunderstood, as it was supposed that the Garden
was on fire. Ambulances were accordingly sent from
Bellevue and the New-York Hospitals, and the
wounded were taken to the former place. Three
were helped to the Twenty-ninth Precinct station
House and the rest were taken directly to Bellevue
Hos ptal The scenes as the dozens of people emerged
from amid the beams, broken tables, seats ana
branches of evergreen, were watched by