The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-04-22

NEw YORx, April 2l.-lO;SO P. MA
serious disaster has occurred at Madison
Square Garden. A dispatch received al
the police headquarters says the Western
or Madison avenue end OF the building
fell in. The police, fremen and ambu'
lance corps are at work removing the de-
bris and taking out the injured. The fair
in the aid Of the Hahnemsnn Hospital was
in progress at the time. A large number
Of people have been carried out Of the
building. The neighborhood is thronged
with excited people.
LATER.
An accident OF a fatal character, and
which caused intense excitement occurred
at Madison Square Garden tonight. The
Hahnemsnn Hospital fair, which opened
a week ago, was in progress, and there
were about eight hundred people in the
building. At half.past nine o'clock the
front OF the building facing on Madison
avenue gave way, The wall falling out
wards. Part OF the roof also fell in with
crash. This portion Of the building was
used as the dancing hall and picture gal.
lery Of the fair. Il Is not at this time
known how many persons were killed.
There has been but one lady taken out OF
the debris dead, and one wounded. Two
horses in the street were instantly killed,
and one so badly injured that it had to be
shot. Several hack drivers were injured.
Commissioner German, large detatch-
ment OF the fire department and police
were promptly on the spot.
Mrs. Hegemann, who was in the art gal
lery, was killed instantly, and three others
wounded.
Rumor gives the injured on the street
at from six TO twelve. The killed and
wounded will number at least ten. The
killed already found number, three and
the wounded seven.
Mrs. W. A. Ogden Hegemann, prom
inent lady manager OF the fair, and wife
Of one OF the directors OF the U. S. Life
Insurance Company, was the first person
taken out OF the debris. She was sup
posed to be dead, but some signs OF life
being discovered she was taken to Bellevue
Hospital.
WIN. F. Tylestone, OF New York, had
leg broken, and Mrs. James Smith, OF
Flushing, an arm broken and other in
juries.
The part OF the building which fell was
mainly occupied as an art gallery. The
pictures were loaned and were insured
Tor Sl50,000 against fire alone, but so far
as known not against other accidents. It
Is likely the piGtures are SO much injured
as to be almost worthless.
THE scESE OF THE DISASTER.
An alarm went through the city shortly
before lOo'clock tonight that the roof OF
Madison Square Garden had fallen in, and
several persons had been killed or injured
by the accident. 1t was soon learned that
the wall fronting on Madison avenue,
which is the front part OF the Garden, had
fallen outward, covering several persons
on the sidewalk. A part OF the roof had
also fallen in, buryinE beneath 1t num-
Der Of persons.
The garden was crowded tonight with
visitors OF the grand fair in the aid oLthe
Hahnemann Hospital. The fair had al.
ready been in progress several days, and
the building was filled with costly works
Of art and with articles Of various sorts
which had been donated for sale. The
front part OF the garden, where the acci.
dent occurred, had been greatly changed
in appearance on account OF the fair. A
space more than fifty feet in width had
been partilioned of, and by the means OF
floor had been made into two stories, the
lower one being used for Offices, reception
hall aud restaurant, and the upper story
for dining hall and art gallery.
The cause OF the accident was supposed
to be the pressure OF the floor Of the dan.
cling hall and art gallery upon the wall
which supported il. Both these rooms
were filed with people at an early hour
this evening. Suddenly 1t was noticed
that
THE FLOOR or THR ART GALLERY WAS
CRACKING,
and Albert Mckay, manager Of the fair,
was summoned to the place. BE mounted
the stairs leading to the art gallery and
noticed that the room was filled with
ladies and gentlemen. Detective Tilly,
who had been employed to watch the
valuable pictures in the room, informed
him that the walls were cracking in some
places and that there was danger Of the
floor giving way.
Mckay sent man to turn of the gas
in that part OF the building, aud called
out TO persons near him to leave the gal
lery as quickly as possible. His manner
OF speaking caused most Of the persons in
the room TO step out on the broad landing
which oyerlooks the main part OF the
garden. The dancing hall on the same
floor was still full Of people, and, before
they could be warned ot the approaching
danger, succession Of loud reports were
heard, and the front wall suddenly fell
out into the street; large part Of the roof
which had been supported by the wall
Immediately fell in upon the heads ol
the frightened dancers, buryiDg many oi
them out Of sight
scsEANs AND aRoASs WERE HEARD on
EVERY SIDE,
aud panic followed a moment after the
accident. The floor OF the dancing room
settled, and there was q general stampede
out upon the landing and down the stair,
case to the main part OF the Garden
Those who were out OF danger when the
roof fell rushed forward toward the front
OF the building and seriously impeded
those who were trying to escape. Outside
OF the building the widest excitement
prevailed, and the streets were soon filled
with excited people, eagerly inquiring the
extent Of the disaster.
Is was some time before II could bt
learned how many persons had been in.
jured. A large police force soon cleared
the street In front Of the garden. Alarms
] = n l.. 4,