New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-26
THE MADISON SQUARE DISASTER.

THE MADISON SQUARE DISAS1EB.
FuSFRAI OF MRS. IfEGEMAN-DR. POTTER'S RE-
MANIFESTATION BY THE REv. Mr.. HATFIELD
ON THE CALAMITY.
The funeral of Mrs. W. A. Ogden Hegeman, one OF
the victims of the Madison Square Garden disaster.
took place yesterday at 230 p. M. at Grace Church.
Long before the funeral procession arrived the side
aislcs of the church were filled with friends, AMI
many persons were on the outside unable to gain
admittauce On the arrival Of the remains. 2 pro
ceesOn was formed in the yestibule and the CONN
was borne up tho central aisle OF the ClllTCn' Inc
procession was led by DR.. Potter, and following the
coffin came the relatives and intimate friends OF tho
dead woman. Then came Gordon w; Burnnain anu
wife, Mrs Robert L. Stuart. Salem n. Nales ana
wife, Sinclair TOnscy, Hiram Calkinsi Mrs "
bartlett AlgcrnOn s. Sullivan and wife, o. IL
Palmer and wife, Roger II. Lyon, Clark Bell and
wife and other members Of the Executive Committee
of the Fair Association Thcrewere no pail bearers
The coffin was covered with plain black cloth. hnd
the handles and plate were OF silver protnSl0n OF
fowors i'm various designs covered tho hi from
head TO foot. The plate simply bore the name ana
date Of birth and death as follows: Anna Brhdtorn
Clark Hcgrman, born, New York, January l"ilof
died Nrw-York April ~. 1897 large floral vase,
broken columns of flowers, pillow Rnd other trlutS
were arranged the stops lending into the chancc
The services were conducted by Dr: Potter ana
were very brief. In accordance with tho known
wishes of Mrs. Hrgcrnan there was no nnslc. Atter
reading one of her lavOrite hymns tho minister
made % short address, During the course Oh rs
remarks he said " In looking through her family
Bible in which she recorded the births 81 her cidI
rem the following words, which express her ne ana
character, were found: i expect to pass through
this life Int once Ii there is amy Kindness 70 snow
or any good thing can do to my tcloW-hclngs IeT
me do il now Let me not defer at nor nogec! IT,
will not pass this WAY hut once" In referring 90
her death Dr. Potter spoke of 1T rs murder wrought
- t,r conclusion nf the services the remains
taken to Greenwood Cemetery and buried. IL,
tor S ngT Mctbodst Episcopal Church preuched
last evening before n large congregation on tue
lessons to be learned from the recent calam'ty at
Madison Square Garden" The text WAS taken from
Ecclcsln sizes tx, IL" Time and chance hapDeleJl
to all" ,, 49,, A.,
ureacer to account for whatever takes place III the
onlrs of this world. some hold that Ill talngS are
rOycrlrd by blind fate, others by chance, ana
others by inevitable physical laws: nc only
soluti ON of the great problem rs that IN tins world
WE nre governed by natural ~ well IS prnVldrntu
laws and TO these we Tc amenablH. Slhce lhc
burning OF the brooklyn Theatre there has not oc-
Cured an event in either of these two cliieS tlht
has thrown so dark shadow 0Yor tbcul as the
calamity at the Madison Square Garden on Nednes-
dgv evening last. Standing ~ near the scene OF
this terrible dsasicr, mn led to ask: What les
SONS does il teach ,
First that III this world we are constantly e%X-
po.od TO the most fearful calanlities Human life
n ever in peril The misfOrtuue5 md cataStrophes
that beinl men in this world are not TO be re-
narled as visited upon them In puhlslnent. Are
we to suppose that those whose lives were go sud
denly Terminated ut tho MADISON Sqnarc Garden
were more deserving OF death than the thousands "i
pany there last Wednesday night WAS COMPOSED oil
some OF the nOblcst Of orr citizens, who had as
semhled to aid very worthy cause. hnd I'D fhclr
efforts 10 bcirrud suffering humanity I'VE AMONG
that number forfeited their liVCs-and those five
were among tic worihicst and best of all Had
tlp accident occurred when entertainment OF
another character was hold IN chat building.
when kcarucy and his followers asSainbled
f. SOW the seeds of Communism, or
when men gathered in crowds to wit
ness great pedestrian feAts then il would have been
SAID by soulr thut - ~as judgment of Heaven.
Learn also that the majority ~ AL accidents and
caiasITophcs connected with railroads, steamboats,
aud falling buildings are the result Of either care
o5oncss or OF an open yiUatou Of certain physical
laws. When building ~ 10 br erected nnG cstl
atca are 10 Ice made upon H. usually he who agrees
In DO the work for the lowest lgurc GrS IN" l0b. II
he find, that he cant carry out the contract with
losing money, II u Slangc thIt be should d" li-
! Hurnrcd put Gt"rGut materials from those IN
the AprCitIrutsnnSY am speaking tonight 81 men.
not of angels. There may bu Il 5fIck or lumber with
"a flaw m A. the brick and mortar may Lee Of an III
fprOr quality The hrnse is finished; the Inspector
examines # : lac passes through lt-as some young
!nrn unss through COHcgr-Rud prCnouurcs u per
frri niece uf workmanship After a Whlo cracks
and seems appear the walls; the ilpDrs lremblc
some one say tn" building ~ unsafe, 10 ~ exam
inod The cracks and seams aTn plastnTrd over. anu
n r. pronounced " ali right" liut there comes a
time hen u GROW gathers IN that binding; the
ilnnrs give way; the walls q down: md Il great
calamity oCuuIo like that at MADISON Square Gar
den IN winch precious lives arr lost.
II IL Unlimited that the building III which the
calahiiy occurred was not TrganlOd as safe
How ira" this statement II 40 hO' know I'M one
Ghng do know, ans tnat -. that no niiilhilg ought
10 h.. used for private residence IN for public
pun ,rOsc regard 50 Whch there A. the slightest
susI,cluu CONCERNING IT. snfCfN. i charge UO man
with guilt IN this sad anir hut IL - hoped that the
respDoaib;luy may rest somewhere. IL IS true That
prOpl" lift Their voices AGAINST ms wrong ana th4t
men sOuld hr punished Tor violating laws IA regard
10 binding ~ m regard 60 Otncr things. large
nmnuut of properly his brcn Destroyed exquisite
paintings were blurred and ruined; IN. hopes oi
thosc vino were engaged IA that bcn"yolen; enter
urlgr ere buried.