The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-05
TFrom the London Times !


A correspondent who visited the scene
in the hall Immediately after the accident
at Sunderland telegrapbs: !. found laid
out five rows OF corpses, the number by
this time reaching about sixty, many hav-
ing already been removed upstairs at the
back OF the dress-clrcle. Upon the floor
at the west side OF the dress-circle was a
long row OF twenty corpses, nearly all
girls, and on the east side there were
twenty-one boys laid out dead. Judg.
ing from the appearance OF these, their
ages varied from five to thirteen. Looking
along the different rows in the hall be-
low / saw some dreadful evidences OF the
sad nature OF the event. In the first row
only two bodies, both OF girls about eight
or nine years OF age, remained, the other
children who had been deposited there
having all been identified and removed. In
the second row the first body was that OF n
little boy about six years old, his face
slightly discolored. Next tC him was q
lad whose face was terribly swollen and
blackened, and then came three girls, the
first about nine, the second about five, and
the third about seven, all bearing signs Of
sufocation. A little space, and then two
girls about eleven and six, respectively,
were placed together, the next bodies after
these being those Of two boys, one about
six and the other live years OF age.
In the third row the first was little girl
about five, then boy about six with his
hands crossed IN front, then girl OF
eleven or twelve, whose clothes and lower
garments had apparently been torn off in
the struggle that had taken place, her re-
mains being covered with brown apron.
After a short interval were three children,
two girls and n boy, OF about five or six.
Then came 4 little girl with her face dread
fully blackeDed. Her su6'erings had evi-
IDENTIFY been intense, and blood had flowed
from her left ear. Next to these, iE the
same row, were seven bodies, five boys and
two girls, all with one exception bearing
traces Of having died horrible death. The
exception referred to was boy whose
face was white and placid and very differ
ent from the swollen and darkened counte-
nances Of the bodies on each side OF him.
At the end OF the row lay girl about nine
years OF age, whose face was painfully
swollen and distorted. Many bodies had
been removed from the fourth row, but
there still remained eleven corpses, mostly
boys. One little fellow, Of five years OF
age, lying at the end, had his jacket torn
from his back, his vest was torn open in
the front, and his mouth was cut and
bleeding. Next TO him lay boy very
black, but otherwise very cOmposed-look-
ing. Then came five dead bodies
one poor boy in the group being a
dreadful picture, his face totally black,
his mouth bleeding, and his clothes
torn in the struggle. 1t must have
been dreadful death-struggle for
those poor children. II was after
ward noticed that the boy just referred
to was one OF the last four to be identified.
In the centre of the batch was an affecting
spectacle. Ii was the corpse of a little fel-
low who could not be more than four years
Of age. He had on top-coat much too
large for him, his little face was white and
almost unmarked, appearing to be simply
asleep. On close examination there was
to be seen a bruise on his right eyelid. He
looked quite composed, and did not appear
to have suffered beyond the slight bruise,
or whatever had caused the discolored eye
lid. Two others OF this group bore plain
traces on their countenances OF severe
attempt to free themselves from the deadly
crush above them.
The last Of this group was girl OF eight
or nine years OF age, whose clothes were
torn TO some extent. A short distance
further were four more bodies-three girls
and one boy, the boy being about six years
OF age and the girls evidently about five,
seven, and nine years, one OF the latter
having a blackened appearance. In the
fifth row. partly removed, were two girls
about eight years Of age, one OF whom was
in dreadful state, her knees being covered
with blood. The other one was taller
girl OF about thirteen years OF age, ana
then, after short interval, were five
bodies, all Of whom but one were
BOYS. and all of whom were more or
less blackened and discolOred. This
finished my inspection OF the sadden-
ing spectacle downstairs. During this
time-from Z to O'clock-sOme pain
full scenes took place. One woman fell
down before the PROSTATE form of her boy,
CRYING out, "My son, my son !" in loud
tones OF lamcntation. 1t was at times
heart-rending to hear the screams OF
mothers as they recognized their children
in the corpses before them. AT 7:20 O'Clock
a woman who had come into the body OF
the hall recognized her daughter, a girl
twelve or fourteen years old. She Instant
" became frightfully distracted, and for a
time had to be held by policemen and
friends, her shrieks being terrible and her
agony intense. She could scarcely be got
away from the corpse.
THE INQUEST.
IBy Associated Press.l
SUNDERLAND July AT the inquest
into the recent disaster at Victoria Hall, by
which 1S2 children lost their lives, several