Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1883-02-24

Nxv YoRK, February 2o.-A terribl,

NEW YORK, February Z0.--A terrible
panic, resulting ia the loss OF sixteen
lives, occurred ia the sehoul presided
owe. by Sisters Of Charity and attached
to a Grra,an Catholic Church, at 3:lL
p. NJ to-day. II 10 almost impossible
to obtain accurate details. but il appears
that the panic was caused by 6rr
which started in closet containing
waste paper on the second HooT. Fiv"
hundred girls under twelve years OF age
aud 200 boys, were IN the building
when the panic occurred. The mr.
Amounted to nothing. but when hrs'
seen filled the hall and stairwsys with
smoke. Sister AprOmia, who was
about to send child home, opened the
door of her class- room, and MAS met oy
Gust ID smoke through which the
flames could be seen. Hastily shutting
the door, she ran for paid of water,
aud s,ernly commanding her pupils 10
remain quiet. She Was too late With
the water, and hurriedly marshaiiing
her pupils, marched them cut in safety.
Tie sisrw had spread through the
school, AID similar precautions were
taken in each class room. The boys IN
some Of The classes beca.ne unruly. but
were kept il check 10y great effo,t
Ext: being Impossible by the east stairs,
~ they were filled with fire and smoke,
the march was taken through the class
ROOMS on each floor Ia the west side IN
comparative order In halt a minute
aii-r the alareu had been given halt the
ehildrea acre in the street. Just at this
time the Sister in charge Of girls Glars
No 5. on the second floor, tainted.
This was the one rnishap wanting to
precirita,e panic, and, wilma wild cry
OF tear, tho seventy or eighty little girls
thus lett without leader rushed
through the door into the already
ded hallway, throwing the throng
there into confusion. Shrieking, the
children crowded, rolled aud fe.l down
the stairs together. The foremost and
the weak fell or were pushed down and
lrampl,d On. Others struggling over
them formed an iInpassable barrier on
the stairs. From The street Policeman
Henry Schweak, who was on duty at
the school but had gone into the church,
rushed in with citizens aud fremen.
The heAviug, struggling mass on the
stairs receiving fresh additions from
above, swelled in their 81 ght. Sudden
" tn. hand rail ard board partition
guarding The stairs on the exposed side
crashed ia, aud the mass "t dead and
dying children Tell to the narrow hall
below. filling i, toar sud live deep.
A score of hands were quickly at
work pulling the children out, and as
many more by main force kept the
crowd, still coming from above, back.
The slight fire on the other side had
been promptly ex,iuguished, and many
of those still on the upper floors were
helped out that way by the bremen.
From the heap OF children in the west
hall six dead girls from seven to ten
years old We're taken out aud carried
into the church. where they were laid
in front ot the chanccl, and Intellectual
attempts to r-snscitate them were made.
Mothers. forcing their way in despite
of the large force OF police, filled the
sacred building with their pi,itul cries.
Que recognized her child, and fell upon
its body With ag"uizng shrieks. The
pnlice,ncu and grave monks who look
I'd on turned away to hide their tears.
Convey ances arriving, the bodies were
taken up bv officers and carried out
They were brought 10 the Fifth Street
Police Station. A clamoring, shiiek
ing, moaning ihrong OF women, with
uplii,ed hands and streaming eyes. sur.
rounded it, searching tor their children.
Some found those whom they sought,
and tell upon their knees in ;he snow,
and uttered thanksgiving.
Those " no could not find their little
ones followed the wagons carrying the
dead. a wailing lhrung, a terrible tuner
al cortrge In the rear room Of the
station thirteen little bodies were laid
in u row, numbered as they were laid,
with paper tickets pinned TO their
clothes Mothers searching tor their
children we're admitted one 10y one. A
shrek and htarrending means pro
claimed c'snili III ct the bodies "ne
after another. and the spectators turned
away heasisick. AS the name and age
of each child VAS taken the friends were
allowed To carry the body out through
the crowd.