The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-27
THE TIvOLI DISASTER.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS OF THE
TERRsBLx AFFAIR.
Heart.Rending scenes and Incidents
Heroes Of the Hour-The state
ments Of various Wit
ucsscs, &c.

ueoscSs &C.
The Baltimore papers have been hhed
with details of the recent terrible acci-
dent at Tivoli by which over seventy per-
sons were drowned. The disaster, as stat,
ed in our telegraphic columns, was caused
by the giving away OF wharf. we sup
niement our account with the following
from the american:
THE SCENE At TIvoII.
Yesterday morning the american TOTO IN
considerable detail the story OF the scenes
wt Tiyoli on Monday night. - WISH
could forget them" said one OF tne eye
witnesses yesterday. "That tcrrloic PIC
t,irc has been before my eyes all day. ~
seems impossible TO hide 1t from me. 4
hear the groans and shrieks Of women, the
cries OF children, and the shouts OF men
constantly ringing in my ears. see that
horrible picture OF two hundred men ana
women and children struggling inthe wafer
Would to God had never witnessed n!
al was standing near the outer gave
when the barge came down on its last trip.
] was In hurry TO go home. as IL was get.
ting very late, and made up my mind to get
m the Cockade City as soon as i could.
when she touched the whar: | started for
her. having not more than twenty feet 10
walk. Looking behind / saw that large
crowd was coming down the wharf, some
on a run. others walking very rapidly
mothers leading children along by the hand
or carrying their babes on their breasts. l
was lust stepping on the gang-plank when
heard woman's scream, then hundred
more. and then came the crash. In an In
slant two hundred people were strug-
CLING i'm the water. There was rush
from the barge, rush from up the
wharf, and q cry OF terror from every
side, They were dazed for moment, and
seemed not TO know what to do. On went
INV coat. and into the water went, deter
mined TO do my best to save AT least one
life. Very soon chairs, stools, ana Few
life-prescryers were thrown IN among the
struggling people, but the chars ana STOOLS
were carelessly thrown, and many were
hurt by them. 1t was pretty dark, although
there were some lanterns on the wharf and
lights on the barge. Many of the women
and girls were in white, and their bodies
in the water seemed like spectres. How
long the struggle lasted / cannot tell you.
1t seemed to me like an age. 1t probably
was not more than five minutes"
HEROES OF THE HOUR.
One OF the bravest heroes OF the disaster
was Herman Walters. He saved fifteen
grown persons and three children. He is
n young man about twenty-five Years old,
rather stout. with full, smooth, swarthy
features and dark hair. When seen by
reporter Tuesday he wore blue shirt and
dark trowsers. He had on the same outfit
Monday night. 1t was very hard to get
him to talk. The story OF his efforts is
fhrillngly interesting. When the bridge
fell he was thirty-ive feet away from the
place OF the accident. The shouts Of the
unfortunate men and women as they sank
in the water struck terror to every breast.
The crowd on the portion OF the bridge yet
unframed rushed towards shore. Young
Walters pushed forward to the edge.
"For Heavens sake save me-" cried a
young lady, dressed in brown.
"Here. sit on my body while lean over
and pull this Young lady out" said Wal
tiers to young man standing near.
Walters laid down. The man sat on his
legs. Walters leaned over. He grabbed
the lady and had pulled her nearly on the
bridge when the man jumped up. Wal
tiers lost his balance, and both he and the
young lady fell heavily together to the bot
tom. The lady at once chung frantically
around his neck and rendered him help
less. He tried to get away, but could not.
They sank, and, coming up again, sank
the second time. 1t was life to one or death
to both. He caught his teeth in her arm
and bit It severely. She let 60 and disap-
peared. She was drowned. He was
dragged out almost exhausted. He soon,
however, went again to work, and soon
had pulled five ladies from watery death.
An old lady was struggling on log. He
went TO her assistance. Just as he laid her
IL Will
reward YOU for this" Without speaking
another word, and at the next instant, she
dropped dead The struggle and excite
mcnt had been too much for her system.
Walters rescued an elderly woman. She
implored him to save her boy. Presently
he heard little fellow, who was floating
on board, say "Mister, please cit me
out OF this" He diyed from the wharf,
took hold of the boy and swan back, land
ing him safely. The little fellows first
words were:
Where's mother!"
els this herl' said Walters, pointing to
the lady whom he had saved, and who
stood with her face buried in her hands.
The mother looked up. saw her son, and
they were soon clasped in each others
arms. Walters worked like Trojan. lie
pulled people from the water to the bridge.
Numbers OF times he dived into the river
for struggling unfortunates. All three OF
the children were saved by swimming
after them. {" 1t was the most terrible
sight ever saw" said he; 81 wouldn't
20 through il again for the whole OF Bal
timore. The people acted like towards
They ran away and left the men and wo.
men there to drown like rats. II there'd
been three or four more good swimmers
there one hall OF them rs was drowned
would have been saved" OF the eighteen
saved by Walters the majority Of then
were ladies.
AZ saw. Herman" said one OF his com
rades. as the interview concluded, 81
guess they'll give you medal for that
al don't want no medal" he replied, -
only done my duty, and would do the sam
thing again."
MR.. WILLIAM NEwMAN's STORY.
.sMyself and four children" said Mr.
WILTON Newman, severe in the crowd O
one hundred and fifty people who went OF
the outer platform when the Cockade Cit,
arrived. As soon as the gate was shut tn,
crowd began to accumulate on the pier
All at once l heard an awful crash, fol
lowed by heart-piercing screams and SUP
plications Of mercy. Without hesitating
at once hurried my children on the boat
Then l Joined In the excitement. Tn,
scene was terrible. The CONSERVATION wa.
30 great that everybody lost their heads
From the boat stoels, lines. hooks, gates
ana settees were thrown. saw young
lady swimming near the boat. Some one
threw overheard settee. II struck her
on the head, and she disappeared to rise
no moro except as q corpse. saw num-
Der OF people who Were struck by these
missiles so iniudiciously thrown. saw a
man who had nearly rescued a lady caught
TWO other women. lie struggled TO free
hanscu, out with no success; all four were