Omaha daily bee., 1883-02-21
A Frightful Panic in a CathO-
lie School in New York City,
Seven Huudred Children Rush
Madly rhrouch Dark Halls
and Narrow Staire.
Fourtsen Little Ones Cru he'd
to Death by Their
Comrades.
Scenes in the Bulldog
The Resoue-Statemcnts Of
the Sisters,

NEW YORK, February ~. --Ihe out.
break Of fire under the stairs of the
second floor of the school house at.
tached to the German Roman Catholic
church of the Most Holy Redeemer,
Fourth street, between Avenue A and
First avenue, at a quarter past 3 this
afternoon, was the cause Of a terrible
calamity. No less than fourteen chill.
dren Lost their lives. Over 700 schol.
srs, mostly children of the poorer
classes, ranging from to IL years of
age, attended the school and were in
their class rooms when the alarm was
first raised. A fearful panic followed.
The removal of children on the fourth
floor began quiet enough, and was pro
crossing rapidly when the Sister of
Charity in charge of the class of girls
tainted. Immediately the alarmed
class became panic stricken. A rush
was made for the allway. On the
stairs, already crowded,
DEADLY CRUSH
took place. The railing of the stairs
broke and the mass OF struggling
children were precipitated to the floor
below, failing In packed mass one
upon another, fouc to five deep.
The police and firemen arrived, but
their work of rescue was much ham
pered by the frightened children con.
tinuing to fall or leap from the stair.
way, those in front being crowded over
the broken baiusirsde By children
behind still struggling to reach tho
exits. Six children were, taken out
dead fccm the bottom and eight more
died immediately on rescue, making
total of fourteen, A large number of
others, who were carried to neighbor.
ing tenements, are reported dying.
Tho excitement when the news Of the
catastaophe spread was fearful. Great
crowds of people blocked the streets
surrounding the school. Many chill.
dren, loet In the excitement, are re.
ported missing. The following is
THE LIST OF DEAD
as far as returns now chow: Minnie
lister, 9 years; Mary Harberneoht. Z;
Mary Ann Hspp, s; Minnie Trube,
IL; Josephine Msrr, 2; Mary Brecht,
s; Lena Becker, 9; Lizzie Mapetycki,
6; Theresa Kiztner, IL; Barbara
fregedezer, 8, Louisa Florence, 9;
girl apparently z, unidentified; girl
about ., unidentified, and q girl about
8, unidentified.
THE SISTERS srA7EMENT.
Sister AIromia, ysho had charge of
the fifth class of girls, said: II was
In charge of my class when the fire
frat broke out In the hallway ad Join
ing MY room. I heard com.
motion and great confusion and
hubbub of voices. At once I
turned toward the room door, then
for tho frat time discovered the smoke
coming in through the wainsooting. /
Immediately went to the door, and as
opened 1t to learn the cause of the
excitement, the flames rushed at me,
I at once closed the door and was
about to warn the children to keep
calm, when some man came bursting
Into the room. In amoment the chill
dren ran OUT at the bidding of tho
man. l followed, seeing all were es.
Gaping. Many then, however, went
to the stairs at the west eide of the
building, and were injured by falling
over tho stairs, where boys had broken
down the balusters before them.
There are about one hundred girls in
my GLASS;"
The sister in charge of the Grst di-
vision, girls department, fourth floor,
said: 81 was not aware what was go.
ing on until looked out and saw the
boys on my floor running to the west
side stairs and going wildly down. I
heard the bslusters give way, and
then was about to turn to look to my
charges,
WHEN THEY ALL AROSE,
as IL seized with one fright, dashed
past me recklessly and ran down the
stairs and Railways. 1 saw none of
my girls injured. They disappeared
30 quickly from my sight l hoped they
had all escaped in safety"
This sister appeared calm and COM
posed, and seemed to have retained
her self. possession during the trying
5 moments of her narrowing experience
The school 10 conducted by the Sis.
ters of Notre Dame. The building is
five stories high and has nine class
, rooms--seven for girls and two for
, boys. The rear of the school abuts
: the rear of the Church of the Holy
D Redeemer, which fronts on Third
t street. There are two stairways, one
on the east and the other on the west
end of the building. These stairwayl
were about three and half feet wide
opened almost at the doors of the
class rooms, but from the play-roon
in the center of the building were ap
a preached by
Il A MARROW, DARK PAssAGEwAY.
d When the girls OF the second foo
o rushed from their class rooms the,
If had hardly reached the head of tn
}, stairs whom the boys and girls fror
le the upper floors were upon them. Al
/. frantiOally fought to get down the nar
row stairways. The first were throw
hesdlong to the bottom. Then as tn
crush came from the upper floors o
the east aide of the building, the ba
10 ustrade gave way and fell and with
A. full fifty children, thrown to tho hoc
iy beneath, On these the Others fell ur
IS til they were piled up five feet high o
ut top of each other.
I'd officer Lambert, Of the society Il