, 1885-10-10

4ATTjRDAY,.,.............OCT.8 3, 1885
ne Nilsson Reception Catastrophe In
~.stoekhOlna
NEW YoRK, Oct. LA cable spe-
eial 70 the H'orld from Stockholm,
says no event in many years has so
profoundly agltated the Venice Of
ihe north as the reception to Mme,
Nilsson, By her cOuntryulen here on
Thursday last. Since tho occurrence
Nilsson has been Aaeomplotely pros
tratod that she has been obliged to
sGnoal many aagagonentA King
Oscar, Who has taken . veEy deep in-
terest In the matter, has been active
IN extending sympathy and relief 70.
aHiicted families. So great was the
confusion following the calamity
that the Oalcials have scarcely yet
recovered from the daEed condition
produced by Its awful suddenness,
and Il Is only to-day, for the first
time, that I am enabled to cable par
ticulars with any degree Of dehniie-
nesa Owing, probably, to the tact
that Nine. Nilsson recently bought q
handsome house In London, and an
nounced hop intention OF making
her homo ln England permanently
hereafter. the great singers visit to
tho beautiful capital Of Der native
Ind was regarded as farewell one,
and the popular excltement attehd-
ing her arFivnl was intense. Crowds
oi enthusiastic countrymen well
oomed her az the railway station on
Thursday morning, and closely at
tended her carriage to the Grand ho-
iel. She gave three concerts, de-
lighting the populaee after each per-
formance by singing home ballads
IN front q the hotel. As early as 7
O'Clock IN the evening people were
streaming toward the Grand hotel,
Whea Nilsson arrived, shortly after
3 O'Clock, It ls estimated that the
mass Of people numbered 10000 per-
sons Deafening cheers greeted the
alva's arrival 10 The FaaA to reach
the principal door Of the hotel she
with didiculty managed to gain ad-
mittance at a side entrance, and was
presently bowing to probably the
largest and most excited audience
shs ever looked upon. After Nine.
NilssoA had given two songs the
crowd began to dlsperse hOmeward.
The hrst movement Of the mass
caused a frightful orush, which was
shortly intensified by the pressure
ofa pumber OF fresh arrivals on the
outskirts Of the crowd. A niscally
gang Of roughs helped to still fur
ther proelpltate the calamity by try
ing 70 work their way through the
confused and chaotic multitude.
win a rush like the Cow Of
mighty river, the excited Wass Of
people directed Itself to some newly
built houses The pavement in
front ~ the houses had heen torn up,
and the ground was strewn with
building stone, lime and sand. Just
before this uneven place was reached
mo stone pavement ended at an
abrupt descent In the grade Of the
street Here those 10 advance Of the
crowd halted an instapt, but being
pressed forward by thousands be-
hind, stumbled and fell. The crowd
sWarmed on with an entire absence
oflreQson or control, Characteristic Of
such a crowd In an emergency.
Men, Womep and children we're
Piled one upon another in one
great, crushed, bleeding, shrieking
and undlstlngulshable mass Of hu-
The horror OF the scene
was Increased by the demoniac yells
Of tho roguhs, who took advantage OF
the moment to attack and plumber
people right and left. To add to the
confusion, the only lamp that illum-
mated that part Of the street was
turned out by a boy, who saved him
self by climbing the post, while many
athers saved themselves by breaking
windows and catering the new
hoases. They were severely cut by
broken glass. When the police fnal-
" forced a passage and removed the
dead and inIured, they found that
eighteen persons had been killed in
The rush. Most Of these were wO-
men, Many people are believed to
have keen seriously injured early In
she panic by being tampled under
lha keet Of horses. A prominent
citizen was separated from his two
1aughters, aged 10 and l2 years. He
aftergayd found their bodies tramPl-
ed almost beyond reception A wO-
man excltedly searching for her
child, broke into loud cries on seeing
one Of them a corpse. It was found
.hat she had gone mad. The police,
numbering 200, were utterly power
less to prevent accident Or govern
.Ae crowd.