Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-10-09
AN AWFUL CRASH.
The Floor of a Crowded Reading
Church Suddenly Gives Way.
A LONG LIST OF INJURED.
More Than n Hundred Hurt More or Less
seriousIy-The Escape from Instant :
Death by Many Was Al
most Miraculous.

READING, Pa, Oct. 0.--Up to midnight lasi
night none OF the persons injured by the CIV
ing way of the floor of ST. Mary's Cathohc
church on Sunday had died, but six or sever
Of them were in very critical condition IL
seems almost miraculous that there were nc
deaths on the spot. Archbishop Ryan and
the officiating priests escaped uninjured
The archbishop had come on from Phila
delphia TO conduct the ceremonies incident tC
the LAYING of the corner stone of the church.
The day was clear and sunny, and all the
Catholic societies of the city, together with
visiting societies from Lancaster, Lebanon
Shenandoah and Harrisburg, paraded through
the streets with three bands of music.
At 4:20 o'clock in the afternoon, when
Father Libicld arose to begin the sacred pro
ceedings, there were 1900 people present
Most Of them were gathered In the open all
outside the church foundations, but 900 men,
women and children were standing ON tenn.
porary flooring raised on wooden Joists
Archbishop Ryan and a group OF priests oc'
cupied a little space at the rear OF thu
flooring
Father Libicki had hardly opened his lips
when that part of the board surface ON which
the audience within the foundation was gath
cred gave way with crash, and at least pc
people were carried down into the basement,
fifteen feet below. One of the walls separat.
ing the support Of the joists had fallen. There
was rush of people to relieve the injured.
whose cries filed the air.
More than hundred were taken out of the
basement with broken limbs, cuts, bruises
and other hurts. Physicians were busy fol
hours mending fractures, and all the hospita'
resources Of Reading were brought into re
A in iTY-a
were the following:
August Helfrich, breast bone crushed in
stomach and abdomen injured, shoulder
blade dislocated and wrist broken Mrs
Muscowivtch, collar bone fractured; Richard
Stanton, kneecap severely injured; Patrick
Mcdowell, leg broken Ambrose Lennig, left
hip and spine injured; Catherine Broadtman
internally injured; Philip Francisco, fracture
of left leg; Joseph Martin, left leg broken; Johr
T. Smith, injured internally; Mr.. Saul, leg
broken; John Rotz, ankle broken; Lewis T.
Reisinger, injured internally and cut in the
head; Eva Shade, leg broken and injured in
ternally; John d. Bissinger, injured inter
nally; Josephine Brisse, painful injury Il
spine; Mrs. Joseph Boyer, limbs severely in
iured Samuel Breidigam, leg broken
George Sehl, fracture of left leg; Mayor
James r. Kenney, severe sprain of his ankles
Frederick Doel, sprain and confusion of right
foot, hip joint and left shoulder blade; Mrs
Frederick Doel, internal injuries of chest ant
abdomen, lower teeth shattered and hil
crushed, and left ankle bruised and spraincd
Miss Morning. several ribs fractured; AaroI
Yellis, injured internally; John A. Niedort
leg broken; John Felix, severely injured: 10
sephine Heine, compound fracture of boil
bones below one knee; a stranger, who re
fused TO give his name, knee cal
broken; George Seigfried, leg bro
ken; Henry Harp, back believed to be broken
Mrs. Andrew Klusewitz, ankle broken
Cavine Kelley, internal injuries; Henry ID
Staplcton, leg broken and badly bruised
Mr.. and Mrs. Peterborn, both injured inter
nally; Polish woman, name unknown, RICH
arm and three ribs broken; John Scheid, lie,
must be amputated; Valentine Scheid, leg
broken; A. Z. Kershner, internally injure,
and severely bruised.