Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-10
a FATAL DISASTER.
A Church Wall ralls-five Killed and
Several Wounded.
,Py telegraph 10 tho Disoa,ch.l


Nrw York, January Am appalling
disaster occurred in Brooklyn this morn
inc. Tho heavy winds Of last night shook
the new PRESBYTERIAN church at 296 Throop
avenue 10 its foundation and at 4;3O rus
morninc one OF the walls fell with a crash
on a threc-storv frame building ADJOINING
and brought with IL death aud destrucuon.
The ruined bu lding was tenaDted ny the
Mott and Purdy families. They numbered
nina persons Five of them ore reported
dead. Two were carried out OF the runs
SO seriously Injured that their death IT, only
a question OF few hours. The following IS
a list OF those reported dead David Purdy,
aged fourteen; Caroline Purdy, agec SIX
teen MARY Purdy. aged eighteen; Mrs;
Caroline Mott. aged seventv-hycc, ana
Sarah Mott. eyed torty-nye. Inc IN
iured are: Emma J. Purdy, aged forty;
Robert Poole. aged siXty-three, and Dr.
Lewis T. foote. the pastor. The tenants
in the little frame house adjoining were
alarmed last night by the manner n wnlch
the church walls shook and ratified. Their
own dwelling was considerably shaken ana
il was with fear and trembling that they
retired. Twice during the night some OF
the inmates were aroused by the roaring
wind, hut every one was in bed and asleep
when the disaster occurred TINS morning.
Tire heavy BRICK wall Of the church
4
heap that broke through the cookie
shell structure adjoining like batter
ingram. The dwelling seemed to part in
two. and instantly the shricks and groars
of the injured startled the residents Tor
blocks. The noise Of the falling wall at
tracted the attention Of policeman; ana
he sent in fre-alarm and summoned the
reserve from the police station near at
hand. A greQt crowd gathered, gazing
blankly at the ruined dwelling and shat
tered church. The house had been torn IN
such a manner that the bedroom WAS eX-
posed and in bed, within plain view OF
those in the street. lay the dcad body on
Miss Mary Purdy, borne down beneath the
mass of d'b,iS. The fearful spectacle
seemed TO stun those who witnessed 1t, ana
for a few moments nothing was done 10
render assistance TO those within. Then
the police and Gremen arrived and started
in 10 the rcscue. They first found Mrs.
Emma Purdy lying beneath q mass OF tim
bers and bricks so seriously injured that
ehe could not speak or move. even when they
had carried her ont Of the charDcl house INTO
the street Robert Poole was the next one
found alive. He Is also 50 seriously injured
that no hope Is entertained of has recovery.
As far as known ~ this writing none OF the
inmates Of the house escaped death or III
iurv. Tie crowd about the scene numbers
several thousand, and the search Tor the
bodies is beng hurried on. Miss Mary
Purdy's BODY, crushed and mangled IN
fearful way. was brought out and laid on
the sidewalk under the blankets in which
she slept last night She was beautiful
young woman
Later intelligence gives the casualties at
tho Brooklyn church disaster to-day as
follows:
Killed-David Purdy. aged sixteen years.
and Marie purdy. AGED fifteen years.
injured Mrs Purdy, Mrs Sarah DeMoit,
Miss Carrie Purdy. aged nineteen years.
and Richard Poole. aged seven years.