Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-06-15
TWENTY-F0UR DEAD.
MOURNERS THRONG THE STREETS
OF WASHINGTON.
Sunday Day of Eunerals-The In
jurcd Victims of Fridays Collapse Now
Knownto Number 52--Survlvers Tell of
Their Fearful Experiences.

WASHINGTON, June 1.-The remains of
the dead victims OF the wreck Of Ford's
theatre Friday have nearly oil been die
posed Of Washington was to-day city
of funerals and all day long mourners have
gone about the streets.
Several Of tho victims had been members
of various military or civic organizations,
and their comrades in each case attended
funerals. The in iurei now in the hospitals
are with the exception Of two in a fair way
to recovery.
The serious cases are those of J. P. Nc
Cormick of Wisconsin and Frank Motcalf
of Massachusetts,. The formers death is
likely to occur before morning. Mr. Met
calf sustained disocated hip and was do
ing could be expected until pneumonia
| developed and tho physicians not now
able to predict the result in bis case. r. A.
Smith Of Connecticut shows an improve
| ment over yesterday.
Some Of the escapes OF clerks from the
death trap were little short Of wonderful.
James E. White of Georgia was working at
his desk on the first floor when the accident
happened.
II was sitting at my desk on the ground
foor," said Mr.. White, "about 20 feet
from the 'front.' and as near the middle of
| tho room as could get Ny first intimation
that there was anything wrong was
when | heord crash OF plaster,
and the next moment | caught a
glimpse of the ceiling falling in. After
| that all was dark. | was almost completely
covered with the rubbish and held as in q
vice. l felt as il l had entered my grave
| prematurey. / retained consciousness all
| the time, however, and made all the noise
possible. did not want to be overlooked
| when the searching party arrived. The
time remained under the ruins seemed
ages. l was pinioned by the plaster and
other debris and could not move hand or
| foot.
"When I was finally taken out of the
hole there was not an inch of my body not
| covered with bruises and scratches. | con-
slider the escape miraculous, as l was
disgonally between James II. McFall and
| j. Daley, both Of whom were killed. Di-
rectly over me were the Orders, which kept
me somewhat protected. One of these
| girders struck Daley and caused instant
death.
j. r.. Wise described the rescue Of New
ton Hammer of No. 1898 II street, n. f.,
clerk, from the building soon after the
accident:
owe were one hour digging him out.
He was under big pile Of debris which was
held down by two largo iron girders. His
head was uncovered first and after we had
cleared the dust from bis eyes and mouth he
said, family: For Gods sake hurry boys
This weight is crushing me to death.
"There was great pile OF bricks and
furniture near his head ready to topple
over. He noticed it and pleaded with us
not to let it fall on his head. 1 built wall
of bricks about his upturned face and COW
ered it over with boards. The next instant
q number of bricks fell They would have
struck him had it not been for the cover
ing. lie finally gotten out, but was
terribly injured. tie will live, but may be
a cripple for life"
| Until late Friday night workmen had
been employed in removing the tons Of loose
bricks and broken tmbers from Ford's the
atre building, ana yesterday morning the
old hulk looked less hideous than when the
scores of dead and brokon bodies were yes
terday being carried from it.
A. f. Balm of Texas had q narrow escape.
His desk on the second floor in the
front OF the building. Just before the ac-
cident he had occasion to cross the room to
consult a chart He had reached the rear
| before tho crash came aud the entire front
of the building was demolished. He had
just time to make his escape from the rear
| and then the destruction extended TO that
portion OF the roon also.
+. +. Sans lies dangerously i'll at his
home on 18th street. lie received large
cash on the back and side of his head, and
the doctors fear fever may set in. Before
being taken to his home Mr. Sans told the
story of his connection with the affair.
81 was sitting at my desk on the second
sng whatever Of the approach of danger
The first | remember after | lost track
of my work was when | awoko to
consciousness on the floor below. Through
the ruins | could family see glimmer OF
daylight at the rear of the room. | imagin-
ed | was on my own floor and started tc
look for the steps after dragging myself
from the rubbish. To my surprise | found
there were stairs to descend, and then
partially realized the extent OF the acci
dent"
On his way out Mr.. Sans, who was badly
injured, went to the aid OF fellow clerk
p. II. Pennington, and was instrumental II
eGectinc his rescue
, l.. w. Spain, n clerk on the second floor
, had stepped across from the front of tn,
room to the rear end to speak to friend
and was just about to return to his dess
when the crash came He had barely
, time to jump from tho back Of the build
ing TO the grouua before the whole door
, cayed in.
, The total number Of dead resulting from
, the collapse is now known to be "A, and in
iuro4 so tar aScer taineble, aggregates so
The hospitals report all patients doing well
Kunyan NJ. Fairies of Saratoga one of Tia
, clarks who was in the building at tho tim
Of tbs collapse, is at the hospital, but is no
dangerously hurt.
, BY O'Clock tina old clerks began to ar
: rive at the.buiidius, and each was ogain AM