Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-04
DEATH AT A FETE.
Gayety in a Moment Turned to
Horror.
A CLUBHOUSE BALCONY GIVES WAY

Forty Men and Women Go Down with 1t
Eternity-Fifteen Others Get of with
More Less Serious Hurts, Eight of
Whom Are Severely Wounded-Casu-
atty List.
Boston, Aug. A fatal accident oc-
Cured at the boat house of the Chelsea
Yacht club on Broadway, near the bridge
over the Mystic river, which changed
night of gayety and enjoyment to one of
mourning. -Four persons are dead, while
some fifteen or more are injured to a
greater or less extent The club was hav-
ing a concert and illumination at its
quarters in honor of the ladies, many of
whom were present from Chelsea and
neighboring places. All had proceeded
pleasantly until shortly before O'Clock
when one of the balconies gave way sud-
senly and most of its occupants were
scribable confusion.
Crowded Out on the Balcony.
No one is known to have beer drowned,
although it is possible that some may have
fallen from the float INTO the water and
been lost. The balcony gave way near the
center, the bottom sloping in either direc
ton and slightly outward, forming a sort
of chute through which nearly forty of
the occupants were precipitated to the
floor, some thirty-five feet below. The
band had just stopped playing and the sig
nal had been given from the commodores
flagship to illuminate. Every one was
anxious to see the spectacle and the 115
or 200 people on the upper floor of the
house crowded out upon or toward the
upper balcony. The weight was too much
for the weak supports of the balcony and
they gave way with crash.
Death of the Band Leader.
J. p. Warren, the band leader, was the
first one to fall, and he was instantly
killed, striking on his head. Then, as de-
scribed by an eyewitness, the flooring
boards kept gradually giving way, and
one after another shrieking men and
women were precipitated through the
ragged opening. The scenes were indie
scribable, and everything was in terrible
confusion. One man alone was in the
lower balcony, but managed to keep Gear
of the mass of falling humanity, and es-
cared uninjured. A cry of fire was raised,
and an alarm sounded from the nearest
box, summoning the fire department, the
members of which did excellent work in
caring for the dead and injured.
Piled in Struggling Mass.
Nearly two score people were thrown
from the balcony by the accident and
piled in struggling and confused mass
on the float. Many believed their injuries
to be far more SCI ious than they proved to
be later, and it was a long time before it
could be definitely ascertained how many
were killed. The list as finally made up
contains four names. Three or four of the
injured are seriously hurt, while the re-
mainder have only bruises and flesh
wounds.
Record of the Casualties.
The list of casualties is as follows: Killed
j. p. Warren, band leader, 139 Pearl
street, Chelsea; A. L. Pemberton, musician,
Belmont street, Melrose; Mrs. August p.
Schuman, II George street, Chelsea; Mrs.
A. 2, Putnam, Chelsea.
Those most severely injured-NIrs. Mary
Van Worst, Of Revere, badly bruised
about the body; Miss Sadie Davis, Chel-
sea- depressed fracture of the skull; Mrs,
f. j. Lynde, Chelsea, badly wrenched and
bruised Thomas Mitten, musician, Cam
bridge, compound fracture of the arm;
Miss Eva Winott, badly bruised about the
body; Charles H. Foye, of Chelsea, leg
sprained and face badly bruised; Miss An
ME Farley, Chelsea, feet crushed; James
Mccarthy, internal injuries. The more
seriously injured were taken to the hos
pital, while many were able to so to their
homes nnaSSiSrpd