The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-10-07
IT FORMED A DEATH TRAP
FEARFUL DISASTER TOOK PLACE AT
 CORNER STONE LAYING.

Three Hundred People Who Were on n Platform Were Piled Into Heap by the
 Structure Giving way-LittIe Aid Gould
 be Rendered to Those Imprisoned in the
 Mass of Timbecs-Church Turned Unto i, Hospital.
 Lorraine, O., Oct. GA frightful ac | cident attended the laying of the cor
 her stone of the new St. Mary's Catho-
 lie church in this city this morning. Five thousand people were gathered
 around the ground for the new struct-
 ure and the priests were about to begin
 the services. The foundation for the building extended about ten feet above the basement bottom and on this was erected platform, where the cere- | monies were to be held. Over 1000 per- sons were standing on this platform, when section of it, containing about
 300 persons. sank beneath its burden
 and precipitated them into the excaya- tion. The section which gave way was | in two wings and as it sank it formed
 a death trap for the people, from which I there was no escape.
 | The pit resembled an inverted roof of steep slant, the ends being closed up | by stone walls and into this were crowded men, women and children in
 one struggling heap.
 l As the floor gave way great cry went up from the multitude. Those | at the top of the mass escaped easily, l but when the pit was partly emptied those victims still entrapped could not chamber up the steep sides and they | trampled each other like so many wild ! creatures, the strong gettitng on top and the weak being crushed beneath the great weight. Although there were a thousand people ready to rush to the rescue they could render very little aid | to the helpless persons in the pit and several minutes elapsed before ropes
 and ladders could be procured. When i assistance finally reached the unfortu-
 nate victims several had already been trampled to death and others were fa- 1 tally injured.
 l The old church near by was turned l into a hospital and morgue. Into this were carried those who were killed 1 and injured. Notwithstanding the
 shock of the accident the priests sue I ceeded in quieting the crowd and con- l tinued the services. Very Rev. Monsig- nor Boff of Cleveland delivered the. ser | mon.
 | The contractors are said to be respon- Isibe for the accident, poor timbers be- l ing used for the support of the plat
 form The mayor and other city off, l cials lent helping hand in caring for T the injured The town tonight is in I deep mourning over the accident.
 The following were fatally injured: Rosa Magee aged three, skull fractur- ed; Katie Griffin, aged eight, internal linjury; Mrs. Mary McGrath, leg crushed. l internal injury; Mrs. John Ensten, an aged lady leg crushed, chest injured; Mrs Cornelius Sullivan, spine injured, leg crusher; Mary Sieder, aged lady, chest crushed hurt internally: Mrs. Michael Kelling, injured internally;
 John Feldkamp, hurt internally; Mrs. Kate Deidrich legs broken, hurt inter- lnally; Mrs. Margaret Mackert, hurt in- formally; Nicholas Wagner, skull frac- \ tured.
 The following were seriously injured. Nelle DoHdfu, Hedu cut, Leo IHeoDilQ, laged three, head cut; Colonel w. I.
 Brown arm and leg bruised; Mrs. John Fox, legs broken; Mrs. William Burgett, hurt internally; Mrs. Mary Latimer, leg Icrushed; Mrs. Mary O'Keefe, hurt in- ternally; John Martin leg broken; John Ensten, back hurt Mrs. I. M. Bruce, an-
 kle broken; William Ryan, leg broken;
 Mrs O'Keefe, leg crushed, will have to
 be amputated.