The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-07
A FATAL CRASH Al A CHURCH.
A PLATFORM COLLAPsEs AT THE
LAYING OF THE CORNER STONE.

Three Hundred Persons Carried
Down Into the Basement-A Child
Killed Outright and Ten or More
Persons Fatally Injurc,I-A Dozen
Others suffer Broken Limbs and
Other Severe InjurIes-SeveraI Min
utes EIapse before the Rescuers
Could Do Effective Work.
Lorraine. o.. Oct. GA frightful acci-
dent attended the laying of the corner
stone for the new ST. Mary's Catholic
church in this city this morning.
The foundation for the building extend
ed about ten feet above the basement
bottom, and on this was erected a plat
form where the ceremonies were being
held. over 1000 persons were standing
on the door when a section of it, contain
ing about 800 people. sank beneath its
burden and precipitated them into the
pit. The section which gave way was in
two wings, and as it sank, it formed
death trap for the people from which
there was no chance for escape. The pit
resembled an inverted roof of very steep
slant, the ends being closed up by stone
walls and into this were crowded men,
women and children in one struggling
heap.
AS the floor gave way. a great cry went
up from the multitude, but in another
second it had fallen and carried in its
rum the hVes OF several persons; Ihose
at the top of the mass escaped easily
but when the pit was partly empued
those victims still entrapped could not
Chamber up the steep sides, ana they
trampled each other like so many wild
creatures, the strong getting on top ana
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 per-
sons in the pit, and several minutes elaps-
ed before ropes and ladders could be pro-
cured. When assistance finally reached
the unfortunate victims, several had al
ready been fatally injured.
The old Catholic church nearby was
turned into hospital and morgue. Into
this was carried those who were killed and
injured. Notwithstanding the shock OF
the accident the priests succeeded in
quieting the crowd and continued serv-
ices. Very Rev Mgr, Bon of Cleveland
The contractors are said to be responsi-
BILE for the accident, poor timbers being
used for the support OF the platform. The
mayor and other city omclals lent help
ing hand in caring for the injured. The
town tonight is in deep mourning over
the accident.
Following is a list of the casualties:
Killed--Rosa MCGEE, aged years.
Injured
Katie Griffin, years old. of Lorraine, in
jured in ternally.
Mrs Mary McGrath of Lorraine, left leg
crushed and injured internally.
Mrs John Ensten, an aged lady of Lo-
raine, left leg crushed, chest injured.
Mrs Cornelius Sullivan of Lorraine,
spine injured left leg crushed.
Mary Sieder an aged lady of Lorraine,
chest crushed and hurt internaiiy ta.ala.lla-l
Mrs Mike Keeling of Lorraine injured in
ternally.
John Feldkamp of Lorraine. hurt in
Miss Kate Deidrick of Sheffield, both
legs broken and hurt internally.
Mrs. Margaret Mackert of Lorraine, hurt
internally.
Nicholas Wagner of Elyria, skull frac-
tured.
All the above are probably fatally in
jured
Among the less seriously injured are:
Nellie Dodd of Lorraine. head cut
Leo Theobald, years old, back of head
cut.
Col w. I. Brown of Lorraine, right arm
and left leg bruised.
Mrs. John Fox of Sheffield, both legs
broken.
Mrs. William Burgett of Lorraine, hurt
internally.
Mrs. Mary Latimer of Carlisle Center,
right leg crushed.
Mrs. Mary O'Keefe of Lorraine, hurt in
ternally.
John Martin of Lorraine, left leg broken.
John EnSten of Lorraine, back hurt.
Mrs. l. NJ. Bruce of HOganville, left
ankle broken.
William Ryan of Lorraine right leg
broken.
Mrs. O'Keefe of Lorraine, left leg crushed
VIII have to amputated.