Evening journal., 1896-02-29
CATASTROPHE IN A RINK
Many People Badly Hurt While
Watching a Polo Game.
ONE MAN DIED FROM HIS INJURIES.

4 Gallery Rail Gave Way and Two Hun
dred Spectators FeI Thirty Feet-But
Few Escaped Unhurt-A Serious Panic
Narrowly Averted.
FALL RIVER. Mass, Feb 29-One of
the worst accidents that has happened In
recent years occurred at the Casino. While
600 persons were hoarsey and madly
shouting in tho Polo rink where FAN
River and New Bedford were struggling
for tho supremacy, a portion Of tho cast
gallery rail gave way, and 700 boys and
mon fell to the floor beneath, distance of
80 feet.
A panic was threatened women faint
ed, and mon turned their eyes away in
horror Shouts of "Keep your seatsl'
filled the air, but the passageways were
soon ohokod with struggling masses. On
the rink surface lay the heap Of victims
AT first IL was thought that q score must
have beon killed. Efforts to keep the Gu
rious from the floor were almost unavail-
ing Portions of the gallery rail were used
TO form an inclosuro, and the work of SEQ
ing TO tho wounded began.
Out of 200 but few escaped unhurt
Twenty-Five were lying on the floor with
emergency corps of citizens and policemen
was formed. Tho injured were stretched
out on tho floor and examined. Those
with slight injuries were assisted out
Nearly every physician in the city was
soon on hand. Out OF 20 most badly hurt
moro than half that number had broken
limbs. John May had both legs brokon
and was internally injured. John Sulli-
van had both wrists broken and was So
yerely hurt about thehead.
one Man Killed.
John Greed had his head and face
crushed and died while being carried to
the hospital.
The following Is a list of the injured;
James Whitehead, cut about head and
face and hurt internally; Alfred Lyme.
right wrist broken and head iniured Mel
son Menard, broken leg and one eye terri
bly, laaerated; Albert b. Broughton, severe
face bruises; William Greed, head crushed
and internally injured, probably fatally
Alfred Martin, ribs broken and otherwise
internally injured; James Lindley neck
and spine injured, probably fatally iniur-
ed Richard Powers broken knee, internal
injuries; John Sullivan, both wrists
brokon spine hurt, head and face lacer-
atod; James Walsh, right arm brolSen
Thomas Schofold, internally iniurod
William Williams, forehead cut and right
arm brokon; Michael Hollaran, back in
iured and hurt internally; Frederick For
key, leg broken below the knee head hurt;
John May right leg broken, left hip in
jured, internal injuries badly hurt;
Thomas Sullivan, head and face injured,
not badly hurt; Joseph Lewis, right arm
brokon.
How the Accident Occurred.
When the accident happened, the score
stood to in favor Of Fall River. Cur
Icy, the local goal tender, and Dunning,
New Bedford's second rush, had an alter
cation and came to blows. Tho crowd in
the east gallery leaned forward TO get
better view of the oombatants. Referee
Lyons had almost succeeded in separating
them when the gallery rail gave way.
Tho mon and boys on four rows of soats
fell the 80 feet to the floor
The caring for the wounded was ably
conducted. Drs. Buck, Leonard, Gun
ming Coughlin, Aldrioh, Mckenzie, Kid
der and Sweet were early on the soene.
There were not enough ambulanoos TO
care for the injured, and some were car
ried TO the hospital on stretchers. Those
not seriously injured were sent home in
hacks. The exoitement outside tho rink,
where 1000 or more persons were gather
ed, was intense.
Tho crowds were looked after by Police
Captains Desmond and Edson, together
with Inspectors Shay and Feeney. Mayor
Greene headed the emergency corps. Ho
states that an Investigation will be made
Tho rink was built for Ephraim Wood
at n cost Of s120 000 Manager Blake sim
ply rented the building, offers from him
20 buy it having failed but few weeks
ago The gallery was built by Sistero of
New Bedford who also built tho bowling
alleys undor the building. The game was
nearly over when the catastrophe occurred