The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-06-01
HEApS0F DEAD
FATALITIES AT THE CzAR,s FEAST
MAY REACHrwo THOUSAND.
Laid Out on the Khodiznskoje Plain
Yesterday Were the Bodies Of
1,2s2 Peasants.
OTHER VICTIMS TAKEN OFF
TOTAL NUMBER COUNTED, 1880,
WITH 2s6 EXPECTED TO DIE.
The First Funeral at the Cemetery
Attracts a Multitude Estimated
at 10000 People.
CAR AND CZARINA DANCING
TOOK PART IN FESTIVITIES AT
FRENCH EMBASSY AT NIGHT.
Owing to the Lady's Delicate Condi-
tion, She Is Not Informed ON the
Extent of the Catastrophe.
THE FATAL RUSH EXPLAINED
HANDFUL OF SOUVENIR MUGS WE'RE
THROWN TO THE CROWD.
Booths Arranged for the Distribution
of 100000, but the Programme
Never Carried Out.
Owing to the Lady's Delicate Condi-
Extent of the Catastrophe.
THE FATAL RUSH EXPLAINED
HANDFUL OF SOUVENIR MUGS WE'RE
THROWN TO THE CROWD.
Booths Arranged for the Distribution
of 5OO,O0O, but the Programme
Never Carried Out.

khoditnskoje plain yesterday Is constantly
gaining in proportions as the Investigations
by the authorities continue. These are
made under difficulties, as the recovery of
the victims was conducted by hundreds of
volunteers and many were carried away
before they were enumerated. Many addi-
tional deaths of the injured, who were car
ried away. are occurring which are only
added to the enumeration after some time.
1t Is now said that the fatalities VIII
amount to between two and three thou
sand, but it is impossible yet 10 ascertain
accurately the extent of the disaster. An
official statement issued this morning places
the number Of dead recovered at 1885 and
the seriously or fatally injured at 2S6. But.
In contrast with this official statement.
there are 1,2s2 corpses lying this afternoon
at the cemetery, besides the many dead and
dying that are known to have been removed
from the Inflated fed by friends.
Last evening after receiving deputations.
the Czar and Czarina attended and danced
at the brilliant ball at. the French embas-
sy. Preparations had been made on a most
elaborate scale for this ball. and IL is as
serted that $4,000 was expended on the
supper alone, rare viands and delicious
fruits and vegetables being brought from
lights Of the feast, while France furnished
the costliest and NOSE elegant fabrics and
furniture to set off the beauties of the pail
ace where the embassy Is lodged. The
Czarina was not informed yesterday OF the
disaster, owing to her delicate condition.
While the dance within the French embassy
continued amid all the accompaniaments of
luxury and gayety, disconsolate friends and
a1ot; NH 1afa MIA in,
among the dead and the dying, looking,
often In vain. for their friends To-day
a requiem mass was said In a chapel Of the
Kremlin, at which the Gar and Czarina
and all the members of the imperial family
attended.
GRIEF-STRICKEN THOUSANDS.
The city to-day Is filed vita gref-stricken
crowds. 1t is striking evidence OF the vas.
multitude who took part in yesterdays fetes
that there were large numbers totally un-
aware OF the number of lives among them
that had been crushed out, and who pro-
ceeded with their merry-making throughout
the day without having grasped the fearful
proportions of the disaster. Even UP to a
late hour tonight people refused to believe
that there could have been so many lives
lost. But to-day thousands OF persons are
crowding to the Khodijnskoje plain search
ing for relatives and friends The work %
Identification is most difficult both on account
of the large number OF victims and the
trampled, torn and mutilated condition of
many OF the corpses, some Of which are
crushed quite beyond the possibility OF recos-
milton and almost beyond sembiance 10 hu-
manity. The majority Of the killed was from
people Of outlying villages, though the cloth
ing of some indicated that they were persons
OF wealth and distinction. The bodies of a
number of women clad In silks and fine
linen were among those found. The strange
ness TO the surroundings of many Of the sur
vivors who are seeking for missing ones adds
much TO the confusion and difficulty CT iden-
tifcation. All day yesterday the full force
of police and firemen worked among the
dead. pulling bodies from heaps OF the killed
and injured and ranging them on the ground,
which was covered for hundreds of yards
with groups of ten and twenty bsgrimed,
blood-stained and disfigured corpses among
whom agonizsd friends of the morning wan
dered In pitful effort to identify them. The
injured who were mixed with the dead suf-
fered terribly from thirst and the fever fol-
lowing their unattended injuries. The work
OF carrying the bodies to the cemetery, where
Ii Is intended TO inter those who fail OF iden-
tificat.on, continued all night and to-day.
This morning the forces at work on the
plain discovered the mouth of dsused well
In the middle OF the field, the plank cover
ing OF which had given way in the mad rush
of yesterday morning. In the well there
were thirty dead bodies, and wedged in
among them and held down by their weight
were found two men, alive and c1mparativ
ly uninjured. but the terror and the hdeous
surroundings OF the night had proved too
great strain on their minds, and they were
raving maniacs. There are countless incl
dents OF pathos. one case being that of a
party OF fifty-hve humble peasants who had
come together from a single village for the
rnerry-making al the Cars feast. o; this
party fifty-three were killed in the crowd.
HOW THE PANIC STARTED.
Various versions as to the origin OF the
stampede and crush are current. but the
account to which the most credence Is at
tached is to the effect that the wagons laden
with the 100000 souvenirs which were to be
distributed among the people, were procsed-
ing to the Khodijnskoje plain followed by a
multitude OF eager peasants. when the at
tendan,s. with view to pleasing the people.
threw q nu-nber OF the souvenirs among
the crowd. There was . Wild scramble TO-