The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-01

The dead were placed in long lines upon
the ground. There were very few cotfins
to be seen. In fact, the supply of collins
and caskets was exhausted early yester-
day, and to-day it is i'm possible to procure
one in the city at any price. The bodies
were covered with sheets, and the long
line of white-robed bodies presented
CHASTITY spectacle. Here alone the number
of dead exceeded the official figures, for in
the rows there were 1862 victims.
An immense crowd slowly and continu-
ously passed along the paths, on both
sides of which the bodies were laid, seek
ing for some loved one. AS the sheets
were removed the living would eagerly
scrutinize the faces of the dead to see if
the features were the ones OF those for
whom they were looking. The sight pre-
sented by the Withdrawals of the cover
ings was a fearful one. The faces and
limbs of the dead were horribly mutilated
and the clothing was in shreds. In most
cases the disfiguration was so great that it
was impossible to identify t..-s bodies.
At various points in the cemetery priests
were Offering prayers for the dead. 1t was
necessary that many of the bodies should
be buried as speedily as possible, and after
the interments had been complsted Father
John Cronstadt, the miracle worker,
passed among the mourners, blessing and
consoling them.
At the request of the Gar there will be
solemn requiem mass in the chapel of
the palace in the Kremlin tomorrow
morning. All the members of the impe-
rial famtly will attend.
The Bishop of Peterborough, who is in
Moscow as the representative of the Estab-
lished Church of England, preached SER
mon in the English ch hurch here to-day. A
collection was taken up for the benefit of
the sufferers and goodly sum was raised.
The statement that the disaster would
bring the coronation ceremonies to a close
has not the slightest basis in truth. The
functions have not been stopped. A ball
was given at the French embassy last
evening. 1t was attended by the mem bers
OF the imperial family, the foreign princes,
diplomats and the highest Russian and
visiting aristocracy. The ball was one of
the most brilliant that has taken place In
connection with the coronation ceremo-
MES.
so far rs known not single foreigner
was killed. A trench hundred yards long
has been dug in the cemetery, and in this
majority of the unrecognized dead will
be inferred. Some accounts of the affair
represent the rush in an ugly spirit. These
reports state that hundreds of persons
broke into the booths, pillaging them of
the contents, regardless of the shrieks of
the injured and dying. Many of the peas
ants who were given memorial cups are
now offering to sell them for a rouble and
half as souvenirs, not only Of the coron-
alton, but of one of the most terrible
catastrophes in the annals of Russia.
They find ready purchasers.
The stolid and eallous demeanor of the
moujiks and others in the face OF the dis
aster is much commented upon by those
VINO are not familiar with the character
of the Russian lower classes One news
paper correspondent questioned mouiik
who was carrying child from the Hodyn-
sky plain after the tragedy as to whether
he had been in the crush. The man re-
piled that be had not, but, instead of be-
ing thankful that he and his child
had perhaps escaped an awful death,
he complained against what he termed
his bao luck in not receiving cup,
although he had tramped thirty versts in
the expectation of getting one, in addition
to an unlimited quantity of free food and
drink.
AS an Offset to this callousness, how
ever, there have been several instances re-
ported of heroic rescues of women and
children from the fate that befel so manv
hundreds of their compatriots.
The Chief of Police is reported to be in
utter despair over the terrible catastrophe
and has attempted to commit suicide.