Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-30
Terrible Panic Among the Crowds
at Moscow.
MANY PERSONS FRAMPLED TO DEATH
Half a Million Were Bent on
Feasting.
AN UNACCOUNTABLE RUSH

Copyright. 1890, by the Associated Press.)
MOSCOW, Russia, May 30.-A terrible
panic. resulting from the great crush of
people at the popular feast here today In
honor of the coronation of the car, caused
the trampl.ng to death of many people.
In anticipation of the grand holiday and
popular banquet on the Hodynsky plain,
tens of thousands Of people began trooplng
toward the Petrovsky Palace, in front of
which the plain Is situated. during the ear
Hest hours this morning In fact, so much
interest was taken in the open-air banquet
that thousands reached the ground last
evening and camped there or in the i'm
mediate vicinity during the night in order
to make sure of obtaining good positions
today.
On the Hodynsky or Khodijnskoje plain
ut Is written both ways) long lines of rough
tables. flanked by rougher benches, mad
been erected. In the distance these lines of
tables looked like immovable regiments of
soldiers or trenches of some extensive
series of Notifications. 1t was at first ar
ranged to accommodate 100000 people. but
in view of the immense crowds assembled
in and about this city for the coronation
fetes extra tables and benches were hastily
erected and every effort was made to pro-
vide seating room and q hearty meal for
100000 people
40 ecu Il Ml1l1On.
Twice that number were DESTROYS of TAX
ing part in the feast. but the authorities
decided that there must be a limit to the
number to be entertained and so the figure
was fixed at 100000.
To feed this multitude an army of cooks
and walters was gathered together the
army bake houses were taxed to their ut
most capacity. and 50oOO0 mugs, each bear
Ing portraits of the car and cZarina, were
ordered and manufac tured for presentation
to the people taking part in the great
banquet.
Thousands of cattle, trainoads of pro-
visions and shiploads of lilLid refresh
ments were sent to the Hoiynsky plain
during the week, and this morning all was
in readiness for the gigantic meal
In anticipation Of the assembling Of an
immense crowd, and the possibility Of dis
order, strong forces of police were detailed
for duty on the plain, which, like the
Petroysky palace it fronts. is some three
miles outside of this city, and on the road
to st. Petersburg. In addition, several de-
tachments of infantry and cavalry were
stationed in the vicinity, in order to sup
port the police, should such a step be
necessary.
By dawn today the mass of peasants
about the tables was really enormous, and
they were all desperately hungry, some of
them having tasted by choice or necessity,
for nearly twenty-four hours
A Sudden Change.
The police did everything possible to keep
back the crowd, but, suddenly, the masses,
controlled by some ineXpicable impulse,
or impatient to get at the food, pressed
forward, swept everything before them
and overturned tables and benches as If
made of grass, trampling hundreds under
foot, and crushing the life out Of a great
number of people. The Old and weak
naturally suffered most, and one poor wo-
man, who gave birth to chilli during the
excitement, was trampled TO death. The
fate Of the infant is not definitely known,
but 1t is believed to have shared the fate
of it's mother.
The exact number of people killed Is also
not ascertained this dispatch is sent,
for the police and military eventually sue
ceeded in restoring order, carted away the
dead and injured, and preparations We're
made to proceed with the banquet as if
nothing unusual had happened.
The car and czarina, when informed of
the disaster, were much distressed, sent
additional physicians to the scene to care
for the injured and issued instructions that
a full report of the tragedy is TO be made
in order that the distressed families may
be relieved.
ported since the festivities commenced 1t
has attracted much attention, and has cast
quite gloom over the city.
The French ambassador, Comte de Mon
tebello, is scheduled to give a ball at the
French embassy this evening, but 1t is re-
ported that this feature of the celebra lions
may be abandoned. although a very large
sum of money has been spent upon the
preparations, France being greatly desir-
GUS of testifying to her Friendship for Rus
STA by making a display upon this occasion
which would pass into history,