The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-31
nor KILLED IN A CHURCH.
Choristcr r'eli Forty Feet-Was Slug ing
1.-THE Holy city"

Robert Richards. Is years old. a boy soprano
In tho choir OF st. Clements Protestant Epis-
copal Church. Brooklyn, fell from the garrett to
the floor OF tho church. II distance Of forty feet.
yesterday afternoon. His neck was broken
and he died within n few minutco. He lived
with his parents on Doscher street.
near the Eastern Parkway. in East New York.
AZ the soprano soloist Of the church he had
become well known both in the musical and the
religious circles Of the borough. He had re-
marknbly. clear. sweet voice. and unlike the
majority Of boy singers he was ahlo to
throw some expression into his music. On
Sunday. the Rcv. Charles A. Hamilton, the new
rector OF the church. preached his first sermon.
The boy sang the anthem Tho Holy City"
lie Gang so VOL that after the services the
pastor stopped to talk to him and warmly COM
plimented him on his musical attachments.
Richards was 30 pleased by the omplmcnts
OF the pastor that he announced to his mother
yesterday that he was going to spend more
time than usual at the church, practionR his
music for next Sunday, in order that no might
do better than last sunday. He attended the
regular Wednesday morning services yester-
day apd at their conclusion went homo TO
dinner Then he said that he was going
again to the church and would be gone
all the afternoon When he arrived
were the orRanist. Prof. Poest Kooi. and the
janitor Edward Downe. Tho boy had tried an
anthem couple OF times, when the ianitor no.
tced that the window In the front gable OF the
church was open. He pulled on the cords
and found that they had becoPe fouled in
the pulley, He announced toiRchards and
Prof. Koof that he was going to climb to the
earret to remedy matters. and said that he
thought 1t was pretty hard for an old man To
have to climb stairs 80 often.
You stay down here" Richards suggested
and will 60 up there and fix that cord.
can do II easily"
The jauitor gladly accepted the offer. He
and the organist could hear the boy al
he walked along the boards which overlap the
unenclosed garnet timbers. affording walk
| to the window. The boy was singing
The Holy City" to himself as he went
about his task. When he had fixed the
windowcord he started back for the stair
| case, still singing the anthem. Boy-like
| he thought he would walk across the timbers
| The organist and the janitor heard a scream
| and crash and the boy the next instant tum
| bled through the ceiling. He struck the foo
| head first and did not speak again. 1t is sup
| posed that he lost his footing and slipped be
! tween the rafters. The ceiling being of lati
and plaster gave way beneath his weight.
DR.. Francis H, Miller OF $40 Pennsylvania
| avenue, who is one OF the directors OF thu
church. and Ambulance Surgeon O'Connor
from St. Mary's Hospital. were sent for. Be
| fore either arrived the boy died. Tho bod,
| was taken to his home as soon as permit
| had been issued by the Coroner. His mother
became hystercal when she realized that HI
was dead. At first she refused L
believe the evidence OF her eyes. declar
| ing that Robert could not have beef
hurt as he had left her presence but few min
utes before. It was necessary 10 give he
| sedatives Her son was one OF four children
His father. James Richards. is carpenter EN-
| ployed Oh the Kings County Elevated road.