The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-11-08
FIREWORKS EXPLODE,
Disaster to Crowd Watching Election
Bulletins In New York City
Eleven Killed.

New York, Nov. 5.-By series of
explosions of pyrotechnic bombs,
and other fireworks on Tuesday
night, among the vast multitude
gathered in Madison Square to
witness the ascension of an airship
and the display of the election returns,
IL persons were killed outright, many
being blown almost to pieces, and at
least so injured, many of them fatally.
1t is estimated that at least 10000 per-
sons thronged the square at the time
of the explosions, which were succeed
ed by a frightful panic in which hum
dreds were thrown down and trampled
under foot. Five hundred policemen
and all the ambulances in the city
were instantly summoned, and the dy-
ing and those most seriously in ured
were removed to the hospitals. In adj
dition to these many of the wound
ed were taken away by friends. Nine
men in charge of the fireworks dis
play were placed under arrest imme-
diately after the explosion. The list
of the dead is: Policeman Dennis
Shea, William &. Finney, George Rit-
zle, Harold Robley. six unknown men,
and an unknown boy.
Under the auspices of the journal
an exhibition of fireworks was being
exploded to celebrate the victory of
William IL. Hearst, who was elected a
representative in congress. The dis-
play centered south of Madison Square
garden. AT the intersection of Madison
avenue and Twcnty-fourth street. AT
that points small space had been kept
clear by the police with difficulty.
Around ii was massed the densely
packed throng, numbering many
thousands. Sparks from Il series of
Roman candles, which were being dis
charged simultaneously, fell into the
open boxes, which were closely packed
with large aerial bombs. At the same
moment one of the bombs, which had
just been touched off, exploded prema-
1urcly. hurting sparks and fire in every
direction.
Instantly there was tremendous
defamation and an awful blast of fire,
which lighted up Madison square and
entire contents of the boxes and bar
reIs had been exploded. Among the
first to recover their self-possrssion
were the policemen stationed directly
about the space which had been kept
open at the street corner. AS the
crowd. now Thoroughly panic stricken,
made efforts To escape eastward
4 m, 'f,> Fl .tY nd
across Madison square, the policemen
ran t" the aid of he injured.
| One of the first. who was found to
have been KILLED instantly. WAS Police
man Dennis Shea, uf the Fourth pre-
| 'iEct. II. NJ. llullinywuUd. of @23 West
| lWcnty-f0urIh street. was found to
have had his RICH, Icgalmost blown off
At the knee.
| On the northeast corner of Twenty
| fourth street and Madison avenue
| stands the handsome double brown
| stone residence occupied by David
| Wolf Bishop. On its broad stone steps,
huddlcd together. lay the bodies of
| three boys. apparently about ii or IS
Years old. They had been hurled there
crowd, close by the spot where the
fireworks were being set off. All of
them were shorkingly mangIrd and
were apparently killed instantly
scattered along the asphalt of Mad
lSnn avenue lay several other bodies,
while nearly score of the injured.
many of whom were terribly burned
and cut, were moaning pitrouSly for
ielp.
On the arrival of the reserves. 800 of
Them. many of the policemen did SPLEEN
id service in aI1ortIing first aid to he
ninrrt. aud half u dozen private ply
icinns. who either lived in he vicinity
had been among those in the
'hrong. went quickly I" work dressing
wounds. applying IpanGagrs and giving
stimuants' I" the injured.