New-York tribune., 1909-07-23
ROOF FALLS; BURIES $50
NINE ITALIANS HURT IN
H4RLEM COLLAPSE.
CrO7cd Had Climbed Up Orer Side
zcalk to See COuntrymeH
IN Parade.

The crowded section in Little Italy was panic
which almost a hundred persons were standing,
gave way. burying beneath its weight more than
hundred and fifty persons on the sidewalk be-
low. The accident occurred at No 345 East
Tooth street, where large number had gathered
to await the arrival of an excursion party just
landing from a boat In the East River
When the crash came, followed by the cries
and curses of men and women as they struggled
in the mass of squirming bodies a report went
around among the crowd like wildfre that some
one had thrown bomb With this report con-
fusion was followed by terror, and for few
minutes II was impossible to restrain the mob Of
excited Italians from running riot in the streets
The following nine persons were injured in
the crash:
street coHsons Of the nec attended G ha5 ana 1s e@6
FEsTAIr carmclla. twenty seven years old No 2o5o
tended and sent home ''
MILLER Agnes twenty four years old. No 2aS East
tended home ~ ' "
oo 1sa9a 56 Of Rs M % aH2 Nd gy 81 Es a
tended home 80 60
MONoHAN, Catharne. years old No 1850 Sec
Harlem Hospital
street fractured leg; Harlem Iiaspi;ai
sCHI:EIFTERMAN. Kate twenty years. ola No. $23
nd sent home
ToBIITsIlY sarah. four years Old No. a2e East l"o'h
VITELl! Mar sixteen years old. No at5 lEas, looi9
injuries: Harlem Hospital
Last night was an occasion for celebration ir
the district. for II marked the annual outing Of
the Dan Viteili Association, and the streets werc
decorated with lanterns and electric lights Il
was almost 10 o'clock before the members of the
excursion party returned and when word
received of the landing preparations We're made
10 greet the crowd with a display OF fireworks.
CLIMBED UP TO SEE PARADE.
To gain the best points Of vantage from which
10 watch the parade Il passed through loUth
street many people crowded to tho roof uf
the iron shed above the market at No 3I5 East
Tooth street The main building s. n six story
tenement. and the shed extended over the side
walk IN front Of the building
Just as the head Of the parade reached Pleas
ant avenue. a block east OF the shed there
warning sound Of rasplng iron and an uneasy
movement among the crowd on the roof As
those near the curb edge tried 10 back away the
loft wing ~ the shed roof gave way with great
crash. Thost below had no chance 10 escape, 50
sudden was the fan OF the mass ot ron. and
their cries Of terror were heard louI above the
noise Of the falling roof
With the falling OF the heavy iron roof many
Of the light strung across the street W-r" put
out and the sudden lapse into comparative dark
ness added to the panic. II was some minutes
before the dust settled about the ruins ~ the
roof and chaos was cverywhe.'.
The first man to collect his wits In th.s crisis
was Pafroluan Gessebrock. of the East Io4th
street station He collected fev of the cooler
heads among thc crowd and with their help
partly lifted the iron mass from above IN" strug-
Cling mon and women underneath allowing
many to crawl from below. Gesscbrock also
blew his whistle. summoniug to his all Patrol
men knowles and Lamb. The three officers
soon began 10 restore slight traces of order. but
il was not until the arrival of the reserves from
the East lo4th and East l26th street stations
that the mob could be handled completely.
Hanging 10 the window sills OF the first floor
Of the tenement house were two old women Mrs.
Teresa Dewitt and Mrs. Maria Beekt. The roof
had fallen away from beneath their feet. leaving
then, SUSPENDED above the sidewalk. Each Of
the women bore in her arms 4 child. Mrs. De
witt holding four vear-old Jennie Festa. while
Mrs Bccka held a two ycar-old infant
Despite the fearful strain the women con
tinued to retain their grasp on th" narrow
ledge. and when their peril was seen assistance
was not long I'm coming a policeman ran up
and called to them to let the babies fan into his
arms The women finally understood and al
lowed the children to drop, after which they
were themselves rescued