New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-19
MANY FALL INTO grave
AS COFFIN IS LOWERED
Four Persons Taken to Hospital
from Funeral in Green.
wood Cemetery.
UNDERTAKEN WAS WARNED
Desire to Take Last Look at
Prominent Italians Resting
Place Overtaxes Insecure
Coverings of Graves.

A grewsome experience lay in wait for
some thirty Italians who attended the
burial Of Giuseppi Monoco, of No. III
Navy street. Brooklyn prominent rep
resentative OF their race in that borough.
at the Greenwood Cemetery yesterday
afternoon. Just az his body was aboat
to be lowered into its final resting place
the thin boards which were laid across
the edges of the grave and covered sew
eral other newly made graves near ny
gave way and precipitated them into TN"
damp pits.
The funeral was one OF the largest ana
most elaborate that the cemetery had
! known for some time and scene OF
tremendous confusion ensued. a num-
her Of drawer spirits assisted those VIC
tins. who escaped serious injuries by
falling on their friends, out OF the
! trenches, but the reserves from mo
Fourth avenue station and ambulance
| from two hospitals had 10 be summoned
before the unfortunates below wer"
brought back to the surface. Four men
were taken to the Seney Hospital with
| broken bones and severe bruises.
| Monoco was brought home unconscious
! from the graduation exercises OF tnc
Rrooklyn College OF Pharmacy. held az
the Baptist Temple, Third avenue ana
Schermerhorn street, one day last week
and fingered in that state until Wedncs-
dav when he died He was person OF
some note in the Italian community
being a Mason and member of practi-
caly every italian society in the greater
city. He came TO this country IN 1913
at the age of twenty, and served IN me
navy for twenty-five years. After his
discharge he became prosperous as
manufacturer OF naval uniforms. lie
was lately made a chevalier by the gov
| eminent of Venezuela.
AT his funeral yesterday were repre-
scented most of the societies OF which he
WAS a member, the entire procession
consisting Of nearly $50 carriages. Tn"
hearse, loaded down with floral tributes
was drawn by ten black horses rs 1t
entered the cemetery cato William Grss'
sau. superintendent of the grouHds'
warned the undertaken. Nicola Pro, ~
No. 1870 Navy street, 10 be careful that
the people did not walk on the insecure
covering, and everything proceeded WIFE
regularity until, the Masonic rites com
pleted, the body was on the point OF be-
ing lowered. The crowd pressed for
ward 10 take last look at the coffin.
ha Sn1infercS
and broke. About twenty of the TO-
curious ones. men and women, crashed
down with them on top Of the CONN, car
rying II to the bottom. Ten or more
were precipitated into other graves !"
the rush to escape. The reserves wer5
soon on the spot, followed by ambuanccs
from the Norwegian ard Seney hospi-
tails. But before they arrived nearly
thirty of the victims had been hurried
away in carriages. It was said that
none Of them was seriously injured,
though all suffered from the shock
-Four. however. remained for the sur
geons to carry away They We're Roman
Petroski. former grave digger; Joseph
Nonele Of No. Il Navy street, whose
nose was broken and whose right eye
was badly bruised: Paoa Nolpa. Of No.
ga Carroll street, who had a fracture Il
the left shoulder. and Frank de Brienzd.
Of No S3l Bay cath street. who had a
broken left arm and internal injuries.
The excitement was seen from Eltlh
avenue which runs not far from the
place whore the grave is situated, ana
crowds pressed along the iron fence 10
get a view OF the accident. The place
could be seen also from the 36th street
station of the Fifth avenue elevated.
which was soon thronged with people, 50
that the trains we're delayed In both
directions for some minutes. while their
near windows were black with curious
SPECTATORS. 4 new box had to be 1ound
for the coffin before the earth could he
} thrown I'm upon II.