Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-25
!, ! TABLET MARKS PI ACE,
= OF CAPITOL DISASTER
Will Unvail Memorial Tuesday Where Sixty-Two Lives
- We're Snutfed Out Fifty Years Ago When
'stf Supreme Court Room Caved In

rs champion or a people who had
even suffered rmIr il these ,opsv-
iurNy days by their former slaves as
TIE price OF a bitter fight for prin-
c'2ics they conceived TO he right.
The election had been held on
March Ii. Ellyson ;ha mex; day sent
!" tnahoon letter. III whirh he
stated briefly that he had been
elected Mayor of the city OF Rich
inond' and now called upon the late
Mayor 10 transfer 10 him such prop
ertE helonEinS 10 tn: municipality
as might be in t'hahoou'S possession
nize EllySon's claim on the mayoraI-
~. and suggested cour; proceedings.
Thus was Joined ihe municipal
went for nouchi
'rw" Mayors Held Once.
Wo CITY governments were set up.
Chahoon held the three police sta
ti"nS. which We're then known as
Old Market. Second Market and
Brook Avenue. His force made an
occasional arrest. Flu; Ellyscn and
MS force. controlling the Council.
were practically ~ control. Ho:h
held their courts. however. Elyso,!
IN III" city Hall and Chahoon in Tire
old Market Hall. Both tried. con
against The laws OF the city ANA
State.
Finally. during the second week in
April, Chnh"on accepted "A Count.--
proposition from FllySon. propos:nS
that. through wr!;s OF habsas corpus
sued out by persons each Of them mad
confined in jail they should test in
the SUPREME Court OF Appeals the
oonstitu; ionalit.- o. the enabling
act under which EIlyson was elected
and under which he exercised author
'ty as Mayor OF Richmond.
Now comes ihe Capitol I:saster o.:
April -. 1870.
The Supreme Court @: Appeals was
situated immediately over THAI uor-
t!on Of tie Capiio! now used as the
museum OF the state Department Of
Agriculture and Immi grat.oa. which
WAS then the Hall of the House OF
Delegates.
rnmphlet Describe. Horror.
The disaster was described n a
pamphlet written by NcssrS Tayicr
and Ellyson, as follows:
me arEIn'ents OF counsel had been
heard and the court, IS usual. reserved
lis decision. "Wednesday, as was
generally known. the opinion of the
court would be pronounced. and The
controversy was TO be decided. and an
immense concourSe Of anxious spec
tators and listeners had gathered to
ascertain the result BLENDERS o. the
Legislature. visitors TO the city from
al! parts az our country. members Of
the bar. representatives Of Doth police
i'T"cs OF the city. members OF the
" 49, Oh all
classes and conditions OF life. were
sScfNElc,i
The bells had just tol'td the hour
OF II. ana dCath-like S.lraCc reiEncd
- Mr.. Starkc. the clerk entered and
placed his books on the :abic. judges
i"ynes ana Anderson were in their
scHi:. Mr. S,arkc. leaning over the
railing, was talking with them. while
the res: of the judges were in tn.
conference room. not quite prepared
20 enter on their days duties. The
counsel 70: Mayor Eliyson, Mcssrs.
NcrSon and Meredith. had takci their
seats and were ready 20 o-acced to
business. Ex-Governor Wells and l..
II. Chandler. ESQ. were also in their
places and the reporters OF the En-
Guircr. Dispatch. Wing and State
Journal We're at the desks Sc; apart
for their use and acCommod u tion
Spectators Calmly Talking.
The moments were spent in pleas
ant vrrsation by the spectators
present. Various were the specula-
tons rs to the final result. when all
e; once = panel OF ceiling fell. and
then the g;rder. which is represented
by III" line OF partition between the
clerks office and the courtroom.
CAV" way with an awful crash and
precipitated the spectators who we're
;hc main floor. the additional weight
IN one single moments time crush
nG the courtroom through The
mass of human beings who were in
the bricks. mortar. splinters. bca MS
iron bars. desks and chairs, 10 the
floor OF the House Of Delegates. and
IN second more ntty-sevcn souls
We're launched into eternity.
Tine whole atmosphere was thic.;
with dense cloud Of dust from the
mastering and the human beings
SEM M groan which vii! ring for