Year: 1870

Tnc sun rose bright ana cneertui TINS morning over


city full Of happiness, which by midday was turned
into mourning and desoaton. One OF the most
frghtful and appalling catasrophes occurred at the
Capitol building wholly without parallel. by which
nearly nifty citizens lost their lives and as many were
MANNED, and this day is henceorward one OF horror
and calamity In Richmond's history


THE SCENE or rHs DISASTER


Such was the Intense interest felt In the decision 60
be rendered by the state Court OF Appeals in
the May0raliy case today that by eleven 0'coc A.
N. crowd OF eager citzens filled the court rooin
which Is located on the upper noor Of the Capitol
building, on The north side, and immediately above
the hall OF the House Of Delegates. The room IL
about twenty by twenty-five feet, the Judges bench
at one end being confronted by small gallery at
the other. The entrance TO the court room II from
balconied gallery IN the upper story over the
Washington monument OH the lower floor. aud
above Is skylight in the roof, which admits the
light This balcony, or gallery. was also died with
people who could not gain Ambulance To the court
room.


THE CROWD


At the time OF the catastrophe IL is estimated Tint
not more than three hundred persons were in tho
court room, but these filed it TO It's utmost capacity
A large number of the legal fraternity and memb RS
Of the press were seated in the room Immediately in
front of the bench and the gallery. The oppostie o
end was filled with leading citizens, and the centre
OF the small room was thronged by a crowd both
seated and standing. There was a general conversa.
Jon or discussion as TO the merits OF the going
on among the assembled audience, the
members of the press were arranging their
paper and cracking Jokes, as is usual among them
and all were eagerly awaiting the advent OF the
judges At length two OF their Honors entered
Judges Joynes and Anderson--and took their seats
Ied m the
Tor the first time there was perceptble silence


THE ACCIDENT.


Suddenly, and while awaiting the arrival OF the re-
naming Judges report a. OF . smOthered gun
under the floor was heard. followed Immediately by
another similar report and everybody started from
their seats and looked towards the centre or the
room, from whence these 0minOus sounds seemed
to issue. People there stood up and looked them
selves for an explanation Of this strange
and mysterious noise. But they had not
long to wait. There came q cracking sound,
as OF small timbers breaking. and then the
floor was felt giving way in the centre OF the room
simultaneously everybody jumped to their feet, for
all felt that danger was imminent and self-preserya-
ton is the first law Of nature But t was too late
Down went the floor with terrific crash, with it-
living, breathing and frightened human freight
dragging with it the gallery and its living mass and
down they went distance Of nearly twenty five feet
TO the floor OF the House OF Delegates. Then with
the descending mass, the ceiling above, which was
somehow attached to the gallery also, came down
with another fearful crash, smothering and crushing
the living and struggling mass of victims beneath


PROvIDENrIAL ESCAPES.


ledge OF about twelve feet, on which the bench
was located, did not go down, and on this many
lives were saved inculing the judges and reporters
AS soon as the fearful crash mad occurred those no
could clutched hold OF the windows. stepped out OF
the gallery and ran out to other rooms, ana thus
many others were also saved


THE EXCITEMENT.


The scene which followed utterly beyond de-
scription Between the two bodies OF the moor and
ceiling was the mass OF people, the force and power
OF the latter with the gallery falling upon them for
ever silenclng their cries for help. 1t was
scene OF horror never 10 be forgotten by
those who witnessed 1t. To those who remained
about and who ventured to look down into the vacant
space of the court room nothing was visible but
cloud OF thick dust, through hlch the frantic erie.
OF the victims yet alive could be heard vainly ap
pealing for help.


SPREADING THE NEWS THROUGH THE CITY.


The crash was felt in every portion Of the building
even to the basement, out OF which the officers ran
in precpitate haste and soon the alarm of tile caas
trOphe was pealed through the city on the bells
OF the surrounding churches. This sound had
the effect Of bringing promptly to the scene the
Fire Department besides large concourse OF clti-
zens who were under the impression that conna
grafton had taken place. Hooks and ladders were
at brought into active rcqusition and the work
OF extricatng the Dead The mangled. the wounded
and the dying was commenced.


BRINGING OUT THE VICTIMS.
One by one they were brought forth from the mass
ofd thrOu oh no wi Owa nd
hurt first making their appearance begrimed with
dust and with torn and battered clothes. Next came
the dead and wounded, who were deposited on the
grass plots of the square, which soon resembed the
scene after o battle, with afflicted relatives male
and female, wandering about In search of some one
missing since the announcement OF the catastrOphe.
II was painful and heartrendng to hear the groans
or the wounded and dying and the wailng OF
women and children, strong men being affected to
tears and as each fresh victim, covered with dust
and debris, was horne forth another and another
cry OF sorrow and distress was sent up.
From the mass OF fallen timbers and debris many
OF the arms and legs OF the wounded and dead pro-
eced ana 1t required the work OF hours to extri.
cate them; but tile citizens and firemen worked
vigorously throughout the entire morning until the
last one was brought out and consigned the keep.
ing OF friends and relatives.


A FORTUNATE NCIDENT
Luckily it was an hour prior to the meeting Of tile
Legislature, when the House Of Delegates would
also have been tlronged, and hundreds of Others
would have been added to the already immense lisi
OF killed and wounded. AS it was some fifteen OF
twenty persons are reported to have been in tile
house. some Of whom escaped and some were killed.
one OF the pages among them. An incident Of the
lamentable occasion is thar both the Mayors Ellison
and Cahoon who were the most interested parties
present, went down with the hoor into the yawnine
room beneath, Ellison escaping unhurl, while Cahoon
was slightly injured.


FIPTY-sIx PERSONS KILLED.


IL is now positively ascertained that there were
ffty-sx persons killed in the catastrophe; but the
number Of wounded has not been accurately ascer
certained, as many OF them walked or 1t Is sup
posed however, that not less than one hundred are
wounded.


LIST or THE DEAD.
The following il list OF the killed as far ascer
taned;-


a Avi Ia,