MAIL NEWS

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3733, 3 July 1883, Page 3

MAIL NEWS

VIA SAN FRANCISCO

THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE DISASTER

In the afternoon of tlic 30th of May, six days after the bridge at New York had been opened to the public, a terrible disaster occurred, resulting from a crush at the steps of the New York approach, involving the killing of fourteen people, and wounding many others. The crush began shortly before 4 o'clock. At that hour there were thousands of people on the bridge, mostly coming from Brooklyn Tho air was clear and brislc, aud the people walked as rapidly as they could, and approached tho short flight of steps. Those in front pushed back for fear they would bo precipitated oyer the flight, a distance of about six feet. These people, in drawing back from the steps, made a nucleus for a few, bat thousands behind them pushed on. Almost instantly peoplu began to shout "stand back," and "give us room." Meanwhile the crowd from New York which was at tho foot of the steps got blocked. Men at the head of tho New York crowd fought their way back, leaving a clear space at the steps. The shouting and crowding from the Brooklyn side increased, and the people in the advance guard of the Brooklyn crowd pushed forward, they seemed to havo a horror of going over the steps ; they locked arms, and pushed steadily back against the thousands coming steadily over from Brooklyn. Inafewminutcs,atthepoiiitueart]iofive steps, there was a slow yielding of the frightful pressure from behind, ancl the front of the crowd was forced forward near tho edge of tho steps. AVomen and children were crying for help, men were shouting

confusedly, and parcels and canes were thrown over by the people, who needed their hands to fight their way out of the desperate crowd. At last, with a single shout that cut through the clamor of a thousand voices, a young girl who lost her footing on tho perilous edge, fell headlong and struck the hatchway at tho foot of steps, and lay for a moment. She raised herself on her hands, and would havo got up, but in another moment she was buried four deep under tho bodies of others who fell over the stops after her. She was dead when they got her out, more that half an hour after. Men sprang upon the rails at the side, and would crowd back from the New York end, but the people continued to throng- forward to the steps. The police were in sight, and the very groat excitement grew worse. Men in the crowd lifted their children above their beads to save them from the crush of people, who were still pay in g their pennies at both gates and squeezing in. At last tho people at the New York end of the bridge understood what was happening. The gates wero closed, and word was sent to Brooklyn to close the gates there. Messengers were sent to the police station in Oak-street, but beforo any outside help could come the bridge police, assisted by citizens, pressed two grocers' wagons into the ambulance service, and they were loaded up with the dead and dying and driven off the bridge, followed by crowds of distracted Epeople. The wagons were followed off the bridgo by women crying for their children, and men crying for their wives. Several of tho women were half naked, and many had on only rags. Ono woman had both her shoes torn off, and all were bareheaded. There were hundreds of them dishevelled and crying : their faces were white, aud in many instances were covered with dust and dirt. The stoppage lasted nearly an hour. The cause of this terrible calamity appears to be that some ruffianly young men who thought the people in front of them did not move quickly enough began to push.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

The Irish prisoners under the Coercion Act are now deprived of the privilege of their friend's visits.

The British Government, it is said, has abandoned all further attempts to procure the extradition of Irish refugees at present in the United States.

The Pope has confirmed the appointment of tho Very Rev. Thomas J. Cut, rector of Weymouth College, to the bishopric of Galway, after being assured that he was not connected with the agitation in Ireland.

Arohbishop Croko received an enthusiastic welcome on his return to Dublin from Rome. On May 22nd ho mado a speech at AVioklow, in which he dwelt upon the great love of the Pope for the Irish people, and urged them to submit to tho -Vatican. In his pulpit at Thurles on the same day he said the Pope hacl expressed sorrow that Ireland was troubled owing to the lawless views of a certain class and of the secret societies. He (the Archbishop) exhorted the people not to allow a word of condemnation to escape their lips against the Pope, who, lie said, Mas their best friend. AVhen the Archbishop was in Rome, the Pope addressing him said, " lam as good an Irishman as you are." Count Zacharoff, the agent of the Allen line of steamers at Galway, received on May 29th a letter threatening him with death unless ho quitted the city. Ho had been engaging factory girls to go to Massachusetts.

Mr Cm-ran, Divisional Magistrate of the metropolitan police, Dublin ; Mr Marlow, chief detective ; and the juror, Mr Field, have all received letters threatening yen-

geanco. The ladies' committee appointed to aid the political prisoners sent the following telegram from Dublin to Mr Gladstone on June Ist:—" A\ r e appeal to you on the ground of humanity for a commutation of the death sentence passed on Thos. Caffrey and Timothy Kelly, two of the condemned Phoenix Park murderers. Three lives havo already been taken in atonement for tho two. AYe ask for mercy." No reply was received to the communication.

Tho promoters of the Parnell fund hope to raise £30,000, of which America is expected to contribute one-half. During this year the British imports increased, compared with May in the preceding year, by £21,000. The exports for tho same period decreased by £548,000. Senor Rivas, secretary to President Gonzales, of Mexico, has had several conferences with tho English Foreign Secretary to arrange for the resumption of diplomatic relations with England. Lord Granville insisted as a condition of such resumption that Mexico should pay 050,000 dollars due to British creditors. Senor Rivas promised payment by a scheme for the conversion of the Mexican bonds, provided there was a commercial treaty between England and Mexico. Lord Granville would not agree to a treaty, but would undertake to open negotiations which would place England in its comereial relation with Mexico upon the footing of the most favored nation, and with as good tariff terms as those enjoyed by the United States. A Dublin despatch of May 24th says that the juror Mr Field has been awarded £3000 and Mr Iluddy £500, as compensation for the outrages they wore subjected to.

One of the principal topics of gossip in London is the reported marrirge of the Hon. John Bright with a sister of his first wife. Mr Bright's friends persistently denied any such marriage as being ever contemplated. The Conservative Press, however, renewed the report. Mr Bright scorned the idea of making a formal denial of what ho says is a scandalous rumor, and his near relatives state that tho malicious fabrication had been startled by the partisans of the law prohibiting marriage with a deceased wife's sister. There are five sisters of Mr Bright's first wife now living.

John Bohan, correspondent of the New York Irish AVorld in the AVcst Clare district, was arrested on the 22nd of May for intimidating the driver of a mail waggon, whom he called a spy and informer.

The Daily News' correspondent at Rome says, under date May 25th, that tho Pope is satisfied with tho result of bis circular to the Irish Bishops. He expected it would have been received with more opposition than was shown,

It is said that Mr Errington, known in the House of Commons by the sobriquet of "The Pope's nose," and who is credited with having brought about the Papal note, will be rewarded with the secretaryship of the British Legation at Rome. The training ship Mars was partially destroyed by fire at Dundee, Scotland. Four hundred boys were aboard when the flames were discovered, and all wero saved. It is suspected that the fire was started by an incendiary. It was boldly declared by the London evening papers on May 27th that O'Donovan Rossa, the dynamite projector, now in New York, and Peter J. Tynan, the " No. One" of the Phcenix Park murderers, arc undoubtedly British spies under regular pay. These declarations wero backed up by certain noted statements, and havo produced a genuine sensation among the Irish. Nearly all the members of the Irish Parliamentary party ridiculed the statement.

The Crown proposes to distribute the reward offered for the detection of the Phoenix Park murderers among the informers, and will send abroad all of them who desire to leave the country. James Carey, the informer, was released from custody on May 21. Ho declared his intention to remain in Dublin, and to vigorously prosecute those of his tenants occupying his premises who refused to pay rent since he became an informer. The guard about his house was doubled on the day of his liberation. It is said that he is closing up his business, and preparing to sell out all his property. He seems now to havo no friends, even among the officials now that they have no further use for him. It is believed that he will settle down abroad under an assumed name.

Kinsolla, who made a voluntary confession that he was concerned in the murder of Lord Lcitrim, was arraigned in Dublin on May 12th. The Judge came to the conclusion that the prisoner was a lunatic, and was about to discharge him, but the prisoner begged so hard to be allowed to remain in prison that his request was granted. He believed his life in danger.