CATASTROPHE AT MONTEVIDEO.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 6688, 23 September 1882, Page 3

CATASTROPHE AT MONTEVIDEO.

A aad catastrophe at the Garibaldi Masonic Lodge, in Montevideo, took place a short time since. The members of the Lodge had, on learning of Garibaldi’s death, placed the building in mourning, and the chief saloon was turned into a kind of Burning Chapel, having in the middle a species of small temple. The great ceremony took place on August 7, after which the building was thrown open to visitors. The fallowing account of the catastrophe at the funeral celerations is taken from the “ Buenos Ayres Herald ” of the time : “ The closing ceremonial was arranged to take place on a recent Sunday evening, and by 7.45 p.m. there were assembled about 800 persons. The bouse where this Lodge is located is an oldfashioned building, up a narrow staircase, and, for all reasons, one of the least suitable places for the assembling of crowds of people and the eyeless and injudicious handling of fire. The catafalque In honor of Garibaldi was in the middle of the spacious ball, hung with mourning curtains, paperhangings, and light woodwork, and perfectly ablaze with the light of numerous candles,, and burning urns of 'spirit with which it was covered. Suddenly one of the curtains took fire, and a few minutes sufficed to spread the conflagration over the whole catafalque, and thence to the other tinsel surroundings, and to occasion one of those fatal panics which almost invariably occur on such occasions. The greater part of the persons present at this early hour beiug ladies and children, the panic was, of course, all the greater ; and, in spite of the efforts made to prevent it by some of the gentlemen, a rush was made for the narrow staircase, and a terrible scene ensued, in which twenty persons, principally ladies, were suffocated and trampled to death, and at least ten (another account says eighty) were severely injured. It appears that the street door was closed at the time of the catastrophe, and those who rushed downstairs to gain the street found themselves jammed up and unable to advance or to recede. The shrieks of the victims attracted the■ attention of the police, and the authorities were soon on the scene, doing what they could to relieve the sufferers, and to remove the wounded to places where they could be cared for. Dr. Triani being called to attend to a lady who was suffocated, found it to be his own wife, and near her was the dead body of bis little boy. There were other heartrending scenes of a similar nature, and the greatest anxiety prevailed among the numerous persons who flocked to the scene of the disaster, not knowing whether they would, find their friends and relations alive or dead. The victims were all taken to the police office, whence they were sent to the houses of those who claimed them.” ~ ,