FEARFUL OCCURRENCE AT STOCK HOLM.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 129, 21 November 1885, Page 4

FEARFUL OCCURRENCE AT STOCK HOLM.

Eighteen Persons Trampled to Death, New York, October I.— A cable special to the "World" from Stockholm says :— " No event in many years has so profoundly agitated the Venice of the North as the reception to Madame Nilsson by her countrymen here on Thursday last. Since the occurrence, Nilseon has been so completely prostrated that she had felt obliged to cancel many engagements. King Oscar, who has taken very deep interest in the matter, has been active in extending sympathy and relief to the afflicted families, So great was the confusion following the calamity that the officials have scarcely yet recovered from the dazed condition produced by its awful suddenness, and it is only today, for the first time, that lam enabled to cable the particulars with any degree of

definiteness. Owing probably to the fact that Mdme. Nilson recentle bought a handsome house in London and announced her intention of making her home in England, permanently hereafter, ,the great singer's visit to the beautiful capital of her native land was regarded as a farewell one and the popular excitement attending her arrival was intense. Crowds of enthusiastic countrymen welcomed her at the railway Btation on Thursday morning and closely attended her carriage to the Grand Hotel, She gave three concerts, delighting the populace after each performance by singing home ballads in front of the hotel. As early as 7 o'clock in the evening people were streaming towards the 61 and Hotel When Nilsson arrived, shortly after 9 o'clock, it is estimated that the mass of people numbered no less than 40,000 persons. Deafening cheers greeted the diva's arrival. Unable to reach the principal door of the hotel, ehe with difficulty managed to gain admittance at a side entrance, and was presently bowing to probably the largest and most excited audience she ever looked upon. After Madam Nilsson had sung two songs the crowd began to disperse home* ward. The first movement of the mass caused a frightful crush, which was horribly intensified by tne pressure of a numbe r of fresh arrivals on the outskirts of the town. A rascally gang of roughs helped to still further precipitate a calamity by trying to work their way through the confused and chaotic multitude. With a rush like the flow of a mighty river the excited mass of people directed iteelf towards some newly bnilt houses. The pavement in front of the houses had been torn up and the ground was strewn with building stone, lime and sand. Just before this uneven place was reached the stone pavement ended at an abrupt descent in the grade of the street. Here those in advance of the crowded halted an instant, but being pressed forward by the thousands behind, stumbled and fell. The crowd awarmed on with the entire absence of reason or control, characteristic of such a crowd in an imergency. Men, women and children were instantly piled one upon another in one great crushed, bleeding, shrieking and undistinguishable mass of humanity. The horror of the scene was increase! by the demoniac yells of the roughs, who took advantage cf the moment to attack and plunder people right and left. To add to the confusion, the only lamp that illuminated that part of the street was turned out by a boy who saved him-* self by climbing the post, while many others saved themselves by breaking windows and entering new houses. They were severely cut by broken glass. When the police finally forced a passage and removed the dead and injured they found that 18 persons had been killed in the rush. Most of these were women, Many people are believed to have been seriousiy injured early in the panic by being trampled under the feet of horses. A prominent citizen was separated from two daughters, aged 10 and 12 years. He afterwards found the bodies trampled almost beyond recognition. A woman excitedly searching for her child broke into loud cries on seeing the row of corpses and it was found that she had gone mad. The police, numbering 200, were utterly powerless to prevent the accident or govern the crowd.