Manhattan, New York, USA (New York City) (New Amsterdam) (Washington Heights)
1880 - DESTRUCTION AND DEATH - A FRESH HORROR FURNISHED IN NEW YORK CITY.

FALL OF THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - THE BUILDING FILLED WITH PEOPLE IN AID OF A CHARITY - SEVERAL PERSONS KILLED AND MANY MORE INJURED.

New York, April 21. - An accident of a fatal character and which caused intense excitement, occurred at the Madison Square Garden tonight. The Hahnemann Hospital fair, which opened a week ago, was in progress, and there were about 800 people in the building. At half-past nine half the front of the building facing on Madison Avenue gave way, the wall falling outwards. Part of the roof also fell in with a crash. This portion of the building was used as a dancing hall and picture gallery of the fair. It is not at this time known how many persons were killed, but one lady has so far been and one wounded.
Two horses in the street were instantly killed, and one so badly injured that it had to be shot. Several hack drivers were injured. Commissioner German, and a large detachment of the fire department and police were promptly on the spot.

Bulletin - April 23 - THE KILLED AND THE INJURED.
The dead:
WILLIAM M. TILESTON, died at St. Luke's Hospital at 4 p.m. His injuries were very painful, consisting of compound fractures of both legs, a fracture of the left arm and lacerated wounds upon the head.
MARIA ANN CONNOLLY. Recognized yesterday by her brother. Although the body was mutilated, Connelly recognized the lower portion of his sister's face, the color of her hair, and a portion of her dress. Her face was crushed and her feet were mangled.
MRS. ANNA BRADFORD CLARK HEGEMAN, was thirty-three years of age, and a member of an old family in this city. She leaves two children, one four years old and the other five months old.
MRS. WILLETS, was struck by a heavy beam and killed instantly. Her body was crushed and mangled beyond recognition. A coroner's report states, "nearly every bone in her body was crushed."
MRS. ANNA L. WILLETS was crushed to death by the falling wall. Her body was crushed and terribly mangled.
The injured:
MISS VIOLA BLODGETT, badly bruised, but it is thought that she has no internal injuries.
MISS BELLE CAMROS, was slightly bruised.
SPENCER C. COE, was slightly bruised.
LEONARD DATER, sustained a fracture of the right leg, and suffered from a number of severe bruises. He was removed from Bellevue Hospital to his home yesterday morning, and he is in a fair way to recover.
MISS LILLIAN DAVIS, a young girl about fifteen years of age, was somewhat bruised on the shoulder and arm.
E. L. DOWES, twenty-five years old, a clerk, had his left hand crushed and suffered slight contusions. His wounds were dressed at the New York Hospital. His injuries are not serious.
JOHN FOWLER, was injured slightly.
HOBART HENRY HERRICK, eighteen years old, was bruised slightly.
ALFRED HILTON, had his arm slightly injured by the falling plaster.
SEYMOUR J. HYDE, eighteen years old, was slightly injured.
MICHAEL KELLY, a hack driver, was injured on the hip and arms by being thrown from his seat.
F. L. LEHMAN, was badly bruised and two toes of his left foot were crushed.
A. MONTGOMERY, twenty years of age, was slightly bruised on the left arm and left side.
WILLIAM MORRIS, was slightly bruised.
WILLIAM PINKNEY, was very severely bruised, and his right leg was broken.
MISS ANNIE SCOVILLE, was badly injured by a falling beam. She was much better, however, yesterday, and no fears were entertained that she would not recover.
A. SILDEMANN, one of the musicians, was slightly bruised.
MISS JOSEPHINE STREETER, was severely bruised. It is not known as yet whether her injuries are dangerous.
W. J. SWAN, one of the managers of the fair, was slightly bruised by the falling plaster.
HENRY WALTER WEIS, a lawyer, received a number of severe cuts on the head, the small bone of his left leg was broken, his right leg was much bruised.

The cause of the accident was supposed to be the pressure of the floor of the dancing hall and art gallery upon the wall which supported it. Both these rooms were filled with people at an early hour. Suddenly it was noticed that the floor of the art gallery was cracking, and Albert McKay, manager of the fair, was summoned to the place. He mounted the stairs leading to the art gallery and noticed that the room was filled with ladies and gentlemen. Detective Tilly, who had been employed to watch the valuable pictures in the room, informed him that the walls were cracking in some places, and that there was danger of the floor giving way. McKay sent a man to turn off the gas in that part of the building, and called out to persons near him to leave the gallery as quick as possible. His manner of speaking caused most of the persons in the room to step out on a broad landing, which overlooks the main part of the garden. The dancing hall on the same floor was still full of people and before they could be warned of the approaching danger a succession of loud reports were heard and the front wall suddenly fell out into the street. A large part of the roof which had been supported by the wall, immediately fell in upon the heads of the frightened dancers, burying them out of sight.

Screams and groans were heard on every side, and a panic followed. A moment after the accident the floor of the dancing room settled, and there was a general stampede out upon the landing and down the staircase to the main part of the garden. Those who were out of danger when the roof fell rushed forward to the front of the building and seriously impeded those who were trying to escape outside the building.

Daily Globe
St. Paul, Minnesota
April 22, 1880

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