A CRUSH IN THE STREETS OF BERLIN.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2477, 26 May 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

A CRUSH IN THE STREETS OF BERLIN.

A special correspondent of tho Daily Chronicle at Berlin, thus describes the crush in the streets, of the crowd which gathered to see the late Emperor lying in state in the Cathedral. The crowd was massed in a dense column, the five alleys of the Lustgarten being all filled. All these columns were made to converge upon one opening, through which only 20 people at a time were admitted ; in other words, 40,000 people were directed on to one narrow point. During the first half hour the sufferings of the. crowd were very great, but were borne patiently enough—the crowd, indeed, maintaining wonderful spirits, considering there was a ceaseless fall of sleety snow, with a cold easterly wind. As further thousands fell in, the pressure was greatly increased, and soon became unendurable. Women shrieked and fainted, but it was impossible toget them out of the crowd. In the course of the next hour upwards of 100 women fainted, nnd hundreds more told by their blanched cheeks how intense were their sufferings from the crush. One fainting woman fell and was trampled on in the mad heedlessness of the crowd, her blood staining the ground. Probably many of those present have been injured for life, although I have not actually heard that any were killed. Nor was it only the weak who suffered. Strong and heavy men 6ft in height were swayed by the throng like so many reeds, and almost as helpless to defend themselves as if they had been infants. Vapour rose from tho crowd in clouds, and drifted, like steam from a boiler, over the Lustgarten. In three hours the bulk of the crowd did not advance 30ft. There were no police or soldiers in the rear of tho throng to stay the rushes, or warn the people that persisted in pushing that it was hopeless, while the mounted police in front were useless. For two hours thoy sat on their horses, imperturbably, and stoically paying little heed to the surging, steaming, and suffering masses in front and on either hand. Such glaring absence of the most ordinary precautious it has never been my lot to witness, and it was not until four o'clock that it dawned on them that the women iu deep mourning might have cause to mourn that afternoon for the rest of their days. Then a lino of foot soldiers in undress were sent through the Lustgarten, and clove the crowd in twain. Had this simple precaution been taken at 2 o'clock much needless suffering would have been saved. Even as it was the movement on the part of the soldiers was unintelligibly dono, as it cut off a large number who were near the consummation of their labours after hours of suffering from all prospect of entering the Cathedral. Then thousands attempted to fight their way back through the crowd, women shrieking and men cursing. Two currents were thus established, which fought one another, not only with their fists, but with their feet, elbows, shoulders and knees. At five o'clock the doors of the church were closed, by which hour not a tenth part of the crowd had gained admission to the building.