Death At A Baptism

Severa] colored eongregations of Baptist churches In New Orleana have long made it a practiee to baptize menibers in the Msss-,!)ii river at certain seleeted pointa both in the upper and lower distriets of the city. The Bwlft cuncut OÍ the river bas always made the CUëtom more or less 1 dangerous, bat the chancea ot a mishap have been reduced to a minimum by the care exercised in selecting a [place lor tiic ceremonies where the bathers extended a considerable distance beyond the li'vci'. tlius secürlng sliallow watera safe dlstance trom the channel of the levee. The Mount Zlon Baptls church has been baptlzlng its converts at the foot ot one of the streets In the third district. Beside the spot runs a wharf, whicli extenda lnLo doep water. JSunday, the 8th inst. the congregatlou gathered at the spot for the nsual ceremonies. A largecrowdhad assembled on the wharf, and in the mldst oi the exerclsea the retling BUfroundlag it gave way and fnlly üfty people were prelpltated inlo Uit! river. Around the wharf were a number of skitfs, and into tlicm niiiiiy pf the people wcre thrown, overturnlng several boats and ailding to the number BtruggUng in the water. The occupanta of these skitTs, whlohthen floated, set to woik and rescued all those who eould be reached. Keven are known to have bees dtbwned, and it is beüeved tliat : iiiuii five toelght more peiished. Etosalina Williams, colored, when she went nto the water, liad a chlld in her anus. Shë struxgleduntil sheeame to the surface and held the child up untll one of the rescublg skifTs reached her, and the infant was selzed and taken on board, when nlie sank and was carried iway by the ourrent. An unknown white woman was drowncd under exactly' similar cir( unisianccs and the rescued baby is now held by the poliee for identilieation. The unknown colored woman and another unknown white woman were drowned un der a Bat bout and all efforts to rescue them, wliicli were heroic and energetlc, failed, Many ]eople were Injured, but none tatully.