Evening journal., 1902-05-01
EIGHT KILLED
In WILD PANIC
Girls Crushed to Death on
Stairway
DEAD WERE TRAMPLED UPON
Though in No Danger, Women Rushed
TO Their Doom, Craled BY an
Unnatural Terror
DEAD WERE TRAMPLED UPON


Philadelphia, May An unfortu-
nate accident TO deaf and dumb boy.
lsador Baccus. was yesterday directly |
responsible for the death Of eight girls
and young women. the fatal injury OF |
three others. and the serious injury OF |
more than two score of girls employed |
in the cigar factory OF Hadburger !
Homan & Company a branch of the |
American Tobacco Company, located |
at Tenth street and Washington ave
nue..
The dead are; Mary Geneva, aged
Is; Helen Tolini, aged 12; Elizabeth
Tartine, aged 12; Annie Rosschneider,
aged Is; Louisa De Sept. aged 16 Ida
Green. aged IS; Annie Ford. aged 10;
Johanna Gilly, 20 years of age
Fatally injured; Mary Mesino. in
jured internally skull fractured; Jose
phine O'Ronco, injured internally: uni
Identified woman, unconscious, frac-
tured skull.
The injuries OF the others consist
mainly of bruises about the body and
fractured limbs.
The building in which the disaster
occurred is a five-story brick structure
and extends an entire block Twelve
hundred persons were at work at the
time of the accident. 80 per cent. of
whom were girls, whose ages range
from 12 years upwards. The trouble
began on the fourth floor Of the struc
ture. Baccus who was ianitor Of the
building. started for the fifth floor
for a ball of twine. The elevator was
at the top OF the shaft, and Baccus
pulled the rope to bring It down. He
opened the door leading TO the shaft
and leaned forward 20 see where the
carriage was. AS he did so the eleva.
tor. which was slowly descending.
struck him across the back oil the
neck pinioning his head between the
elevator and the floor A stock boy
released Baccus and cried for help
The foreman rushed from the buildingI
to call an ambulance, and Immediately
there was a panic among the EN-.
ployes.
Some OF the younger girls tainted,
while others, not being able to control
their feelings, cried fire.
Instantly there was a mad rush for
the stairway leading into Tenth street
The girls rushed down the narrow
staircase until they reached a bend
in the exit, between the second and
third floors. In their eagerness to es-l
cape the frightened leaders fell 9th
ers Immediately following tripped over
the struggling mass Of humanity, and
in less than a minute there were hun
dreds of children and young women
struggling in the passageway. The
shrieks and screams of the terror
stricken girls could be heard for a
block or more. During the excitement
an alarm of fire was turned in. but be.
fore the engines could reach the scene
several of the occupants of the build
ing had rushed TO the windows and
jumped to the street. a distance Of
over so feet. Helen Tolinl. one Of
those to jump, was Instantly killed.
The iremen rushed up the stairway
and begged the girls to be calm. tell
ing them there was absolutely no dan
ger, but the sight Of the firemen
seemed only to add fuel to the flame.
While the policemen and firemen were
endeavoring to quiet the girls on the
stairway ladders were being run up
on the outside OF the building and the
employees who had climbed out onto
the fre escapes and window lodges
were quickly taken to the street
After a few minutes the men were
enabled 20 check the awful crush on
the stairway. and then began the work
of rescuing those who had been tram
pied and crushed between the second
and third floors. The number of am
balances were entirely inadequate, and
patrol wagons were brought into use
to carry the victims away for treat
ment.
While this was being done the scene
about the structure was beartrending
The building is located in a section
largely inhabited by Hebrews, many
of whom were caught in the terrible
crush. Parents and relatives of the
unfortunate girls were screaming and
rushing about the streets like mad, and
it was almost impossible for the po-
lice officials to restrain the mothers
and relatives Of supposed victims
from entering the building.
The work Of rescuing the girls from
the windows was necessarily tedious.
They were so excited that they did not
seem to understand the pleadlngs Of
the firemen. at nearly every window
OF the huge structure were girls
screaming for help. Many were so
excited that It was with the greatest
difficulty that they We're prevented
from jumping from the building. not.
withstanding that there was not a sign
of fire and their rescue seemed only
the work Of a few moments.
The panic was over in less than