The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-09-24

ance
Owing to the number Of visiting dele
gates the Identification of the dead and
Injured has been difficult.
The disaster occurred at 8 O'Clock
juss as Booker z. Washington had con-
cl1ded his address to the national con-
Eention Of Bapists, and for three hours
sDe scenes around the church were
sndescribable. Dead bodies were streWn
IN every direction and the ambulance
service Of the city was utterly incapa-
cStated 10 move them until after
o'clock a. m.
The church is the largest house Of
worship for negroes in Birmingham
|and the pastor says there were at
Reast 2,o00 persons in the ediice when
the stampede began. instructions had
beer issued to allow no one else to en-
tsr after the building had been filed,
huS the negroes forced their way inside
TIE church aud were standing IN every
aisle, the entrance was literally pack
led.
Just as Booker Washington conclud-
lea his address Judge Billion, negro
lawyer from Baltimore, engaged IN al
sereasion with the choir Leader con-
eern;ng an rnoccupied seat and it Is
said blow vas struck. Some, one in
she choir cried, They're fighting. !"
1Eistaking the word " fghting'' for
FIRE, the congregation rose en masse
and started for the door. One OF the
ministers quickly mounted the rostrum
and admonisaed the people to keep
aniet. He repeated the word quiet, -
serezal times and motioced to his
hearers to be seated.
Again the excited congregation mis-
sook the word quiet, for a second
sIarm Of FIRE and rushed for the door.
Asn and women craWled over bench
Is, fought their way into the aisles
and those who had fallen we're tramp
led upon like cattle.
The ministers tried again to stop the
stampede, bu5 no power on earth
could stay the struggling, fighting
mass Of humanity.
The scream OF women and children
Eldded TO the horror of the scene and
from mere fright many persons tainted
Elnd as they fell to the floor we're crush
I'd to death. The level of the floor IS
sbout 100 feet from the ground and
hong steps lead to the sidewalk to the
Hobby inst outside the main auditor
inn. Brick walls extend on each side
BIZ these steps for six or seven feet and
shis proved reritable death trap.
Negroes who had reached the top OF
The steps were pushed violently for
Tard and many fell Before they could
move others fell upon them and in a
few moments persons were piled upon
bach other to height of ten feet.
This wall OF struggling humanity
blocked the entrance and the weight
of !, 800 persons was pushed against it.
afors than 90 persons lying on the steps
underneath the heap OF bodies died
from suTocation.
Two white men, who we're In the
raar OF the church when the rush be-
san. escaped, and realizing the seri-
ousness Of the situation rushed to a
corner nearby and turned in IRE
alarm. The department answered quick
" and the arrival Of the wagons served
to scatter the crowd which had gather
led around the front of the church.
A squad of police was also fastened
tc the church and with the hremen
inalIy succeeded in relieving the ne
groes from their pinioned position IN
The entrance.
The dead bodies were quickly moved
and the crowd inside, finding an outlet
came pouring out. Scores Of them lost
their footing and rolled down the long
steps TO the pavement, sustaining brok-
en limbs and internal injuries. In an
hour the church had been practically
clearsd and the sight which greeted
Shose who had come to aid the injured
was sickening. Down the aisles and
aIone the outside Of the pews the dead
bodies of men and women were strew-
ed and the cries of the manned and
crippled was heartrending. In few
nainntes the work of rem6ving the
bodies was begun and the walls OF the
relatives Of the dead who had waited
on the outside could be heard for sew
eral blocks.
TIE Shiloh church is located just in
the edge of the South Highlands, the
fashionable residence section OF the
city, and all the physicians living IN
that part of town went to the assist
lance Of the injured.
Most Of the dead are women and the
Dhysicians say IN many cases eney
tainted and died from sufocation. A
rernarkabae feature of the calamity is
Shat no blood was seen on any of the
victims. They were either crushed OF
died from sufocstion.
THE CAUSE.
The Rev. Dr.. T. ". Walker, pastor
Of Shiloh church, said tonight: "Shi-
ioh church is modern brick structure
and has been complete at a cost OF
s75. 600. There are four entrances to
the building and the main one is 16
seet wide. The deaths were caused by
eyerybody trying to rush out OF the
main entrance at the same time. In
side the church not bench was over
tnrned and all of those who were kill
ed died in or about the entrance. The
ngonle near the front of the church
we're we're not injured in the least.
Wayor VIM. Drennen said: Most
os those WHO were killed were strang-
srs. but their bodies will be cared
far nntil identified and claimed by re.