Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-22
Panic in Negro Baptist
Convention Hall In
Birmingham Re.
suited Awfully.

In the auditorium probably Z,UUU negroes
had gathered to hear Booker T. Washing
ton deliver his address. Just as the speak
er concluded a member of the choir step
ped on the toe of a Boston delegate. There
was instantly disturbance, and some one
called out to the principals in the comedy
to be quiet.
The audience misunderstood the word,
and thought the alarm of fire had been
given.
Instantly there was a wild stampede-a
rush that grew into panic-and the au-
dience bolted for the door. The main en-
trance to the building, is sixteen feet wide,
and is reached from the ground by flight
OF twenty steps. As the audienceIie from
the building the negroes fell headlong
down the steps.
Into this whirlpool of screaming, ago.
mixing, groaning and mangled negroes 9TH
ers plunged headlong, until the entrance
was blocked by a mass of people ten feet
high.
VeritabIe Death Trap Yawned.
Into this surging. mangled pit of hui
mainly, panic-stricken negroes continued
to fall and leap.
Many died of strangulation and were
suffocated; others had necks broken
backs mangled, limbs splintered.
Cool heads pleaded and begged for order,
shouting at the top of their voices that
there was no fire nor danger in the build
ing; but 1t did not check the solid, wedge
shaped mass that fled in terror from the
building into this seething maelstrom Of 3
death.
One negro hurled himself over the crowd
below, only to have his brains dashed out
against the wall
A woman, holding her baby aloft In tire
air, fed through the mangled pile of peo-
PIE and escaped injury, while another was
caught in the rush and killed instantly.
Firemen on the Scene.
As soon as possible a fire alarm was
sent to headquarters to Sring aid to the
scene The fremen did much to restore
order. The police department in its full
strength was on hand, and many citizens.
but no power could stay the panic.
Many of the injured have died at hos
pitfalls today, and it is probable that other
deaths will take place.
1t is expected that at least a dozen OF
the injured will die. After midnight last
night several bodies Of persons who were
.oFasaeds -inH-fiaey panic were found lying
in the weeds in a vacant lot adjoining
the church. They had scrambled out
of the mass of struggling humanity with
broken limbs or crushed breasts and had
crawled away in this manner to die.
Investigation this morning shows that
no white people were KILLED in the panic.
A number of white visitors were in the
church at the time and several of them
were hurt in the wild scramble, but none
will die.
Up to noon today 'eighty-seven dead
bodies of the victims of last nights panic
at the Shiloh Baptist church, colored,
had been identified.
There are number of corpses yet un-
identified.
AS nearly as can be figured at this hour
the number of dead is lis. while no accu-
rate estimate can be placed on the num-
Der of injured.
BOOKER WASHINGTON TELLS
HOW PANIC STARTED
Booker T. Washington, when seen after
the accident at the residence of U. G.
Mason, 1926 avenue @, said:
st had just finished delivering my lee
ture on Industry and the singing had
commenced when some woman back Of
me was heard to scream. Some member
of the choir yelled quiet which the
gallery understood to be fire. This was
repeated and started the stampede.
81 found on investigation that a Bir4
mingham man had stepped on the toes Of
a delegate from Baltimore named Ballou-
''Ballou resented ii and made a motion
as If to draw a gun. This caused the
woman to scream.
''There was little excitement in the
center and front Of the church. The rear
Of the church was congested and some
of the men tried to walk out on the heads
of the crowd. AT the time Of the alarm
there were probably 5000 people in the
church and fully that number without.
The crowd on the sidewalk surged in and
this in a measure accounted for the large
loss of life.
''The majority of those killed were
smothered TO death, very few having
broken bones.
when saw that a stampede was inn
minent I started the choir singing and
part OF the audience Joined them. I re-
NAMED until the excitement had subsidized
for fully thirty minutes. One good sis
ter, whose name I did not learn. caught
me firmly by the waist and held me
throughout the excitement, saying Keep
STILL
BIRMINGHAM. Ala, Sept 2O.-The ne
gro population of Birmingham is in
mourning and a gloom has been cast
over the entire city as the people begin
to realize the immensely of last nights
appalling disaster at Shiloh Baptist
church.
Up to 10 O'Clock tonight the number of
dead had reached 10 and 80 Of these have
been identified.
A large majority of the victims Of the
stampede were residents Of Birmingham
and as fast as the undertakers can pre-
being identified.
The injured negroes are being cared
for in the various hospitals, though many
of them have been taken to private resi-
dences. Physicians express the opinion
that all Of them will recover, though sew
eral are in a critical condition.
The undertaking establishments Of the
city, which prepare the bodies Of the
negroes for burial, have been unable to
handle the remains of the panic victims
and many of the bodies are still scattered
over the floors of these places. Two Of
the undertakers, being unable to care for
the remains inside their establishments,
have lain them out in rows on the floor
of their stables.
Crowds of negroes throng the alleys
leading into the various morgues. and In
that section of the city the walls OF weep
ing women could be heard all day. AS
fast as the bodies can be dressed and
placed in collins they are moved TO thu
homes Of their relatives and at least fifty
funerals are expected to be held today.
Grand Master Mason Dead.
The Rev L. r. Price, of New Orleans,
whose name appears in the list OF dead,
was most worshipful grand master OF the
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