The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-09-23
BURYING THE VICTIMS
MANY FUNERALS OCCUR IN
BIRMINGHAM.
Committee of Reputable Colored
Citizens Handling the, Relief
Fund-Those Without Means
are Decently Inferred.

Birmingham, September 22.-tSpeciaD
The last of the victims Of last
Friday lights disaster at the Shi
lob Baptist Church in which five
score and mo-e people lost their
lives. were either shipped or buried
| today. The work of putting away the
bodies has been quite tedious, but the
undertakes worked hard and gave the
dead decent burial. Those who had no
means and lad no friends were we'll taken
care of and were; given nice burials.
The subscription gotten UP by The
Birmingham News rs now being handled
by a committee of reputable colored citi-
zens, composed of w. r. Pettiford. Presi-
dent of the Penny Savings Bank, ]. O..
Diffey, a real estate dealer; E. A.
Brown, attorney, and Rev. s. i. Fisher,
pastor of the Sixth Street Baptist Church:
Mayor Drennen was applied to today
in behalf of one victim and he Issued
instruction that the body of the negro
be laid away decently and he would see
to 1t that the expenses were met.
All the colored undertakers in Birming-
ham used up very near all of their stock
In handling this business. One of the white
firms, however, had good stock of far
collins on hand and willingly accommo-
dated its colored brethren SO that the
lamity could proceed without Interrupt
ton. All kinds Of hearses, dead wagons,
ambulances and other vehicles used by
undertakers were employed yesterday and
today in carrying the remains to the GEM
eteries in the suburbs. there being no
colored cemetery in the city limits.
One of the saddest deaths in the large
number of victims was that of kassouga.
to Alabama by Rev. s. P. Werner of Tus-
caioosa. a. PRESBYTERIAN missionary who
returned a couple of years ago. Kassougo
was being educated in the Stillman In
stitute, the Presbyterian colored school
at Tuscaloosa, with view of his re-
turning to Africa and teaching his peo-
pie. He was working in Birmingham dur
ing his vacation. Having an opportunity
to hear Booker T. Washington he went TO
the Shiloh Church last Friday night to
meet an awful fate. His body was given
deceHt burial.
The number of injured in the stampede
was comparatively small and most of
these are doing well.
Josie Ford, one of the women who was
caught in the jam at the church door, has
| lost her mind and for a while yesterday
and the day before she was very violent
Toddy she shows some improvement and
| there is hope that she can be cured in
time. The woman was not hurt but seems
| to have been badly frightened.
Nnety-nine victims have been account
| ed for as "A certainty while six were bu-
| ried privately and in the suburbs Sew
| eral whose names were given in the list
| of dead have shown up and are found
unhurt.
| The Shiloh Church is not injured any
| in the least. not a brick being moved in
the awful crush.
John H. Ballou, the negro lawyer, and
win Hicks, the local negro. who had a
| difficulty in the choir loft. in which the
word fight" was taken for "fire," will
| be tried tomorrow on charges of disturb
| ing public worship and ARRAY. Hicks
gave bond today in the sum of 500 for
| his appearance tomorrow. Ballou is max
| ing an effort to get bondsmen. Under the
| city code the heaviest penalty in each
case is 500.