Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-09-25

DIE IN PANIC
Fight at Negro Baptist Con-
vention Results IN Fatal {
Stampede.
VAST CROWD FEARED A FIRE
Scores Died In Deathtrap at the Door
way, While Many More Were Manned In
the Mad Rush of the Panic-Stricken
Congregation.

Birmingham, Ala, Sept 20.--In an
awful crush of humanity, caused by
stampede in the Shiloh Negro Baptist
church at Avenue G and Eighteenth
streets last night seyenty-eight persons
were killed and as many more serioas-
ly injured. The catastrophe occurred
at 8 o'clock, just as Booker r. Wash.
ington had concluded his address to
the national convention of colored Bao-
lists, and for three hours the scene
was indiscribable Dead bodies were
strewn In every direction, and the am
oulance service of the city was utterly
lncapacitated to move them until after
midnight. Dozens of dead bodies were
arranged in rows on the ground out
side Of the house of worship awaiting
removal to the various undertaking
establishments, while more than
score laid on the benches on the in
side.
The church is the largest house of
worship for negroes in Birmingham
and the pastor says that there were
at least 1000 people in the edifice
when the stampede began. Even the
entrance to the church was literally
packed. fs
Just as Booker T. Washington was
concluding his address Judge Billion,
negro lawyer from Baltimore, en-
gagged in an alteration with the choir
leader concerning vacant seat and it
is said blow was struck. Someone
in the choir cried, They're fighting"
Mistahng the word fighting" for
fire" the congregation arose en- masse
and started for the door. One of the
ministers quickly mounted the rostrum
and admonished the people to keep
quiet. He repeated the word quiet"
several times and motioned to his
hearers to be seated. Again the ex-
cited congregation mistook the word
quiet" for fire" and renewed the
the struggle to reach the door. Men
and women crawled over benches,
fought their way into the aisles and
those who had fallen were trampei
upon. The ministers tried again To
stop the stampede, but no power IN
earth could stay the struggling, fight
ing mass of humanity. The screams
OF women and children added to the
horror of the scene and through mere
fright many persons tainted and as
they fell to the floor were crushed to
death.
The level OF the floor is about fifteen
feet from the ground and long steps
lead to the sidewalk from the lobby
just outside the main auditorium.
Brick walls extend on each side of the
steps for six or seven feet and this
proved veritable death trap. Negroes
who kad reached the top of the steps
were pushed violently forward and
many fell. Before they could move
others fell upon them and In fifteen
minutes persons were piled upon each
other to a height of ten feet. THAI
wall of struggling humanity blocked
the entrance and the weight of 1900
persons was pushed against it. More
than twenty persons lying on the steps
underneath the heap of bodies died
from suffocation.
Two white men who were in the
rear of the church escaped and turned
in fire alarm. The department came
quickly and the arrival of the wagons
served to scatter the crowd in trout
A squad of police was also fastened
to the church and with the firemen
finally succeeded In releasing the
negroes from their pinioned position
in the entrance.
In an hour the church had been
practically cleared and the sight which
greeted the eyes of those who had
come to aid the injured was sicken.
ing. Down the aisles and along the
outside of the pews the dead bodies
of men and women were strewn and
the cries of the MANNED and crippled
were heartrending. In few minutes
the work of removing the bodies be-
gan.
Frt- ~.