Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1902-09-20
Awful Panic Occurred In Col
ored Babtist Convention,
at Birmingham, Ala.
FIGHTING" THOUGHT FIRE, ;
When Some Person Made the Cry
During an AItercation-cries to Ge'
"ouie~ Also Misunder7tood-Man'
Tramp pied Under Foot.


awful crush of humanity, caused by s
Gtampede in the Shiloh negro Baptis
church, at Avenue G. and Eighteenth
street, last night, between rs aRd s.!
persons were killed and as many more
seriously injured. The catastrophe
occurred at 9 o'clock, just as Booker
T. Washington had concluded his ad
dress to the national convention oi
Baptists.
The church is the largest church fol
negroes in Birmingham, and the pas
tor says that at least 2,000 person.
were in the building when the STAN
pede began. Instructions had beer
issued to allow no more to enter, bu'
the negroes forced their way inside
the building and were standing il
every aisle, even the entrance to the
church being literally packed.
Panic Followed Washington's Speech
Just as Booker T. Washington con
cluded his address, Judge Billou,
negro lawyer from Baltimore, engaged
in an alteration with the choir leader
concerning an unoccupied seat, and
it is said, blow was struck. Somt
one in the choir cried, They're fight
ing" Mistaking the word fighting
for fire." the congregation rose en-
masse and started for the doors. One
Of the ministers quickly mounted th>
rostrum and urged the people to keel
quiet. He repeated the word quiet
several times and motioned his hear
ers to be seated. The excited congre
cation mistook the word quiet" fol
fire." and renewed the struggle q
reach the doors. Men and women
crawled over benches, fought theil
way into the aisles, and those who
had fallen were trampled upon. Thu
ministers tried again and again tc
stop the stampede, but no power OF
earth could stay the struggling, fight
ing mass Of humanity. The scream
Of women and children added to the
horror Of the scene. and through mere
fright many persons tainted and a
they fell to the floor were crushed t.
death. The level Of the floor is about
Is feet from the ground, and long
steps lead to the sidewalk from the
COLBY just outside the main audi
torium. Brick walls extend on eact
side Of these steps for six or sever
feet, and this place proved a veritable
death trap Negroes who had reached
the top Of the steps were pushed vic
lently forward and many fell. Before
they could move others fell upon then
and in Is minutes persons were pileC
upon each other to a height Of II
feet. This mass Of struggling hu
manity blocked the entrance and the
weight Of $500 persons was pushed
against it. More than 20 persons "
ing on the steps underneath the heal
Of bodies died from suffocation. Tw.
white men. who were in the rear O.
the church when the rush began, es
capped, and, realizing the seriousness
Of the situation, rushed to a corne!
nearby and turned in a fire alarm
The department came quickly and the
arrival Of the wagons served to scat
ter the crowd which had gathere
around the front of the church. A
squad Of police was also fastened tc
the church and with the firemer
finally succeeded in releasing the ne
groes from their pinioned positions
and the crowd inside, finding an out
let, came pouring out. Scores of them
lost their footing and rolled down the
long steps to the pavement, sustain
ing broken limbs and internal in
juries.
CHASTITY Sight Met Their Eyes.
In an hour the CHURCH had beer
practically cleared and the sight
which greeted the eyes Of those who
had come to aid the injured was sick.
ening. 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 a few minutes
the work Of removing the bodies was
begun.
AS many Of the suffering negroes
as could be moved by the ambulances
were taken to hospitals and the rest
were laid out on the ground and there