Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-09-25
panic IN A CHURCH.
Terrible Scene At the Negro Baptist
Convention At Birmingham. .
IT WAS THOUGHT FIRE WAS CALLED.


Eight Lives LOST
birmingham, Ala, Sept. 2o.-In an
awful crush Of humanity caused by
. stampede in the Shiloh Negro Bap-
fist church at Avenue G and Eight
eenth street last night 70 persons
were killed and so seriously in
jured. The catastrophe occurred at
nine O'Clock Just as Booker 7. Wash
ington had concluded his address to
the National Convention Of Baptists
and for three hours the scenes
around the church were indescrib-
able. Dead bodies were strewn in
every direction and the ambulance
service Of the city was utterly inca
pacitated to move them until after
one o'clock. Dozens of dead bodies
were arranged in rows on the ground
outside Of the house Of worship
awaiting removal to the various un-
dertadng establishments, while
more than a score were laid out on
the benches inside.
Just as Booker r. Washington con-
cluded his address Judge Billou, ne
gro leader from Baltimore, engaged
in an alteration with the choir lead
er concerning an unoccupied seat
and, it is said, u blow was struck.
Some one in the choir cried they're
fighting" Mistaking the word
fighting for "fire" the congregation
rose en- masse and started for the
door. One of the MINISTERS quickly
mounted the rostrum and admon-
ished the people to keep quiet. He
repeated the word quiet" several
times and motioned to his hearers
to be seated. Again the excited con-
gregation mistook the word quiet"
for fire" and renewed the struggle
to reach the door. Men and women
crawled over benches, fought their
way into the aisles and those who
had fallen were trampled upon like
cattle. The ministers tried again
and again to stop the stampede, but
no power on earth could stay the
struggling, fighting mass of human
ity. The screams Of women and chill
dren 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 levelSof the floor is about Is
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
these steps for six or seven feet and
these proved a veritable death trap.
Negroes who had reached the top OF
the steps were pushed violently for
ward and many fell. Before they
could move others fell upon them
and in Is minutes persons were piled
upon each other to height of ten
feet. This wall Of struggling hui,
manity blocked the entrance and the
weight of 1900 persons was pushed
against it. More than 20 persons ly'
ing on the steps underneath the heap
Of bodies died from sutfocation.
Two white men who were in the
rear of the church when the rush
began escaped and, realizing the seri-
business of the situation, rushed to
a corner nearby and turned in fire
alarm. The department came quick
ly and the arrival of the wagons
served to scatter the crowd which
had gathered around the front of the
church. A squad Of police was also
hastened to the church and with the
firemen finally succeeded IN releas
ing the negroes from THEM positions
in the entrance. The dead bodies
were quickly removed and the GROVE
inside, finding an outlet, came pour
ing out. Scores Of them lost theil
footing and rolled down the loni
steps to the pavement, sustaining
broken limbs and internal injuries.
In an hour the church had beef
practically cleared and the sigh
which greeted the eyes Of those witt
fhad come to aid the injured was sick
ening. Down the aisles and along tn
outside Of the pews the dead bodie
| OF men and women were strewn ant
the cries of the MANNED and crippled
were heartrending.
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