The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-21
UNDER THE SHADOW
PAIL OF GLOOM HANGS OVER BIR-
MINGHAM NEGROES.
THE DEAD OVER A HUNDRED.
MOST OF THE STAMPEDE VICTIMS
LOCAL RESIDENTS.

President Roosevelt at Cincinnati
Wires Sympathy to Booker y.
Washington, DepIoring the Ca
tastrOphe-Dirmingh Undertake
ers Taxed to the Utmost to Care
for the Remains-Rev. l.. a. Price
of New Orleans, Lost His Life in
Heroic Work of Rescue.
Birmingham, Ala, Sept. 20.-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 ITO and
80 of these have been identified. A
large majority of the victims of the
stampede were residents of Birming-
ham, and as fast as the undertakers
can prepare their bodies for inspection
they are being identified.
Booker T Washington has received
the following telegram from President
Roosevelt in regard to the disaster
which befell so many people at the Ma
tional Baptist Convention at Birming-
ham last night. His reply also follows.
Cincinnati, Sept. 20, 1902.-Booker
T. Washington: l am shocked and
Mortified by the disaster at Birming-
ham, and desire to express my great
grief at the sad loss of life
Theodore Roosevelt"
Birmingham, Ala, Sept. 20.-Presi-
dent Theodore Roosevelt: Our people
most grateful to you for your words
of sympathy in the matter of the ter
rible calamity which mas befallen so
many of our race. Everything posi-
BILE is being done by both white and
colored citizens to help Birmingham
city officials have been most thoughtful
and generous. The crowd at meeting
was very large. but perfectly orderly.
The disaster grew out of one of those
incidents which it was almost impos-
sible to foresee.
Booker t. Washington"
The injured negroes are being cared
for in the various hospitals, though
many of them have been taken to pri-
waite residences. Physicians express the
opinion that all of them will recover,
though several are in a critical condi-
ton. The undertaking establishments
of the city which prepare the bodies of
negroes for burial have been unable to
handle the remains of the panic VIC
TINS 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 laid them
cut In rows on the floor of their sta
bles.
Crowds of negroes throng the alleys
leading into the various morgues, and
In that section of the city the walls
of weeping women could be heard all
day. AS fast as the bodies can be
dressed and placed in collins they are
moved to the homes of their relatives,
and at least fifty funerals are expected
to be held tomorrow.
Rev. l.. r. Price of New Orleans,
whose name appears in the list of dead,
was most worshipful grand master OF
the Grand Lodge of Negro Masons OF
Louisiana. He was in charge of a
train of delegates from Louisiana and
Texas, and is we'll known throughout
the United States. Rev. Price lost his
life In an effort to save several women
who were being crushed to death be-
meath the panic-stricken crowd in the
church. Three times he fought his way
into the building and brought out three
women. The fourth time he was
caught in the crush and before he could
extricate himself was borne to the
floor of the church and died of suffoca-
ton.
Sarah Peyton of New Orleans, whose
name also appears in the list of dead
was well known as an active mission
ary worker.
The citizens of Birmingham have
started a relief fund to care for the
dead and injured, and several hundred
dollars has already been subscribed.
j. H. Ballew, the negro lawyer who
is said to have precipitated the panic
by engaging in an alteration with
Hicks, the choir leader, has been ar
rested and is in Jail. charged with
disturbing public worship. Hicks has
not been located. Ballew is a resident
of Baltimore.
Augustus J. Powers, president of the
Enterprise Engraving Company of this
city informed the police tonight that
he had seen Young whom he knew
we'll by sight, in Herald Square this
afternoon.
The police of the precinct in which
the murder occurred, express the belief
that Young is still in the precinct, and
is being protected by an alleged Nor
mon Secret Society, which they say
was supposed to have been broken up
by the United States Secret Service.
John W. Young. father of the mar
suspected of the murder, who is now
in Paris. has communicated with
friends in this city informing them
that he will return to New York for
the purpose of defending his son. Mr.
Young has also cabled instructions to
his most intimate friend to employ
counsel for his son.
William Hooper Young is believed to
have sent letter to one of his broth
ers confessing the murder of Mrs. Pu-
liter and EXPLAINED his motives