The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-05
Twelve Persons Killed Outright, Some
Being Blown Almost Into Pieces,
and Fifty Hurt.
MANY OF THE INJURED MAY DIE
FRIGHTFUL PANIC IN THRONG OF
FULLY 10000 PERSONS.
Hundreds Thrown Down and Tram
pied Under FoOt-Nine Men Placed
Under Arrest.

NEW YORK, Nov. 4.-By series of ex-
plosons of fireworks tonight among the
vast multitude gathered in Madison square
to witness the ascension of an airship and
the display of the election returns, twelve
persons were killed outright. many being
blown almost to pieces, and at least fifty
injured, many of them fatally.
1t is estimated that at least 10000 persons
thronged the square at the time of the ex-
plosions, which were succeeded by fright
full panic, in which hundreds were thrown
down and trampled under foot. Five hun
dred policemen and all the ambuiances in
the city were instantly summoned, and
the dying and those most seriously injured
were removed to the hospitals. In addition
to these many of the wounded were taken
away by friends. Nine men in charge of
the fireworks display were placed under
arrest Immediately after the explosion. The
list of the dead is:
POLICEMAN DENNIS SHEA.
VIM. G. FINNEY.
GEORGE RIFLE.
HAROLD ROBLEY.
SIX UNKNOWN MEN.
UNKNOWN COLORED MAN.
UNKNOWN COLORED BOY.
The most seriously injured are: Police
man Michael MCGEE, Policeman Michael
Reagan, Florence Dyer, David Myers. VIM.
Malloy, John Glaner, James Corrigan,
Frank Leiston, George Landon, Charles
Gladwin, John Farrell. Z. Deyler. Frank
L. Keller, Frank Wilson, Helen Wilson,
Henry Adams, Charles Olgan, T. Davis.
Joseph Schaefer, Samuel Mixer and An
gelo Dominick.
The densest portion of the throng that
packed the square was gathered along Mad
ison avenue close to the place reserved for
the discharge of the fireworks. Along the
border of the square facing the avenue
were arranged three groups of cast-iron
mortars, twenty in each group, and loaded
with heavy bombs. A few minutes after
10 o'clock the first row of mortars was
touched off, but before the discharge took
place one of them fell over on its side and
the next instant the bomb was shot into
the thickest of the crowd. where 1t explod-
ed and hurled the people into heaps. The
fall of the mortar and the conclusion of the
explosion knocked down the rest Of the
row of mortars and a laundering volley of
huge projectiles plowed through the crowd.
Almost instantaneously the second group
of twenty mortars about 100 feet fur
Their up the avenue discharged their con-
tents into the crowd and a moment later
the third group, evidently ignited by the
showers of falling sparks, exploded in the
same manner.
In the panic that ensued thousands ran
blindly across the square, tripping over
the seats and benches and falling, were
trampied on. The police on duty were
carried along by the rush and for half an
hour the widest confusion reigned.
After the smoke of the explosion had
cleared away sixteen persons We're found ly-
ing on Madison avenue between Twenty
third and Twenty-ffth streets. Scores of
injured were scattered about the avenue
and the square. Among the dead was a po-
liceman who was standing close to the first
mortar and whose body was frightfully
mangled.
A force of 500 policemen was soon on the
spot and upwards of one hundred physicians
and two hundred nurses were summoned
from the hospitals, every available vehicle
being pressed into service for the trans
portation of the wounded. The following
persons conencted with the fireworks COM
pany in charge of the display were arrest
ed Henry Temple, Frank Listvan, James
Il. Allen, Edward Smith, Herman Rogers,
Charles Holman, John Fullan. None of
them could offer an explanation of how
the explosions took place.