The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-20

WOMEN SUFFERED MOST
W. --stening to an Address by
Booker 7. Washington.
Many Victims Were Delegates to the Ne.
gro Baptist COnventicn-An
Appalling Sight.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala, Sept. 19-Ir an aw-
full crush of humanity. caused by stam-
pade in the Shiloh Negro Baptist Church,
at Avenue G and Eighteenth street. to-
night. seventy-eight persons were killed
and as many more seriously injured.
The catastrophe occurred at 9 O'Clock.
just as Booker T. Washington had con-
cluded his address to the National Conven-
ton 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 unable TO move them until
after o'clock This Saturday morning
dozens OF dead bodies were arranged In
rows on the ground outside the house OF
worship awaiting removal to the various
undertaking establishments. while more
than a score were laid out on the benches
inside.
The church is the largest house OF wor-
ship for negroes in Birmingham, and the
pastor says there were at least 1000 persons
In the edifice when the stampede began.
Instructions had been issued to allow no
more to enter, but the negroes forced their
way inside the building, and were standing
In every aisle. even the entrance to the
church was literally packed.
MIsTooK FIGHTING" FOR FIRE"
Just Booker T. Washington concluded
his address Judge Billou. a negro lawyer
from Baltimore, engaged In an alteration
with the choir leader concerning an un-
occupied seat, and IL Is said a blow was
struck. Some one in the choir CRIED They're
lighting Mistaking the word ''fghting'
for fire" the congregation rose en- masse
and started for the door. One of the min
listers quickly mounted the rostrum and ad-
monished the people to keep quiet. He re-
peated the word quiet" several times and
motioned to his hearers to be seated. Again
the excited congregation mistook the word
"quiet" for fire" and renewed the strug-
gle 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
humanity. 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 level of the floor is about fifteen feet
from the ground and long steps led 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 this proved a veritable death trap.
Negroes who had 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 per-
sons were piled upon each other to a
height OF ten feet This wall of struggling
humanity blocked the entrance. and the
weight OF 1.5o9 persons was pushed against
IL. More than twenty persons lying on the
steps underneath the heap OF bodies died
from suffocation.
ROLLED DOWN THE STEPS.
Two white men who were in the rear of
the church when the rush began escaped.
ard. realizing tbs seriousness OF the situa-
tion. rushed TO a corner near by and turned
In ire alarm. The department came
quickly. 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 hremen finally sue
sseded In releasing the negroes from their