The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-04-18
civaI Each Other to Death in Scramble for Free Thea-
 tte Tickets
CRY OF HIRE" ADDS ID
 HORROR OF THE SCENE
Four Are Dead In Indianapolis, Sew eral Are Fatally Hurt And More Than a Score Are Seriously
 Injured.

indianapolis, April 17.-Frenzied by a false alarm of fire, several hundred eager newsboys struggling to obtain their share of free tickets to a local theatre which were being distributed by a travelling rep resentatve of patent medicine company, stampeded in narrow stairway in the Masonic temple tonight. crushing the life out of four boys and it is believed fatally injuring several others.
 The dead:
 Morrissey, Ed, aged IF.
 Schiegert Louis, aged 15
 Laurel, Carl, aged IS.
 Williamson. Homer, aged II.
 partial list of injured includes the names of twenty-six boys. of whom Au- gust overtree, aged 1S and Calvin Col lester, aged 13 and Guy James, are be- lieved to be in serious condition.
 Stairs Were Crowded.
 Long before the time appointed for the distribution of the tickets, the stairs of the Masonic temple at the southwest cor her of Washington street and Capitol avenue were crowded with pushing yell ing crowd of newsboys, each anxious to be first to receive his pass When the dis tribution began the excitement became more intense, and the efforts of several policemen who had been detailed to pre- vent trouble were unavailing.
 It is alleged by witness that one of the boys in the cndeavor to hasten the exit of those who had received their passes shouted fire" Immediately those at the top faced about. and with almost superhuman strength began to force their way to the bottom of the stairs. Shrfeks and physical encounters followed for sev- eral seconds, when from some cause those nearer the top fell headlong upon the struggling mass at the bottom.
 Immediately police from the central station who responded to a riot call, be- gan the work of rescue Four of the boys were dead when extricated from their position at the bottom of the stairs. Others believed to have been fatally crushed were taken out as fast as they could be dsentanged from their frenzied companions who fought and chung to each other in desperation.
 The immense crowd of people from the business district attracted by wild rumors, jostled about the bottom of the stairs and hampered the work of the police and ambulance corps.
 Hurried Into AmbuIances.
 The dead were hurriedly placed in am- balances and sent to the morgue for identification. The fatally injured were sent to the city hospital, and the city dlspensary, while many who received only slight injuries were made comfortable in carriages and sent to their homes.
 Owing to the excitement which prevail ed about the scene of the accident, and the prompt efforts of the officers to se- cure immediate medical attention for the injured. it will be some time before the exact number of the casualties can be ascertained.
 After the injured had been taken from the scene of death and the crowd had left the sidewalk the sight presented by the stairway and walk In front of the door and in the upper hallway was grue- some in the extreme. Blood triclxled down the steps, fragments of clothing and flesh strewn here and there.
 The catastrophe evidently had little ef- feet on about four hundred of the 'newsies' who instead of returning home to relieve the minds of anxious parents went to the theatre.