The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-18
NeWsbOy Starts Panic in a Crowd
of His Fellows.
Stampede in Marrow Stairway
and Many Fall to Bottom.
FOUR PICKED UP DEAD.
Fifty Injured, Some, 1t Is
Thought, Fatally.
We're Gathered for Free Distri-
button of Theatre Tickets.

Indianapolis, Ind, April 18.-Frenzled
by a false alarm of fire, several hun
dred eager newsboys. struggling to OBJ
tain their share Of free tickets to 10
cal theater. which were being distribu-
ted by a travelling representative Of a
patent medicine company, stampeded
In a narrow stairway in the Masonic
temple last night. crushing the life out
OF four boys. and. it is believed, fatally
anjuring several others.
The Dead,
ED MORRISSEY, aged u.
LOUIS SCHEIGERT, aged Is.
CARL LAUREL, aged 10.
HOMER WILLIAMSON, aged IL.
The Injured
Stanley McCready aged II.
August OVertree, aged 13, serious.
Calvin Coliester, aged 13, serious.
Verne South, aged u.
Herbert Bissell, aged "A.
Falmadge Walters, aged 9, back bad
" injured.
Fred Walters, aged 10; arm broken.
Roy Underwood. aged 49,
Guy James, probably serious.
Edward HOuorhan.
Edward Many, head badly injured.
Roy Washburn, badly bruised.
Charles Thurston.
Jesse OVerstreet.
Ernest Ryan.
Ivan Blode.
Harry Bennett.
Harry Jonacher.
Wilbur BursOtt.
FRed Bexler
Louis Clark.
- Middaugh.
Charles Moss.
Eddie Daniel
Carl Ernst.
Joe Wilhelm.
Long before the time appointed for
Il
stairs of the Masonic temple, at the
southwest corner of Washington
street and Capitol avenue, were
crowded with a pushing, yelling crowd
OF neWsbOys. each anxious to b first
to receive his pass. When the dis
more intense, and the efforts Of sew
eral policemen who had been detailed
to prevent trouble were unavailing.
IT is alleged by a witness that one of
the boys, in the endeavor to hasten
the exit Of those who had received
their passes, shouted "Fire!" I'M
Tnediately those at the top faced about
and with almost superhuman strength
began to force their way to the bot
tom of the stairs. Shrieks and phys
zeal encounters followed for few
seconds, when from some cause those
near the top fell headlong upon the
struggling mass at the bottom.
Immediately policemen from the
Central station who responded to q
riot call began the work of rescue
-Four of the boys were dead when ex-
tricated 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
disentangled from their frenzied com
panions, who fought and chung tC
each other in desperation.
An immense crowd of people from
the business district, attracted by wilC
rumors, jostled about the bottom OF
the stairs and hampered the work o.
the police and ambulance corps.
The dead were hurriedly placed il
ambulances and sent to the mOrgut
FOR Identification The fatally injured
were senG to the city hospital and tht
city dispensary, while many who re
ceived only slight injuries were made
comfortable in carriages and sent Il
their homes.
After the injured had been taken from
the scene Of death and the crowd haC
left the sidewalk the sight presented by
the stairway ana walk in front of tn,
door and in the upper hall was grew
some in the extreme. Blood trickle6
down the steps. Fragments Of cloth anC
flesh were strewn here and there.
The accident evidently had little effec
on about 400 Of the boys who after TIT
excitement was over went to the the
ater.
Fifty Injured.
indianapolis. Ind, April 18.-N,
deaths have been added to the list q
four boys that lost their lives in tn
crush OF neWsboyS in the stairway o
the Masonic building last night, cage
to obtain free seat checks for a per
Torrance at the theatre. But the re
vised list of injured shows that n,
fewer than so were more or less in
jured. OF this number of injured
fully 25 We're seriously crushed, an,
the death list may be increased. Man,
of the boys who were unconscfou
when taken from the mass of human
ity jammed and heaped in the stair
ways soon revived and they were abb
TO go to their homes without assist
ance. Many of the little fellows sol
the newspaper extras on the disaste
and others went to the theatre.
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