Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-01-26
EIGHTEEN Perish
IN CHURCH Panic
CRY OF "FIREo BRINGS DEATH
TO MEMBERS OF PHILADEL-
PHIA CONGREGATION.
WoRsHIPERs TRAMPLED
TO DEATH IN WILD RUSH
Awful Scene Follows Mad Scramble
Toward Exits - Those in Rear
Leap Over PROSTATE Forms of Fall
en- Victims-Text Suggestive.

AAlduelpuid, Jan. l5.-A Wild panic I
following a loud Shrek Of fire.
brought death to 18 colored persons
and injuries to nearly two score of |
others at night in the ST. PauTs Bap-
list church, on the west side of Eighth |
atsUaan--P c,al : street and Cir
the street was of brief duration, anqq-
that more were not killed in the staR-
pede was probably due to the fact that
the church was not crowded. At the
time the disaster occurred not more
than 300 persons were on the second
floor of the building, which, with the
gallery, was capable OF accommodating
| 600 to 700. The fire was a trifling one
| and was extinguished before the fire.
| men arrived. The smell of smoke add
| ed to the panic and, despite the heroic
work of Rev. E. w. Johnson, the pas
4 tor of the church, who tried in vain
to allay the fears of the frightened
1 worsaipers the terror-stricken people
made desperate rush to leave the
church, only to be choked up on the
i narrow stairway. Those in the rear
4 leaned over the PROSTATE forms OF
i those who fell, and when the rush was
over Is lay dead on the first floor and
stairs Of the building. Death in nearly
every case was due to sufocatlon or
trantpling.
!, a Suggestive Text.
The disaster occurred while collec-
ton was being taken up. The pastor
had lust concluded his sermon, the text
Of which was: "Why Sit We Here I'm
til We Die?" Following the collection
there was to have been baptism OF
}, man and wife. Some Of the coloret
: neaple. owing to the lateness OF thu
evening. mad left the church, and 9th
. ers were about to go. AS 14e pasto
ras arranging the pulpit preparation
\ to beginning the baptismal service
y w,n1aa in one of the front rows OF tn
= left side of the altar gave q loud shire
= of "fre!" Instantly all those about ne
were on their feet, looking Tor u
blaze. There were no flames IN sign
: hut those near the pulpit smelle
!, smoke and started down the aisle Z
= ward the pulpit
- BaiustTade Gives Way.
n. The terrific crush in the peAq 81. y q
If stairs became SO great that the Dalu
70 trade. which was only frail, Woode
E. affair, gave way. There was terrib
i. crash as half o hundred persons we
ha precipitated to the floor, distance
about ten or twelve feet. This heigh
ened the intensity Of the panic and =
rush became an awful jam. The past
ke- Of the church, 2 man Of powerful pa
Of siaue and strong voice, continued
- -apesi to the crowd in the rear 70 81
g.. T the;r r,,sS hut none would heed, 9,
tor the PROSTATE forms nv ofow wv, W. -.
de- crushing the life out OF those w. v
re- unable to extricate themselves.
in Tillman to Speak.
III New York, Jan. 23.-United sta
Nj Senator Benjamin R. Hllman, OF Sol
Carolina, is to be the principal spe'
er for the Democratic club at its q
monthly dinner, on Tuesday even
his of next week. The occasion, II
at said will be to mark the opening
s is the state fight,