The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-26
Eigheen Negroes Killed in Mad Rush
that Followed
FORTY OTHERS WERE INJURED
Narrow Stairway Was Choked ano
Those Behind Lcapcsi Over PROSTATE
Forms of Those Who Feli-Ttsc Fire
Itself Wa OF No ConscGucncc-Pas-
tor Had Just Concluded His Sernosn
ON the Text why SIT Here Uutii We
Die"

wild panic following 4 loud shrek or
fire brought death TO Is colored per-
sons and injuries 10 nearly two scores
of others tonight in ST Panl's Baptist
church on the west sid of Eighth
| street between Poplar street and Gtrard
| avenue. The terrible rush TO gain he
| street was OF brief duration. an. hat
| more were not killed in the stampede
was probably due TO the fact that the
church was not crowded. Not more
than 500 persons were on the second
floor OF the building which. with the
gallery, was capable of accommodating
Goo or 700. The fire was a trining one
and was e~xtinguished before the Are
n en- arrived. The nell II smokt ad-
ded to the panic and despite h heroic
work Of the Rev. f. W. Johnson. the
pastor of the church. who tried in vain
to allay the fears of the frightened
worshippers. the terror stricken people
made a desperate rush 10 leave the
church, only 10 be choked up on the
narrow stairway. Those in the rear
teamed over the PROSTATE forms or
!. those who fell, and when the rush wa
. over IS lay dead on the first floor and
stairs of the building. Death IN near
ly every case was due 10 suffocation
or trampling.
The disaster occurred while a collec-
tion was being taken up. The pastor
had lust concluded his sermon, the
e text OF which was: Why sit We here
e until we die?" Following the Coliec-
: ,ion there was TO have been a baptism
OF a man and wife. Some of the col
| ored people, owing to the iaieneSs 81
y the evening. had left the church
others were about TO go. AS the pas
e tor was arranging the pulpit prepare
tory to beginning the baptismai ser
vice, a woman in one OF the 'front.' rS"s
n of the left side of the altar gave Il loud
shrek of fire. Instantly all thoS'
Isl about were on their feet, looking
t. for the blaze. There were no flames
cyl In sight. but those near the pulpit
= smelled smoke and started down the
aisle toward the pulpit. Then FOL
co lowed a half dozen cries OF fire anc
to the whole congregation became panic
m stricken. The pastor in a lOud VOICE
which only added to the CONFUSION
st, called TO the terror stricken people &c
no be seated. No one listened, and despite
a., his frantic appeal n rush started ina
he meant death to many that were In ID
n When the rush started those in TIT
u rear of the church did not fully real
~n lie and were slow to move. II franti'
NJ shrieking of the women and children
ne became louder and more general an,
,r many were knocked down in the tw
I'M aisles Of the church. Then came th'
re. terrible rush down the stairways. Fot
M some unknown reason everybody tries
ID to get down the left side of the build
ns ing. comparatively few attempting q
10 leave by the right stairway. One eye
a witness says that perhaps a dozen per
so- sons got safely down the stairs whei
several people tripped and fell, an
caused the narrow way to become Jam
med. Several men on the first foo
attempt to hold the people back bu
were knocked down and then the hu
man stream came tumbling down. Tn
weaker ones fell only TO be trample
ir. upon and crushed by those comm
a from behind.
The terrible shrieks sent up by IA
. PROSTATE persons added TO the confu
III sion and by this time even the coole
ones in the rear of the fighting mass @
mr. men. women and children became tel
NO ror stricken. Strong men, in fear tina
he building was falling, leaped owe
he the nedus on ~ - tn,
inc 'o":nI ohIS " a. ..ai-
a. became so great hat the banistt
which was only a frail. wooden anai
gave way. There was a terrible cras
as half a hundred persons were preciI
III itated 10 the floor, a distance OF abos
10 or IL feet.
The pastor of the church appeait
TO stop the rush. but none would nee
iii Over the PROSTATE forms the crow
went. crushing the life out OF tho
who were unable to extricate then
IN selves. In the confusion some OF Il
w~orshippers thought OF the Mario
door on the right side of the pulp
and made a quick exit that way, wnis
action on their part probably saw
STE the lives of a number Of those cang
hI' In the crush.