The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-01-22
EIGHTEEN KILLED IN
 QUAKER CITY CHURCH
PANIC CAUSED BY 4 CRY OF FIRE DURING EVENING
 SERVICES.

the FIOOr--COngregatiOn Stampedes Despite Efforts of Minister to A1lay AIarm--NIen, Women and Children
 Alike Knocked Down and TrampIed
 Upon In Frenxied Rush to Escape.
 Philadelphia, Jan. 21.- A wild panic following a loud shriek of fire" brought death to eighteen colored per- sons and injuries to nearly two score of others tonight in St. Pauls Baptist church in 8th street, between Poplar street and Girard avenue. The terrible rush to gain the street was of brief duration and that more were not kill ed in the stampede 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 build ing which, with the gallery, was cap- able of accommodating 500 to zoo. The fire was a trifling one and was ex- tinguished before the f1remen arrived. The smell of smoke added to the panic and despite the heroic work of the Rev. E. 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 desper- ate rush to leave the church only to be choken up on the narrow stairway. Those in the rear leaped over the pros trate forms ot those who fell, and when the rush was over eighteen lay dead on the first floor and stairs of the build ing. Death in nearly every case was due to suffocation or trampling.
 The following is list of the identi- fled dead:
 Sarah Ruff1ng, Mrs. Patton, John Berry, Mamie McKenney Mrs. Mary Wedlock, Mamie Mccall, Catherine Sewell, Mrs Lawrence, Ruth Framer, Anna Alexander, Susie Holmes, Charles Gardner, A Boz Slaughter, Ruth Trainer
 The disaster occurred while a collec- tion was being taken up. The pastor had just concluded his sermon, the text of which was why sit we here until we die. Following the collection there was to have been a baptism of 8 man and wife. Several of the colored peo- pie, owing to the lateness of the even- ing, had left the church and others were about to go. As the pastor was arranging the pulpit preparatory to be- ginning the baptismal service, woman in one of the front rows of the left side of the altar gave loud shriek of t'fire.' Instantly all those about her were on their feet, looking for the blaze. There were no flames in sight, but those near the pulpit smeTled smoke and started down the aisle to- ward the. pulpit Then followed a half dozen cries of fire" and the whole con- gregation became panic stricken. The pastor by this time realized the serious ness of the situation and in loud voice, which only added to the confu- sion. called to the terror stricken peo- ple to be seated. No one listened and despite his frantic appeal rush start ed that meant death to many that were in 1t.
 At the rear of the church on the sec- ond floor there is a wide doorway which leads to a stairway to each side of the building. Each stairway has a sharp bend which proved to be the principal eontributary cause for the jam. The front door on the first floor is wide and easy of exit.
 When the rush started those in the rear of the church did not fully realize what was wrong and were slow to move. The frantic shrieking of the women and children became louder and more general, and many were knocked down in the two aisles of the church, Then came the terrible rush down the stairWays. For some unknown reason everybody tried to get down the left side of the building, comparatively few attempting to leave by the right stair way. One eye witness says that per- haps a dozen persons got safely down the stairs, when several people tripped and fell and caused the narrow way to become damned. Several men on the first floor attempted to hold the people hack. but were knocked down and then inc hnauan stream came tumbling down, The weaker ones fell only to be tranpled upon dHu CEuSueu py tnoSe coming from behind
 The ringing of the fire bells, the clang of the ambulance gongs, the almost to- +al darkness and the thick fog added to +he confusion for time. Order was soon brought about, however, and every one who could not stand was placed in an ambulance and rushed to either the Children's, St. Joseph's or the German hospital. No time was taken up to see if any victim was dead, and within an bour after the disaster occurred the street had been cleared of the mass ot people and the church door closed.
 When those who came down the from stairs had left the building terrible sight presented itself to the rescuers
 The scenes at the hospitals were pa. thetic in the extreme. A great croWo of colored people gathered at the doors of each institution, but no one was ad- mitted without satisfactory reason Within the buildings the entire house staffs were ordered eout and nearby physicians were called upon to assis1 in ministering to the suffering. An ex' animation of the dead showed tha' most of them had been suffocated oi had died from internal injuries. Of th' injured few, if any, are likely to die.
 The fire was a most trifling affair. defective f1ue started a small fire in tht chimney. which caused smoke to issu' through the crevices in the second floor