Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-22
Terrible Panic Follows i Cry
Of Fire in Church.
Eighteen CoIored People Killed
and Two Score Injured


Philadelphia Jan. 21.-A wild panic
following loud Shrek OF "Fire!"
brought death to Is coorcd persons and
injuries to nearly two score of others
tonight in ST. Paul's Baptist church in
Sth street between Popular street and
| Girard avenue. The terrible rush to
! gain the street Wts OF brief duration
| and that more were not killed in the
stampede was probably due to the fact
| that the church was not crowded. At
the time the disaster occurred not more
than 800 persons were on the second
floor Of the building which, with the
CALLER. was capable Of accommodating
| COO To 100.
The fire was Il trifling one and was
cNtinguishcd before the firernen arrived.
| The smell of smoke added to the pam
| ic and despite the heroic work Of Rev.
+. w. johnson, the poster Of the
church, who tried in vain to allay the
fears of The frightened worshippers.
the terror-stricken people made a des-
perate rush to leave the church only to
be choked up on the narrow stairway.
These in the roar leaped over the pros
tratc forms of those who fell and when
the rush was over IS lay dead on the
first iioor and stairs Of the building.
Death in nearly every case was due to
suffocation or trampiing. Following is
tho list Of the identified dead:
Sarah Putting, Mrs. Patten, John
Ferry. Mamie Mckinney. Mrs May
W,dl"ck. Mamie Mccall. Catherine
S2Wail. Mrs Lawrence. Ruth Framer.
Anna Alexander. Susie Holmes. Charles
Gardner. Aboz Slaughter, Ruth Train.
or. -
The disaster occurred while a col.
lection was being taken up The pa.-
tor had just concluded his sermon,
the text of which was "Why SIT We
Here Until We Die" Following tile
collection there was to have been a
baptism Of q man and wife. Some
of the cpfnred people. owing to the
lateness of the evening had left the
church and others were about to go.
AS the pastor was arranging the pull
pit preparatory TO beginning the bap-
tismaI service. a woman In one of the
front rows of the left side of the altar
gave a loud shrek Of Fire
Instantly all those about here were
on their feet looking for the blaze.
There were no flames in sight but
those near the pulpit smelled smoke
and started down the aisle toward 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 seri-
BUSINESS Of the situation and in a loud
voice. which only added to the con-
fusion. called to the terror-s stricken
people to be seated. No one listened
and despite his frantic appeal rush
started that meant death to many
that were in it.
AT the rear Of the church on the second
floor there is a wide doorway which leads
to stairway to each side OF the building.
Each stairway has Il sharp bend which
proved to be the principal contributary
cause for the jam. The front door Of
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 shrieks 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 ter.
rible 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 stairway. One eye witness says
that perhaps a dozen persons got safely
down the stairs. when several people
tripped and fell and caused the narrow
way to become jammcd Several men on
the first floor attempted to hold tho people
back but were knocked down and then
the human stream came tumblng down.
The weaker ones fell. only to be Arampled
upon and crushed by those coming from
behind.
Tho horrible shrieks sent up by the
PROSTATE persons added to the confusion
and by this time even the coolest ones in
the rear OF the fighting mass became
terror-stricken. Strong men, in fear that
the building was falling. leaped over the
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