The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-22
.18 CRUSHED
TO DEATH IN
CHURCH PANIC
Fire Breaks Out In Col.
ored Church and a
Stampede Ensues.
TERRIBLE RUSH
TO GAIN STREET
Rev. E. w. Johnson, Pastor Of
Philadelphia Flock, Tries in ,
Vain to Allay Fears.
DISASTER OCCURRED
DURING THE OFFERING
Clergyman Had Just Concluded
His Sermon, the Text Of Which
Was "Why Sit We Here
Until We Die2"
shrieks Fol-
lowed.
DISASTER OCCURRED
DURING THE OFFERING
(By Associated Press,

PHILADELPHIA, PA. January PA
Wild panic following loud shrek OF
Fire" brought death to eighteen coI
ored persons and injuries to nearly two
score OF others tonight in st. Paul's
Baptist Church on the west side Of
Eighth Street, between Poplar street
and Girard Avenue. The terrible rush
to gain the street was OF brief dura
ton, and that more were not killed In
the stampede was probably due to the
fact that the church was not crowded
Not more than 400 persons were on the
second floor OF the building. which. with
the gallery. was capable of accommo-
dating 600 to 700. The fire was trif-
Ing one, and was extinguished before
the firemen arrived The smell OF smoke
added to the panic, and despite the he
role work OF the Rev. f.. w. John.on
the pastor OF the church, who tried IN
vain to allay the fears of the frightened
worshippers. the terror-strichen people
made desperate rush to leave the
church only to be choked UP on the mar
row stairway. Those In the rear leaned
over the plostrate fornis OF those who
fell. and when the rush was oyer. eigh-
teen lay dead on the first floor and stairs
OF the building. Death in nearly every
case was due to suffca tion or trampiug.
The Dead.
Following Is list of the Identified
dead: Sarah Ruflng. Lawrence, Patton,
Ruth Framar. John Berry. Anna Alexan-
der, aged forty; Mamie MCKENZIE Susie
Holmes. Mary Wedlock. Charles Gardiner.
aged fourteen years; Mamie Mccall Boz
Slaughter. three years of age Catherine
Sewe Ruth Trainer.
The disaster occurred while collection
was being taken up The pastor had Jus,
concluded his sermon. the text of wi, CHI
was: Why site we here until we die?.'
Following the collection there was TO
have been baptism of man and wife.
Some of tho coored people. owing to the
slateness of the evening had left the
church and others were about to go. AS
the pastor was arranging the pulpit pre-
paratory to beginning the baptismal SER
vice, a woman In one OF the front rows
of the left de OF the altar gave a loud Z
Shrek of 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 smelled
ssmoke and started down the aisle toward
the pulpit. Then followed half dozen
cries of Fire" and the whole congrega-
ton became panc-strlcken. The pastor
in a loud voice which only added to the
confus on, called 70 the terror-stricken
people to be seated. No one listened. and
despite his frantie appeal a rush started
that meant death TO many that We're in
1t.
Didn't Realize Danger
When the rush started those in the
rear OF the church did not fully realize
and were slow to move. The frantic
shrleking of the women and children be-
came louder md more general, and maSly
We're knocked down in the two aisles of
the church,
Then came the terrible rush down tho
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 eyewitness says that perhaps a
dozen persons got safely down the stairs
when several people tripped and fell and
caused the narrow way to become
jammed. Several men on the first floor
attempted to hold the people back. but
were knocked down and then the human
stream came tumbling down. The weoker
ones fell only to be trampled upon and
crushed by those coming from behind.
The terrible shrieks sent up by the
prostarte persons added to the confusion \
and by this time even the cooler ones
In the rear of the lighting mass of men.
women and children became terror
stricken. Strong men. in fear that the
building was falling. leaped over the
heads of women and children and fought
only for their own safety, The terrific
crush in the bend of the stairs became
so great that tho banister which was
only a frail, wooden affair. gave way
There was a terrible crash as half
hundred persons were Sprecipitated to the
floor. distance OF about ten or twelve
feet.
Wouldn't Heed Appeal.
The pastor OF the church appealed to
stop the rush, but none would heed
over PROSTATE forms the crowd went.
crushing the life ont of those who were
unable TO extrlcate themselves. In the
confusion some OF the worshippers
thought OF the narrow door on the right
side OF the pulpit and made quick
exit that way,siwhich action on their
part probably saved the lives OF a num-
ber of those caught in the crush,
When those who came down the front
stairs had left the building terrible
sight presented itself to the rescuers-
The first floor and the stairway Ia tbs
bend were coyersd three deep wit$ ths
dead and dying On the street hundreds
were shrieking for help and looking for
their missing loved ones Policemen
Nrned IN 9 general alarm Tor amhulancss,