Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-01-22
SEVENTEEN Met
DEATH IN A PANIC
Icontlnued lrom lIrsl NO.

CONTINUED from FIRST nagel
The church was unusually crowded
inasmuch as two converts, Reuben and
Bertha Crawford were 10 be baptized. The
pastor had just concluded his sermon upon
the fatal text taken from the ninth chapter
of the Second Book of Kings when a curl
OF blue smoke began to ascend in front of
the pulpit from alongside the radiator.
The converts were just about to be SUM
moned to the baptistry when the pastor
noticed the smoke lie spoke TO his con-
gregation and told them to remain calm.
Every second the smoke became denser,
and addressing those who sat nearest TO
him in the front of the church, he told
them to descend the rear stairway, direct
ing those in the rear OF the church to use
the rear exits. At lirst those seated near
him seemed TO be fascinated by the little
wreaths of smoke. and when he told them
10 leave they paid no heed to him. Leaving
the pulpit, he grasped several by the arm
and lifting them bodily out of their seats
pushed them toward the rear door. The
pastors action in leaving the pulpit to 20
ON the floor, where his family was seated
was the signa for the general stampede,
and, as the cry of "firel Fret arose on all
sides from the panic-stricken colored
worshipors, a rush was made for the three
rear doors leading TO the two stairways on
the Eighth street side of the church The
pastor meanwhile stood alongside the
platform, directing the exit of those who
chose TO take the rear stairway, caution
ing them 10 be calm Over l50 persons
hurried out this way and the pastor, with
his wife, followed. His three children
Edward, aged years, Edith, aged T. and
Anna, aged 5-preceded him, and all OF
these escaped.
Meanwhile the majority of the congrega-
tion, crowding through the three small
doors leading to the stairway, found that
they could pass out only in single file
The stronger iostled aside the weaker and
those who fell were trampled under foot
without regard. For some inexplica-
plioable reasons the iirst persons, to leave
| hurriedly down the north stairway and
| like sheep following leader, nearly every
one crowded after them. The narrow
stairway was unable TO accommodate the
crush OF humanity and at the bend midway
between the first and second floors many
lost their footing and, tumbling down Ia
the bottom, lay there, making % human
barricade which impeded the progress OF
those that came behind.
the stairway that the frail balustrade
unable to longer resist the unusual strain
put upon IL, gave way, precipitatng the
overflow onto the floor. Those that fol
lowed crowded forward eagerly, and be-
fore the first could regain their feet
others coming behind jumped down upor
them, crushing them 20 the floor, where
they made human mats, upon which the
iear-crzed negroes jumped and ther
rushed out onto the street
Meanwhile a smaller crowd was pass
ing down the south stairway and thos,
who chose this means of escape all lounc
their WAY out safely. Even after th,
panic had lasted several minutes thos,
standing on the landing of the secOnc
floor blindly crowded after those that pre-
ceded them, while behind them only
few feet was clear exit When Tho
ircmen and policemen arrived they mad,
their way TO the second floor mp this soutl
staircase and, seizing persons from the
rear of the crush. literally pushed then
down the other stairway.
Meanwhile the church became hllee
with smoke and the panic-stricken negroe
became even more frantic. The piercinl
shrieks of those underneath the pile %
4 dead and injured were mingled with th,
screams OF fear irom those who stood out
side and sent up means and cries
An alrm of fire was sent In a few minute
after the blaze was discovered and hrourh
Police Sergeant Slater with q detail o
policemen from the Twelfth district to th
scene. Quickly realizing the seriousness
I of the situation, he sent in o riot call
which brought ambuhnces and patro
details from the sixth, Tenth, Twelfth
! lwenty-third, lwonty-oighth and Thirty
FIRST districts. Among the first to respon,
TO the alarm was Insurance Patrol No q
e When the men arrived on the scene the,
1 quickly dashed into the building an,
gathering up FIVE injured persons. hurrie,
them 10 the Children's Hommopathi
: Hospital, franklin street above Girar
T. avenue Returning few minutes latel
y they carried two more injured to the sam
institution. Other injured and dead wer
hurried TO st. Joseph's Hospital, Seven
tenth street and Gimrd avenue.