The Washington bee., 1907-03-16
aH4T III,
s9yf EIEe
ALMOST A PANIC.

ALmOO4 n I AMI.
Philadelphia, Pa, March r. Ior-
An incipient riot, which was on III.
verge of creating pandemonium anon,
several thousand persons, who crowded
into Bethel A. NJ. E. Church, Sixth stre.,
below Pine, today, to attend the funeral
services over the body of Stephen F
Presco, the city's only colored fofs.
man, was checked by the timely arrival
of Director McKenty, of the Depart.
ment of Public Safety.
The place was in an uproar, and Ii.
thTOng of mourners was about to STAN.
pede when the cool+headed Director
reached the church and restored order.
A number of men had their clothing
torn in the melee, but otherwise ther.
was no damage done.
Presco, the colored foreman Of En-.
CINE Company No. II, South and Alder
streets, died several days ago as a result
of injuries received last "Wednesday g
the collapse of fre-escape at a fire at
823-82s Filbert street. He was well
known throughout the city for he eu.
joyed the unique distinction Of being
the only colored fireman in the ciys
department.
A large detail of policemen from the
Twentieth and Fitzwater streets station
house were detailed to the church to
handle the crowds. Long before noon,
the time set for the services, the church
was surrounded by crowd clamoring
church is on the second floor Of the
building and is reached by two flights Of
stairs.
One side of the auditorium was re.
served for the members of Presco's FIRE
company and the other fremen Of the
city. The other side was reserved for
the members of o. " Cato Lodge l.
B. P. o. Elks. The seats in the center
of the church were set aside for the
members of the dead freman's family
Every seat was taken except those
for the family, and only one of the stair
cases was kept open. A large crowd
of men and women stood on the steps
waiting for a chance to get in. Sud
denly man darted out from the crowd
and went up the steps. A policeman
met him halfway.
Just what happened then is uncertain
The crowd saw the policeman make
motion toward the man and the next
instant the policeman and the man went
tumbling down the steps.
The struggling pair was lost beneath
the feet of the crowd below. Men ard
women made break to get up the stairs
and the cries and shouts brought pO-
licemen on the run from all parts Of
the church.
Women screamed and men fought and
kicked, and for a few moments II look
ed as if there was going to be free-fOr-
all fight with the policemen in the mi
nority and getting the worst Of it
Just then Director McKenty appeared,
and his arrival had an electrifying ef-
feet on the crowd.
What's going on here?" asked The
Director in his own placid way
Almost Immediately everyone stood
still. McKenty ordered the policemen
to release the men they had grabbed and
told them to go back to the places 10
which they had been assigned about the
church. Then he explained to the crowd
that there were no seats left and that
he was sorry but no more persons could
be admitted.
That ended the disturbance, and the
services began almost Immediately.
The services were conducted by he
pastor Of the church, the Rev. r. W..
Fickland. The pallbearers were John
McCabe and William Robertson. os En-
gine Company No II; Daniel Dc8ns9
and Samuel King, of Cato Lodge, and
George Rushmire and William Eg3sEa
Of the Fire Insurance Patrol Inter
ment was made in Eden CemeteE
From early yesterday afternoon -aLI
before the funeral the body Of -r-seo
rested in state at his home, a. I'D
Christian street, where hundreds Of per-
sons passed in and out
Presco leaves a mother, three .sF'
and a small daughter, all Of whom were
dependent upon him. He had no- A.so
with his wife for some time. The nc
house has been draped with crepe aN'
the picture of the company draped.
The State OF Indiana viii in the future
take charge of the grounds in which j.
situated the grave of Nancy Lincoln
mother of Abraham Lincoln.