The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-05-13
SCORES ARE INJURED
BY FALLING BALCONY

Seattle, Wash, May 10.-None of the
persons injured in last nights acci-
dent during an athletic meet In the
new National Guard armory, Is dead,
but the condition of Captain Maurice
W. Thompson, assistant adjutant gen.
eral of the state Of Washington, and
Of his wife Is critical.
The armory a huge building. had
just been completed, but had not been
formally accepted by the state, and
was being used for the first time, the
occasion being an indoor track meet,
athletes of the northwest were en-
tered. s.. ST..
The audience was very large and the
balcony was crowded. There was keen
interest when the 10-mile marathon
runners came out, and when this con-
test was drawing to its finish, with F.
L.. Jackson, OF Seattle, and Ed Crabbe,
of Portland, running strong in the
stretch, Jackson just q yard ahead,
the spectators in the balcony, wildly
excited, crowded against a fiimsy iron
piping that served as the only guard
around the balcony. The whole east
railing swayed outward and snapped.
Chaos in Rush.
The center gave way first, but an in
slant later the entire section, 40 yards
long, went down, and scores OF people
WI NAaNS NAS Sou VA viz ANNN .
low. Then in a moment a rush to
h door was began, and there was
chaos. The fallen lay in windrows,
rolling and tossing in agony, fighting
to their feet, many dropping back with
limbs broken or blood pouring from
wounds on head or face, and spread
ing yer the white planks. Hoarse
cries and shrill creams went UP all
over the hall.
From the armory there began i'm
mediately a rush Of men and ONE to
h outside. But many who had sud-
denly missed friend or relative from
their side, stayed TO run plindly from
the familiar lace.
Insane From Fright.
The runners had finished between
two solid LINES of spectators and many
Of these were badly shaken and knocked
down and trampled on In the wild and
aimless surges of 5000 people temper
arily insane from fright and the sight
of streaming blood.
Jackson and Crabbe, the runners,
each were under the weight of the fall
ing bodies, though neither was seriously
hurt. A dozen physicians were In the
audience and they with the athletes and
guardsmen took charge of the situation
80 that order was soon restored.
The Injured.
Aid was given to the injured and the
sufferers were taken to their homes or
hospital. Captain Thompson and his
wife are at the hospital. The captain
suffered injuries to his back. His wife
vas internally hurt. Mrs. o. +. Springs,
one OF the most seriously hurt, is the
wife of a hardware merchant. Others
seriously injured are:
Wilfred Duhamel. leg broken.
Cecil Hatfield, back injured.
Gustave Havers, secretary Seattle
Horse Show association, back strained.
Ross T.. Bibler, leg bruised.
DR.. G. A. Rutherford, ankle broken.
A dozen of the injured were students
Of the state university. City Superin-
tendent of Buildings, Francis w. Grant
says the opening Of the building before
1t had been inspected by his department
vas In violation Of the law. The rail!
ing was put up most improperly, Mr..
Grant says.
John Murray, a bricklayer, and
Cyril Thornton, who suffered internal
injuries, are reported to be fatally hurt.