The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-07
RAILING SNAPS
Crowd in Balcony Precipitatet
on Those Below.
Sixty Persons Hurt at an Ath.
letic Meet.
MARATHON RACE IN
MARATHON RACE ON.
Contestants Buried Under a
Mass of Humanity.
Many Knocked Down and Tram
pied in Ensuing Panic.

Seattle, Wash, May None of the
go persons injured in an accident dur
ing an athletic meet in the new na-
Itional guard armory has died, but the
condition of Captain Maurice w.
Thompson, assistant adjutant general
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 bein~ an indoor
track meet in which the most promi
nent athletes of the Northwest were
entered. 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 contest was drawing to it's
finish with f. l. Jackson, OF Seattle,
and Ed Crabbe of Portland, running
strong in the stretch. Jackson just a
yard ahead the spectators in the bal
cony. wildly excited. crowded against
the fimsy iron piping that served as
the only guard around the balcony. The
whole east balcony railing swayed out
ward and snapped.
The center gave way first. but an in
slant later the entire section. so yards
long. went down and scores of the peo-
pie fell onto the heads of the crowds
below. Then in a moment rush to
the floor began and there was chaos
The fallen lay in windows. 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 spreading over the white
planks. Hoarse cries and shrill screams
went up all over the hall
Rush for the Outside.
From the armory there began rush
of men and women to the outside. But
many who had suddenly missed friend
or relative from their side. stayed to
run blindly from one group to the 9TH
er, trying to find the familiar face.
! The runners had finished between two
solid lines of spectators and many OF
these were badly shaken and knocked
about as the bodies fell from above.
Many were knocked down and trampled
on in the wild and aimless surges OK
500 people temporarily insane from
fright and the sight of streaming blood
Jackson and Crabbe. the runpefs,
each fell under the weight of the fall
ling bodies from above Neither was
seriously hurt
| A dozen physicians were in the audi
ence and they, with the athletes and
! guardsmen took charge of the situa-
ton, so that order was soon restored.
other physicians. fremen and police
men were summoned: care was given to
the injured and the sufferers were ta-
ken to their homes or hispitals.
| Captain Thompson and his wife are
at the hospital The captain sustained
injuries to his back. His wife was in
of the most seriously hurt, is the wife
of a hardware merchant. Others seri-
ously injured are:
| The Injured.
| Wilfred Duhamel. leg broken.
| Cecil Hatfield, back injured.
| Gustave Havers. secretary Seattle
Eorse Show association. back strained,
chest bruised.
Ross f. Bibler. commission merchant,
leg bruised.
q
| dozen of the injured were students
of the state university.
Superintendent of Buildings Francis
w. Grant says that the opening OF the
building before it had been inspected
by his department was in violation of
1law Permission had not been axlked
nor had opportunity for inspection
been given. The railing was put up
most improperly, Mr.. Grant says
The track meet was given under the
lauspices of the Seattle Athletic clJb