Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1913-12-26

homes, many parents dismantled Nhrlstmas trees. A bearded man who is said to have started the panic when ne appeared ill the doorway of the hall and yelled fire" is being sought by miners union. Thorough investiga. tion howed there had been no fire near the hail.
 Little Lives Crushed Out.
 The exact number of dead still was unknown this morning. Although "A bodies had been recovered and iden- tified, it was believed half a dozen or more were taken home by relatives The identified dead include 37 girls. 1e bos, 13 women and five men. Most of the dead are children of miners who have been on strike since last summer and who are being supported during their idleness by labor organ izations.
 Because of conditions surrounding luC plOlOl1SCu WIlCu hoc pCOiA contested bitterly by both the min CTS and operators, it is feared that should the unknown man who yelled fire" be apprehended, lynching may follow. President Mover of the Vest ern Federation of Miners, in a tele- gram to President Wilson last night said, according to his best in forma- ton, no one in sympathy with the strikers brought about the catas- trophe.
 But Funds Are Gathered.
 Regardless of this attitude, the cit izens of Calumet, Houghton, Redjacket Laurium and other nearby villages continued the collection of funds which will be turned OCT to relatives of the victims. All work will be sus- pended in the copper mining district when the public funeral of the dead is held.
 Jut Ready to Receive Presents.
 The children had been formed in lines and were just starting toward the platform in the front of the hall to receive Christmas presents when the shout of fire was heard. Many miners and their wives had accom- panied their children to the exercises l and occupied seats in the hall. Man Suffocates The crush was so great that many are believed to have been suffocated. l Others were knocked down and tramp led on. The greatest number of dead was found at the bottom of the stairs. Those who reached the stairs first l had been hurled to the bottom and covered with the weight of many bod ies.
 A few were successful in reaching the fire escape in the rear. Bodies in Rows. | Rescuers soon were carrying the bodies to the street and laying them in rows beside the building. The bodies later were removed to the Red Jacket village hall, which was trans formed into a temporary morgue.
 For hours the streets were crowded with women calling for their children Both men ad women fought frantically to get a view of the dead in an effort to learn if any of their relatives were among the number. Few of the bod ies bore marks of injury.
 Many tales of the fierceness of the crush during the height of the panic were told today. One man was seen to stoop to pick up his little daughter only to be pushed on and forced to trample her beneath him.
 A woman who ran to the aid of three small boys was crushed to death with them.
 4 large number of families lost two or more children.
 Found Their Bodies in Morgue
 Two little boys. sons of Edward Hawley, were caught in the center oi the mass in Italian Hall, but an eddy carried them to the wall. A man crowded past them with two little girls under his arms. They climbed or his back and were carried to safety.
 A husband and wife. with baby and two litle girls tried to jumr through the window after it was plain there was no fire. They were prevent ed b firemen. Another woman wAtr lher two little girls, climbed out or a cornice and was about to jump wner firemen rescued her with ladder The woman fought the firemer screaming that they were trying ts kill her. | A young man of Wolverine, fount himself safe with three-months oi'
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