The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-12-27
ALARM WAS RAISED
INSIDE THE HALL

CALUMET, Mich, Dec. 26.-Refus.
ais to accept one cent Of the $4,000
collected for the relief of the families
stricken by the catastrophe IN which
seventy-two persons lost their lives as
result Of panic at a Christmas eve
celebration In Italian hall, confronted
today the committee which had gath
cred the funds.
Every bereaved household that was
approached told the men and women IN
charge of the distribution that they
had been promised adequate aid by the
Western Federation of Miners, and that
no other assistance was wanted. Mem
bers of the relief committee selected at
yesterday s mass meeting blamed this
unprecedented condition upon the rumor
that the man who started the panic
among the children Of the striking cop
per miners wore the emblem of the Citi-
zens' alliance, an organization regarded
as opposed to continuance of the strike.
To combat this sentiment they OBJ
tained from Anthony Lucas, proseeut-
ing attorney of Houghton county, a
statement that he was satisfied from
tie progress Of his investigation that
the man who raised the cry Of ''fIre'
wore TO insignia Of any kind.
In most instances the offers Of as
sistance were refused without showing
any sentiment other than that tho union
would be able to care for all wants.
There were several expressions Of bit
terness, however, and in one case Mrs
John Vertin and Mrs, Marcus Sterk,
members of the committee, were elected
from q home where two children lay
dead. In spite of the evident determi-
nation of tho stricken families not to
accept aid except from the union com
mlttee, the citizens committee was not
without hope Of overcoming their preju~
dices.
A meeting was held tonight to con-
slider further plans for distributing the
money collected Fifty-four families
were listed possibly as needing aid, and
tees, each representing one Of tho ma
tionahties to which the victims Of the
panic belonged.
The federation 8 members were not
less active, and in several cases mem
bers of the committee met union work.
ers in the houses which death had Wis
tied. Always the proffcrs of union
help were accepted and the funds of
the citizens committee were refused.
Efforts to discover the identity of
the man who started the panic with a
cry Of "fire' met with some success
today.
Several persons gave lengthy affi-
davits to investigators of the prosecut.
ing attorneys office, and from a de-
scriptiou furnished by one 14~year. old
boy, it was hoped that the man may be
traced
More important, however, In tho minds
of the local committee, was the explo-
sion Of the report that the miscreant
wore Citizens alliance button. Mrs.
Therese Sizer denied that she had ever
made statement saying that she had
seen such insignia when she grasped
the man by the shoulders and attempt
ed to force him into a seat
Mrs. Louisa Lesh, who was marshal
ing children across the stage in Italian
hall while they were receiving their
Christmas gifts, said she heard the cry
Of "fire' repeated thrice in English
from the center OF the hall. Immedi-
stely afterward. she said, the same
voice shouted the alarm in Croatian.
Hermann Bibber stated he thought he
saw smoke issuing from the windows.
and Mrs. Charles Meyers repeated her
story of seeing a boy with fire in his
wool cap as he WAS carried from the
building, These accounts were en-
bodied in affidnvits, and the persons
quoted will be subpenaed 20 appear