The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-12-26
Dig Graves in Icy Ground for
33 Who PeriShed When
Flames Swept Christ
mas Party,
s0THERS NEAR DEATH
Funeral Services Held To-
day for Sixteen-2,000
Attend,

bU NtteU fFHNe
HOBART. Okla. Dec 26.-With
Christmas a haunting memory. resi-
dents of Babbs. Switch. small COM
munity seven miles south. gathered
here today TO bury the thirty-three
men. women and children who
perished in a disastrous Christmas
eve fire which made the small com
munity schoolhouse a death trap.
The charred remains OF the
thirty-third victim. believed TO be
Lilly Refill. was removed from the
ruins of what was Schoolhouse No.
-, Thursday night.
Private funeral services were held
this afternoon in the morgue where
the bodies have been lying in state
for sixteen of the victims. More
than 1000 relatives and neighbors of
the dead, many OF them survivors Of
the disaster. gathered for the serv-
ices.
A similar service for the re-
mainder OF the victims will be held
Saturday when additional graves
have been dug in the icy ground.
CENCAAAEEAA VI At4E ~t4AA -sEN EAA PEI %
sons injured in escaping from the
schoolhouse were discharged from
hospitals this morning. Two of the
twenty-five injured remaining in hos
. pitals were reported dying.
Dig Graves
Grfr-faced men. part Of the $50
persons who escaped the licking
tongues OF the flames which en-
veloped the small onestory frame
building. when a tiny candle in the
top Of the large Christmas tree over
turned, were busy digging graves In
the fce-covered ground today.
Pathos stalked in this morning
after the tragedy. when a large box
Of children's TOYS arrived from Mus
koges. Okla, for the two score chill
dren who saw flames angrily engulf
their presents which a Santa Claus
had Just started removing from the
tree Nearly fifty Muskogee children
gathered at a mass meeting Thurs
day and decided 10 send their Christ
mas gifts to the little sufferers
Andrew Jackson. hero of the dis
Rster. was called upon dozens Of
times today bv grief-stricken rela-
fives Of the victims, who desired TO
hear the story Of the Nations disas-
trous Christmas eve tragedy.
Curtain Fired
4 nimsy curtain behind which
students Of the school had remained
before they stepped upon the
schools stage to speak their Christ
mas pieces. caught fire when the
tree overturned into the laps of those
on the front row. Jackson said. Il
darted for the door and got out.
Then saw my sister Vesta being
milled under the feet Of those fight
ing to get through the only exit.
Il couldn't get the heavy screens
of the windows loose. 1t was liv-
ing he'll for them.
, Il raE to the door and started pull
ing those who were wedged tight
outside. There were over two hun
dred pushing against them trying to
get OH. I couldn't reach my sister
and I saw her disappear and the
flames just tore their way through
those trying TO get out"
Riot Averted
a near riot occurred in the sani-
tarium where the injured were be
ing treated late Thursday. when a
5ewelry store across the street
caught fire.
Terrified at the smell OF smoke
and at the sight of flames. which
threatened TO envelop the institu-
tion, the patients fought with psysi-
clans and nurses and were only
quieted after the blaze was put un-
der control
Christmas day crowds in two
theaters across the street stampeded
when cries Of fire. were heard and
fire engines Numbered by. Firemen
quickly extinguished the blaze.