The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, September 20, 1902, Page 1

VOLTME XCII—N 112, SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER ' 20, 1902. PRICE FIVE CENTS. SCORES OF NEGROES ARE TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT AND KILLED DURING A PANIC IN SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH AT BIRMINGHAM SURGEON BRASKRUG PERISHES AND ICE IS HIS SEPULCHER Return to Norway of Sverdrup Expedition on the Arctic Steamer Fram, Which for Three Years Lay Nearly Motionless, Impris- oned in the Ice in Jones Sound, a Channel Near Baffin Bay ¥, Sept steamer bound, expedi- lot on Sept. 19.—The 0 . m. Captain ceived an enthsulastic wd~ present, the large rs the Fram v n the ice in Jones nel between Baffin Bay and Ocean. All the attempts to blow up the ice around the Fram proved July of 1902, a heavy eam loosened the vessel from lay nearly the ice. The Fram left Gothaab, Greenland, Au- gust 16, 1902, but an sccident to her ma- chinery compelled her to make the home- ward passage entirely under sail. Mem- bers of the expedition shot 100 musk oxen which were eaten. N il pari | f ,X// ) ‘ ; NOTED ARCTIC EXPLORER AND VESSEL WHICH CAR- | RIED HIS EXPEDITION. | | , ! * ¥ Surgeon Braskrug died while the Fram was in the north, and his body was buried in the ice. After the death of ths doctor, Captain Sverdrup took his place and attended to several cases of iliness. The crew of the Fram speak of their leader in terms of hearty praise. -3 P CHRISTIANIA, Norway, Sept. 19.—Cap- tain Sverdrup has telegraphed to the Government, as follows: “The districts explored were the south and west coasts of Ellesmere Land and the hitherto unknown districts to the west of that refion. The boiler of the Fram shows signs of usage, but every- thing is in good order.” Captain Otto Sverdrup, who was In command of the Fram during Dr. Nan- sen's expedition to the north pole in 1895, safled from Christiania, Norway, for the Arctic regions, June 24, 1898. Previous to his sailing Lieutenant Peary complained of Captain Sverdrup’s expedition and the captain explained in a letter that he aid not aim to reach the pole, but only intended to explore Greenland and to make a study of the ice in that reglon and by means of sledging journeys to ex- plore the unknown regions of North Greenland. END OF COAL STRIKE SAID TO BE NEAR Largest Firms Involved in the Penn- sylvania Trouble Reported to Have Agreed. RAISBURG, Pa., Sept. 19.—The Tele- | evening prints the following: reached the Telegraph a private source this afternoon that the end of the coal strike is in sight. The report was to the effect that one of | the leading firms, whose representatives in New York have been discussing !he! situation for some time, had decided upon | & settlement and that an officlal an- nouncement would be made early to-mor- row or early next week. The information ‘s said to have considerable foundation and came as an answer to inquiries sent to New York parties regarding the filling of large orfiers for coal in this city, in- timating that the orders would probably be filled sooner than was expected, be- | cauge of the encouraging prospects of u" early settlement. PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 19.—Daniel H. McCarthy, a lawyer of Hazelton, Pa., visited Senator Quay at the Republican State headquarters to-day and submitted to the Senator a draft of a bill making provision for the appointment of a re- celver to assume control of the anthracite coal mines under certain contingencies. McCarthy recently submitted the same bill tg, President Mitchell of the United Mine Workers. The measure authorizes the Legislature to appoint a receiver for the coal com- panies on the ground that the corpora- tions have violated the State constitution, which provides in article 16, section 8, that charters and franchises of incor- porated companies may be revoked if the business of the corporations is so con- ducted as to infringe the rights of individuals or the public welfare. It could not be learned what transpired during the conference, but McCarthy intimated that Benator Quay had agreed to give the sub- Ject careful consideration. — Home Wrecked by Dynamite. SHENANDOAH, Pa., Sept. 19.—The home of Richard Parfitt of Gilberton was wrecked by an explosion of dynamite last night. His wife and two children, who were In bed, were not injured. Parfitt, who is employed as a fireman at the Gil- berton water shaft, was at work when the explosion occurred. Pope Advises the Delegate. ROME, Sept. 19.—Mgr. Guide, the Apos- tolic Delegate to the Philippines, had an- other private audience of the Pope to-day during which the Pontiff further empha- sized his desire that the Philippine ques- tion be so settled as to render the rela- tions between Washington and the Vat- ican more cordial, i Vast Throngs Greet Boer Chiefs. ANTWERP, Sept. 19.—Generals Botha, Delarey and Dewet arrived here to-day and were received with great enthusiasm bty crowds of people estimated to have numbered 300,000. The demonstration was pot marred by a single anti-British cry. CHARLES MURPHY WINS TAMMANY LEADERSHIP Devery Is Accused of Fraud in the Contest in the Ninth ° District. NEW YORK, Sept. 19.—Charles F, Mur- phy was to-night elected leader of Tam- many Hall at the meeting of the executive committee, which was attended by all the members with the exception of August Moebus of the Thirty-fourth Assembly District. On the calling of the meeting to order this resolution was offered by Presi- dent Haffel of Bronx borough: ‘“Whereas, The experiment of the com- mittee of three has proved the desirabil- ity of individual responsibility and leader- ship; “‘Resolved, That the position ana duties heretofore occupied and performed by the committee of three be hereafter occupied and performed by Charles F. Murphy.” The resolution was carried by a vote of 29 to 9. On a proposal to change the place for holding conventions in the Ninth dis- trict by selecting delegates to State, county, Senatorial and Assembly districts, Frank Goodwin demanded that the mat. ter be laid’ on the table and protested against William S. Devery becoming the accradited representative of the district on the ground of fraud. The matter was referred to the committee on elections. After the meeting Devery made a formal demand for his credentials, but was un- able to get any satisfaction. Lives Lost in Harbor Disaster, ' LISBON, Sept. 19.—The French steamer Thomas sank a harbor steamer here to- day. Nine persons were drowned. Fatal Crush in Crowded Aisles. Dead Number Seventy- Eight. Women Faint and Soon Perish. BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Sept. 19.—In an awful crush of humanity, caused by a stampede in the Shiloh Negro Baptist Church at Avenue G and Eighteenth street to-night, seventy-eight persons were killed and as many more seriously injured. The catastrophe occurred at 9 o’clock, just as Booker T. Washington had concluded his address to the Natjonal Con- vention of Baptists, and for three hours the scenes around the church were inde- scribable. Dead bodies were strewn in ev- ery direction and the ambulance service of the city was utterly unable to remove them until after 1 o'clock. Dozens of dead bodies were arranged in rows on the ground outside of the house of worship awaiting removal to the various under- taking establishments, while more than a score were land out on the benches inside. The church is the largest one for negroes in Birmingham, and the pastor says there were at least 2000 persons in the edifice when the stampede began. Instructions had been issued to allow no more to enter, but the negroes forced their way inside the building and were standing in every aisle. Even the entrance to the church was literally packed. FALLEN ARE TRAMPLED. Just as Booker V cluded his addsess, Judge Bfllou, a negro leader from Baltimore, éngaged in an al- tercation with the choir leader concerning an unoccupied seat, and, it is said, a blow was struck. Some one in the choir cried “They’re fighting.” Mistaking the word ““fighting” for “fire” the congregation rose en masse and started for the door. One of the ministers quickly mounted the ros- trum and admonished the people to keep quiet. He repeated the word “‘quit” sev- eral times and motioned to his hearers to be seated. Again the "excited con- | gregation mistook the wogd “quit” for | “fire” and renewed the struggle to reach the docr. Men and women crawled over benches and fought their way into the aisles, and those who had fallen were trampled upon like cattle, The ministers tried again and again to stop the stampede, but no power on earth could stay the struggling, fighting mass of humanity. The screams of women and children added to the horror of the scene,. and through mere fright many persons faint- ed and as they fell to the floor were crushed to death. PILED TEN FEET HIGH. The level of the floor is about fifteen feet from the ground and long steps lead to the sidewalk from the lobby just out- side the main auditorium. Brick walls extend on each side of these steps for six or seven feet and these proved a ver- itable death trap. Negroes who had reached the top of the steps were pushed violently forward and many fell. Before they could move others fell upon them, and fn fifteen minutes persons were piled upon each other to a height of ten feet. This wall of struggling humanity block- ed the entrance and the weight of 1500 persons was pushed against it. More than twenty persons lying on the steps unéderneath the heap of bodies died from suffocation. ¢ Two white men who were in the rear of the ckurch when the rush began escaped, and realizing the seriousness of the situa- tion rushed to a corner near by and turn- ed in a fire alarm. The department came quickly and the arrival of the ‘wagons served to scatter the crowd which had gathered around the front of the church. MANY ARE INJURED. A squad of police was also hastened to the church and with the firemen finally succeeded In releasing the negroes from their positions in the entrance. The dead Lodies were quickly removed and the crowd inside, finding an outlet, came pouring out. Scores of them lost their footing and rolled down the long steps to the pavement, sustaining broken limbs and internal injuries. In an hour the church had been prac- tically cleared and the sights which greet- ed the eyes of those who had come to aid the injured were sickening. Down the aisles and along the outside of the pews the dead bodies of men,and women were strewn and the cries of the maimed and crippled were heartrrending. In a few minutes the work of removing the bodles ‘was begun. The Shiloh Church is located just on the edge of the South Highlands, the fashionable residence section of this city, and all the physicians living in that part of town went to the assistance of the in- jured. As many of the suffering negroes as could be moved by the ambulances were taken to the hospitals and the rest were laid out on the ground, and there the physicians attended them. At least fif- | Continued on Page 2, Column 6. T. Washington econ-/| f—— . APPROVE THE PLEA FOR ROUMANIAN JEWS Germans and Britons Pleased With Hay’s Note te European tention to Wrongs Powers Calling At- of Persecuted People o+ <+ || | Ml ¢ A7 ERLIN, Sept. 19.—“The Amer- ican note to the Berlin signa- tories,” says the Vossische Zeitung, ‘“represents one of the most interesting docu- ments in contemporary his- tory and is one of the most remarkable political acts of the present day, for it is the first time that the diplomacy of the United States draws into its sphere of ac- tivity occurrences within a European commonwealth. America’s controversy with Turkey was a totally dissimilar case, since the United States there exercised its natural right of defending the interests of its citizens, but in the unjust treatment of Roumanian Jews America is not direct- ly damaged. The United States is moved to this step by considerations of human- ity and is not willing to keep silent in the presence of international wrorg. As: the | United States did not participate in the Berlin treaty it points to principles on in- ternational law and to eternal justice. Un- der any circumstances the United States has the sympathies of the civilized world, and it would be highly shameful to the governments of Europe that the wrongs should be removed by the action of Amer- ica.” SPOKESMAN OF HUMANITY. The Tageblatt says: “Secretary Hay's note is one of loud appeal to humanity, which Roumania has outraged in the most disgraceful manner. The young American power inaugurates its world policy by making itself the spokesman of humanity and liberty and religion. It shames the old civilized states of Europe by reminding them of their duties toward civilization. The contents of the note dis- pose of the objectipn that America takes this step to avoid Jewish immigration. It declares with all-desirable - distinctness DISTINGUISHED AMERICAN D!‘PLOMAT WHOSE NOTE IN BEHALF OF THE PERSECUTED HEBREWS OF ROUMANIA HAS AROUSED THE PEOPLE OF EUROPE TO WRONGS OF AFFLICTED RACE. — | the mental and moral qualities of good citizens, but the United States, which is proud of being the land of liberty, only desires voluntary immigrants. It does not want to be the landing place of such for- eigners as have been forcibly rendered homeless by barbarism. Every word of Secretary Hay’s note about the treatment of Jews by Roumania is unadulterated truth. The note is addressed to all the signers of the Berlin treaty, but es- pecially to Germany, because it was held under Germany’s auspices. No attempt at evasion will do any longer. It Is neces- sary now to show our colors. We hope | the policy of the German empire will not | break down at a moment when in such | a public manner its co-operation is in- vited in a great task of interest to civiliza- | tion and humanity.” CHARACTERISTIC OF UNCLE SAM The Lokal Anzeiger says: “The note is | qGuite characteristic of the American style | of thinking. Itis peculiar that the United States, so jealous of the Monroe doctrine, should concern itself with a matter which is strictly European and more particu- larly the business of an independent kingdom.” The anti-Semitic joutnals dispose of the note with scornful paragraphs. The Neuste Nachrichten asks: “Why does not the United States tackle Russia, which treats the Jews much worse?” The Tages Zeitung says: “The prattle | about humanity and eternal justice, espe- cially in an American mouth, is an empty phrase and there is no justification for | using it against Roumania.” MAGNIFICENT, SAYS NORDAU. PARIS, Sept. 19.—Secretary Hay’s note to the powers on Roumania is widely published here, but the newspapers make PRI e M b S i that the Jews possess in a high measure| Continued on Page 2, Column 4. L | isthmus. | southern waters. | ready to start for Panama for several | days. | ernment troops were brought BECAUSE AN ALTERCATION CAUSES AWFUL CRY OF “FIRE!” FRICTION RIFE ON ISTHMUS Situation Is Growing More Serious in Colombia. Warning Is Sent to Government and Insurgents. || Additional Marines to Be Sent to Guard Railroad. Special Dispatch to The Call. CALL BUREAU, 1406 G STREET, N. W., WASHINGTON, Sept. 19.—Com- mander McLean of Cincinnati to-day tele- graphed Information which resulted In considerable activity at the Navy De- | partment, and as a result another con- tingent of marines may be sent to the The situation is growing more serious. There is friction between the | American naval forces which are endeav- | oring to preserve transit on the railroad and the Colombian soldiers in the prov- ince of Panama. The extent of this fric- tion cannot be learned. In order not to di- vulge to either the Government or the revolutionists in Panama the plans of Commander McLean, only the following portion of his dispatch received to-day was made public: “Have sent the following communica- tion to both parties: ‘I have to inform you that the United States naval forces are guarding railroad trains and transit across the isthmus from sea to sea; that no person whatever will be allowed to obstruct or embarrass or interfere in any way with trains on the route of transit. This Is without prejudice or any desire to interfere in the domestic contentions of Colombians.” ™ MARINES IN DEMAND. Immediately this telegram was received Secretary Moody conferred with Admiral Taylor, chief of the Bureau of Naviga- tion. The cruiser Boston at San Fran- cisco has orders to proceed to Panama, there to relieve the Ranger. The battle- ship Wisconsin is now on her way from San Francisco to Panama. The Panther, which left Philadelphia on Sunday with a battallon of marines, should arrive at Colon either to-day or to-morrow. The situation in Panama has developed the fact that the fnere presence of ships at either Colon or Panama will | do no good, but that the United States in order to preserve free transit across the isthmus, as provided for by the treaty of New Grenada, must keep a strong guard on the railroad until the disturbances in the Interior have ceased. For this reason it is best that the guard be composed of marines who can be left in the interior without any ships neces- sarily having to remain at either Colon or Panama, as would be the case when the contingent of bluejackets or marines would be sent ashore from the Cincinnati, Ranger or Wisconsin. These ships could not well go away with a part of a ship’s complement on the isthmus. The gunboat Bancroft will probably be placed in commission soon for duty in The Boston will not be GOVERNOR MAKES PROTEST. A cablegram has been received at the Colombian legation from Governor Sala- zar of the Department of Panama re- garding the railroad situation on the isth- mus. It is sald that there was no inter- ruption to traffic over the railroad and that arrangements have been made with the railroad company to inspect their trains as they approach Colon and Pan- ama, this step being taken to avold any surreptitious approach of revolutionists to either of those cities, as happened once | before in the city of Colon. The Gover- nor expressed the opinion that the Amer- ican guards placed on the trains by direc- tlon of the commanding naval officers were not necessary. MEN AND GUNS LAND. COLON, Sept. 19.—Several hundred Gov- out this morning, and it was the intention of the authorities to have them take a train for Panama, but the railroad company de- clined to entrain the soldiers on their passenger train, but subsequently placed a special train at their disposal. Shortly after 8 o’clock eighty bluejackets from the United States cruiser Cinein- nati, together with two quick-firing Coit guns, were landed in Colon. This action is believed to be due to the receipt of in- formation that a representative of the insurgent General Herrera is at San Pab- lo, a station on the railroad. Under these circumstances the Government decided not to entrain the troops for Panama. They will remain at Colon. Jn the meantime the railroad dispatched a special train with deflnite instructions from Commander McLean of the Cincin- nati to General Herrera’s representative at San Pablo, saying that insurgent troops would not be permitted to stop trains over the isthmus or board them, as American marines were maintaining the traffic from sea to sea. A large force of insurgents is said to be quite close to San Pablo. If .this is so there is likely to fighting at any moment. The return of the special from San Pablo will bring further news of the situ~ atlon g