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_THE BIRMINGHAM AGE-HERALD. VOL. 29 BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1902 NO. 42 78 NEGROES KILLED IN A CHURCH STAMPEDE Mistaking the Word“Fight”for“Fire” Two Thousand Make Mad Rush for Doors of Shiloh Church and Scores Are Trampled Under Foot Like Cat tle—Dead and Injured Scattered All Around the Entrance. MINISTERS TRY IN VAIN TO STOP MAD RUSH LOBBY AT HEAD OF STEPS PROVED A VERITABLE DEATH TRAP-PERSONS WERE PILED UPON EACH OTHER TO HEIGHT OF TEN FEET. IN an awful rush of struggling hu manity, caused by a stampede in in the Shiioh Negro Baptist church at Avenue G and Nineteenth street, last night, seventy-eight per sons were killed and as many more maimed, crippled and bruised. The frightful catastrophe occurred at 9 o’clock, just as Booker T. Wash ington had concluded his address to the national convention of Baptists and as the congregation had begun singing “At the Cross” a commotion was heard in the choir and mistaking the cry of "fight” for "fire,” a mad rush was made for the door, and for three hours the scene around the crowded house of worship was inde scribable. Dead bodies were strewed In every direction near the entrance of the church, and inside the crushed remains of scores of men and women were laid out in the aisles and on the benches. The ambulance service of the city was unable to remove all of the bodies until after midnight, and though every such vehicle in the city was pressed into service, the remains of the vic tims lay on the bare ground and on the church benches for several hours. The church is the largest house of worship for negroes in Birmingham, and the pastor says there were at least two thousand persons in the edifice when the stampede began. Instructions had been issued to allow no one else to enter, but the negroes, regardless of the order, forced their way Inside the building and i were standing In every aisle, the en trance being literally packed. Just as Booker Washington concluded his address Judge Blllcw, a negro lawyer from Baltimore, engaged In an alterca tion with the choir leader concerning an unoccupied Beat, and It Is said a blow was struck. CRY OF FIRE. Some one In the choir cried, "They’re fighting.” Mistaking the word "fighting” tor "fire,” the congregation rose cn masse and started for the door. The Rev. T. W. Walker, pastor of the church, quickly mounted the rostrum and ad . monished the people to keep quiet. He repeated the word "quiet” several times and motioned to his hearers to be seated. Again the excited congregation mistook the word "quiet” for fire and rushed pell mell for the door. Men and women scrambled over benches, fought their way into the aisles and those who had fallen were trampled upon like cattle. The ministers tried again to stop the Btampede but no power on earth could stay the struggling, fighting mass of hu manity. The screams of women and , children added to the horror of the } »cene and through mere fright many persons fainted and as they Jell to the Joor were crushed to death. TH EDEATH TRAP. 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 bIx or seven feet and this proved a ver itable death trap. Negroes who had reached the top of the steps were pushed violently forward and many f ill. Before they could move others fell ipon them and in fifteen minutes persons were piled upon each other to a height of ten feet. This wall of struggling humanity blocked the entrance and the weight of fifteen hundred persons was pushed against it. More than forty persons lying on the steps underneath the heap of bodies died from suffocation. Two white men who were in the rear of the church when the rush began escaped and realizing the seriousness of the sit uation rushed to a corner nearby and turned in a fire alarm. The department came quickly and the arrival of the t wagons served to scatter the crowd ' which had gathered around the front ol the church. A squad of police was hastened to the church, and with the firemen finally suc ceeded in releasing the negroes from their pinioned positions in the entrance. Tbe dead bodies were quickly moved and k LIST OF IDENTIFIED DEAD. The death identified are as follows: JOHN EDWARDS, barber shop on Twentieth street. ANNA EDWARDS, nurse, lives in Fourth alley, DR. A. L. HILL, dentist. RACHAEL WOOD, East Lake. ALICE JONES, 1910 Walker street ADDIE EYEORER, city. MARY COLLINS, city. IDA KING, city. JOE EDWARDS, city. ROBERT SMITH, city. ANNTE PARKER, city. - BUCHANAN, city. RICHARD CLAIRLONE, city. FLORENCE COLE, city. MAUD RUFFIN, city. JOE-, porter McCrees’ barber shop. A. L. EPPS, city. JULIA GOINS, city. SARAH ROACH, city. HENRY KELLER, Woodlawn. BOB HARRIS, colored barber, city. ANNIE HARRIS, Bessemer. 8ALLIE STARKS, city. ELEBRE HENRY, city. JOHN MALONE, city. MARY SMITH, city. CARRIE JENKINS, city. LEW -, employed at 2230 Seventh avenue. F. K. WILLIAMS, Pratt City. P. K. SMITH, city. JACK CLARKE. ADA J. ADAMS, Ft. Smith, Ark. HATTIE L. JAMES. REV. WILLIAM STONE, Greenville, Ala. REV. L. R. PRICE, New Orleans. SARAH PEYTON. New Orleans. REV. Z. H. JOHNSON, Weir, Kan. REV. ANDERSON ROANOKE, Mont gomery, Ala. EDNA GARDNER. REV. ALLEN, Chattanooga, Tenn. BOOKERT; WASHINGTON DESCRIBES THE RUSH Dr. Booker T. Washington when seen after the accident at the residence of Dr. W. G. Mason, 1525 Seventh avenue, said: “I had just finished delivering my lect ure on 'Industry,’ and the singing had commenced when some woman back of me was heard to scream. Some member of the choir yelled “quit” which the gal lery understood to be “fire.” This was re peated and started the stampede. “I found on investigating that a Bir mingham man had stepped on the toes of a delegate from Baltimore named Ballou. Ballou resented it and made a motion as if to draw a gun. This caused the woman to scream. There was little excitement in the center and front of the church. The rear of the church was congested and some of the men tried ta walk out on the heads of the crowd. At the time of the alarm there were probably 3000 people in the church and fully that number wunout. The crow'd on the sidewalk surged In and this, In a measure, accounted for the large loss of life. “The majority of those killed were smoothered to death, very few having bones broken. “When I saw that a stampede was Im minent I started the choir to singing and part of the audience joined them. I re mained until the excitement had sub sided. or for fully thirty minutes. One good sister whose name I did not learn caught me firmly by the waist and held me throughout the excitement, saying, ‘Keep still.' “I am unable to say positively, but there is a probability that the convention will adjourn out of respect to the dead. The session would have closed Monday night. "So far as Is known about ten dele gates were among those killed, two from Texas and two from New Orleans being among that number.” the crowd inside finding an outlet came pouring out. Score of them lost their footing and rolled down the long steps to the pavement, sustaining broken limbs and internal injuries. SICKENING SIGHTS. In an hour the church had been prac tically cleared, and sights which greeted the eyes of those who had come to aid the injured was sickening. Down the aisles and along the outside of the pews the dead bodies of men and women who had been pulled back from the entrance were strewn, and the cries of the maimed and crippled was heartrending. In a few minutes the work of removing the bodies was begun, and the wails of the relatives of the dead who had waited on the out side could be heard for several blocks. PHYSICIANS' AID. The Shiloh church is located just at the edge of the South Highlands, and all the physicians living in that part of town went to the assistance of the injured. As many of the suffering negroes as could be moved by the ambulance were taken to hospitals and the rest were laid out on the ground, and there the physicians attended them. At least fifteen of those brought out injured died before they could bo moved from the ground. During the stampede Booker T. Wash ington and several other prominent negro leaders were on the stage and were un willing witnesses to the frightful catas trophe. None of those in the choir or in the pulpit were injured in the least. For a few minutes they attempted to restore order, but seeing their efforts were futile waited until the struggling crowd had advanced far enough for them to pick up the dead and Injured. DIED OF SUFFOCATION. Most of the dead are women, and tho physicians say in many cases they faint ed and died from suffocation. A remark able feature of the calamity is that no blood was seen on any of the victims. They were either crushed or died from suffocation. CHURCH WELL BUILT. The Rev. Dr. T. W. Walker, pastor of Shiloh church, said last night: "Shiloh church is a modern brick structure and has just been completed at a cost of $76,000. There are four entrances to the building and the main one is six teen feet wide. The deaths were caused by everybody trying to rush out of tho main entrance at the same time. Inside the church not a bench was overturned and all of those who were killed died in or about the entrance. The people up near the front of the church were not Injured in the least." Mayor W. M. Drennen said: "Most of those who were killed are strangers, but their bodies will be cared for until identified and claimed by rel aties." The Rev. J. A. Garee of Lawrence, Kan., was seated on the rostrum when the stampede occurred. He said that some one started the cry of "Fight" which was changed to "Fire" by negroes In tho rear of tho church. He escaped from the rear entrance of the church and that no one was injured who left by that exit. The Rev. E. M. Cohron of St. Joseph. Mo., seeing the large crowd and fearing that the building could not stand the strain, left a few moments before the accident. He had decided to return just as the cry of "Fire" was raised. He said: "There were fully 7000 people 111 the church, of whom 2000 were standing. There were over 1000 clamoring for ad mission at the time. Only' those in the rear of the church were injured. Those in the center and front seemed to under stand that it was a stampede and that no Are had broken out. The majority of those killed met their death by being 1 pushed down the steps and tramped on by the frenzied crowd. The rush lasted about half an hour.” Others on being interviewed said sub stantially the earn? thing. CAPTAIN O'BRIEN A WITNESS. Capt. Frank P. O’Brien, formerly sheriff of Jefferson county, and one of Birming ham's most prominent citizens, was a witness to the catastrophe. He lives with in a half block of the church, and hear ing the terrible commotion went to as certain the trouble. As he reached the front of the church the crowd had so blocked the steps that it was impossible to gain entrance, and in describing it tie said: “I have witnessed many appalling sights, but the wild scene at the top of those steps is beyond description. Wild, excited negroes would reach the top of the steps and jump headlong down the steps and others were pushed upon them, and they were In ten-foot heaps clear out to the road. Women were panic stricken and stood on the top of tho rostrum, chairs, tables and benches and screamed to the top of their voices, “Fire!” And you could see women running from the center of the church into the walls, doors and ante-rooms, and ono of them actually butted her brains out. ”1 am of the opinion if there had been out of the 2000 several cool-headed men, the accident would not have resulted so fatal.” INCIDENTS OF STAMPEDE. One of the many Incidents of the stam pede, and one which seems improbable, was the escape of a woman with a baby In her arms. This woman was caught in the Jam near the door, and climbing onto the heads of the unfortunate negroes packed between the walls of the entrance to the church, walked safely down and out on this human foundation without harm to either herself or child. Among those who worked hardest in attempting to restore quiet was Prof. W. H. Counclll of Normal, Ala., and force was necessary to keep him from getting into the mob and being crushed to death with the scores of other victims. ''Hu manity Is crying for help, and I feel that I should go." Professor Counclll kept re peating. He was finally persuaded to leave the church and drove to the Peo ple's drug store, where he assisted in looking after the wounded. ANGRY WITH BALLEW. The feeling against the negro Ballew, who was formerly a lawyer here, and who started the trouble, was intense, and searching parties were seeking for him until late in the night, and it was stated by many that if caught he would be severely dealt with. In the excitement and pandemonium which reigned during the frantic endeavors of the thousands of ne groes to escape, Ballew made his escape, and has so far eluded the vigilance of both the negroes and the officers. Everything that could possibly be done to pacify the congregation was done, but to no effect. The negroes had but one idea, and that was to escape by any means possible. When the terrified mob first started from the church the hun dreds of negroes on the outside who could not gain admittance, rusned to the front of the church to see what the excitement was, and the two crowds met at the en trance, thuB completely blocking those who first reached the exit, and who would otherwise have escaped. Among those killed were only three children, and these were negro girls about 14 years of age. Fully two-thirds of the killed were negro women. TO CARE FOR INJURED. Dr. E. C. Morris, chairman of the con (Contlnued on 8econd Page) , BELGIAN QUEEN DIESSUDDENLY Was Seized Willi an Attack of Syncope PHYSICIAN CAME TOO LATE She Was Noted for Piety and Charity, and the Pope Once Sent Her a Token of Esteem—Brilliant Horsewoman. Spa, ‘Belgium, September 19.—Marie Henrietta, queen of the Belgians, died here suddenly today at ten mlntes before 8 o’clock. Neither her husband, mem bers of her family nor her majesty’s doc tors were present at the time of her death. She was seated at a table eating a little dinner when she was seized with an attack of syncope. Dr. Guillaume, who, In the course of the day, had re marked upon certain disquieting symp toms In the queen’s condition, was sum moned immediately, but her majesty was dead before he arrived. Two members of her suite were with the queen during her last moments. As soon as the news of the queen's death became known a large crowd gathered outside the palace King Leopold had left Bagneres-de Luchen, France, for Spa and other mem bers of the royal family have been tele graphed for. M. De Smet de Nayer, the Belgian premier will arrive here tomor row. Queen Marie Henrlette was a daughter of the late Archduke Joseph of Austria. She was born August 23, 1836, and was married August 22, j.853, to Prince Leo pold of Belgium, son of King Le’opold I., and w’ho ascended the throne at the death of his father as Leopold II., De cember 10, 1865. The Queen was noted for her piety and charity, and, in re cognition of her de votion to the church the Pope sent her about nine years ago a notable token of his high esteem in the form of the golden rose of virtue. She was also a *%otcd and brilliant horsewoman. The queen had been 111 for about three years past of a malady of the heart and of recent months her con dition had been so serious that little hope of her recovery was entertained. CRIMINALS TO GO FREE. Judge Holds There Is No Disorderly Conduct. New York, Soptember 19.—Should the view of Judge Wllmot Smith be upheld It 1s announced that 2000 persons serving sentence in the four county Jails of Great er New York may be released. Judge Sm-th, sitting In special term of the su preme court in Long Island City, has rendered this opinion in a decision on a writ of habeas corpus obtained for two young men who were arrested a month ago on the charge of disorderly con duct. They were sentenced to six months each in the Kings county Jail. Judge Smith, after listening to the arguments in the case, ordered the immediate re lease of the two nun, and In ten minutes they were free. It was held by Judge Smith that no magistrate in the city of New York had the right to do anything more than to hold an alleged offender for a higher court or for the grand Jury. He said that not only was there no such thing as disorderly conduct, but that all that a police magistrate could do when a prisoner was accused of intoxication was to hold him while his case was be ing investigated by the commissioner of charities. The matter will probably he submitted to the appellate court for a ruling. MONT WARREN PARDONED. Was Sent Up From Winston County for Criminal Assault. . Montgomery, September 19.—(Special.)— The governor today, acting on tbo advico of the pardoning board. Issued a pardon to Mont Warren, sent up for twentj' years from Winston country for crim inal assault. He was convicted last spring. The gov ernor says: “In this case the probate Judge, sheriff, assessor, collector, treasur er and several county commissioners have written separate letters In which they say that Mont Warren was not guilty of the offense charged. Besides these letters there are a great number of affidavits, perhaps fifty, from people living in the county, more or less near to the scene of the alleged crime, who declare under oath that in their opinion, Warren is not guilty as charged. They join a number of tho officers in the statement that his con viction grew out of a conspiracy on the part of the state’s witnesses and the prosecutor. Eleven of the Jurors ask for his pardon and several hundred petition ers besides those who have made the affidavits and the county officers. The board of pardons recommend clemency. I am constrained to believe that there is at least very grave doubt of the man’s guilt.” TWO WERE KILLED. Nearly All the Injured In Wreck Pro ceed on Their Journey. Chillicothle, Ohio, September 19.—The latest reports of the wreck of the east bound express on the Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern railway at Leesburg last night show two killed, the engineer add fireman, and two badly injured, one a mail clerk and the other a passenger. All the others in the list of forty in jured have proceeded on their journey ex cept Otto Barron of London, England; J. H. McQulllin of New York, Mrs. J. H. Sellar of Wellston, Ohio, and E. H. Stuck, postal clerk, of Loveland. Ohio. The report that the freight crew left the switch open Is being Investigated. PRIZE FIGHT WILL NOT BE HELD IN KENTUCKY New Frankfort, Ky., September If.— The Injunction granted yesterday by Judge Emmett Field of the Jefferson circuit court restraining the South Ath letic club from pulling off the McGovern Corbett contest for the featherweight championship of the world at Louisville on Monday evening next, was sustained by Associate Judge James D. White of the court of appeals this afternoon and the contest will not be held In Kentucky. Judge White invited the full bench of the court to sit with him and hear the case which all but one member did, and the decision Is one of the court, though the motion to dissolve the injunction was made before a single member of It. A majority of the court expressed the opinion that the glove contest which was enjoined in the lower court is a prize light and that It is immaterial whether the purse was to be evenly divided. The six members of the court sitting divided equally on the most important legal ques tion raised in the case, that of whether the chancellor had power by injunction to restrain the commission of a crimlna act. At midnight it was announced the fight was off. An attempt was made to have the two men appear in a six-round bout at one of te theatres, but this wm ob jected to by McGovern's manager, and after a ccnference of several hours dura tion between several sporting men, the idea of having the two men appear was fciven up. Tickets Will Be Redeemed. Louisville, Ky., September 19.—Robert C. Gray, manager of the Southern Ath letic club, tonight declared that the 20 round contest between Terry McGovern and Young Corbett, scheduled for next Monday night, was off as far as his club was concerned. Mr. Gray announced that the $30,000 worth of tickets which haye been sold for the bout will be redeemed at any bank. The Southern Athletic club is out about $6000, Including the forfeit of $2500 put up to insure the bringing off of the contest. Although the Frankfort decision is con ceded to be a knockout blow for boxing contests in Kentucky, there is some be lief in Louisville that the fight will yet be held Monday night. Today's injunc tion was against the Southern Athletic club and Mr. Gray, and the latter an nounced tonight that his club had severed all connection with the event and sub mitted to the court’s decree. This, of course, leaves the field open for some other promoter to take up the contest, as neither pugilist was enjoined by today’* decision nor was the ban placed upox boxing contests in Louisville. CINCINNATI PREPARING FOR ROOSEVELT’S COMING Cincinnati, September 19. — The most elaborate arrangements have been made for the reception of President Roosevelt ; and party here tomorrow from 10 a. m. ] until he leaves at midnight for Detroit, i He will be met at the depot by Mayor j Fleishmann and Frank W. Foulds. presi dent of the Cincinnati Fall Festival as sociation, and a large reception commit tee, together with an escort. The Presi dent will hold a reception at the St. Nicholas during the forenoon and in the afternoo^ will be escorted to the expo sition grounds by a large military parade with a civic division consisting of mem bers of the Chamber of Commerce, Busi ness Men’s club and other organizations. The President and party will be ban quetted at 6 p. m. at the St. Nicholas. At this banquet Senator Foraker and most of the Ohio congressmen, Governor Nash. Mayor Fleishmann, President Frank W. Foulds and many prominent citizens will be present. About 400 plates will be turned. The President will make two addresses at Music Hall while being escorted through the fall festival—one In the afternoon and the other In the even ing. By a proclamation of Mayor Fleish mann business will be entirely suspended in shops and stores at noon, and both the afternoon and evenlrtg will be entirely given up to the demonstrations in honor of the President. President at Altoona. Altoona, Pa., September 19.—The Pres ident’s train arrived here at 10:33 p. m. The President found several people as sembled to meet him. They gave him hearty cheers when he appeared on the platform of his car. The President de livered a short address of thanks and was cheered when he finished. Senator Quay discussed the Pennsylva j nia situation with the President, his talk being supplemented to the conference had with Senator Hanna and the other sen ators at Oyster Bay Tuesday. The sen ator talked over the political conditions in this state and touched briefly upon the coal strike. He did not, however, in timate that he desired the President to take any steps toward ending It. CONDEMNED MAN MAKES LAST FIGHT WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO PUT STRAPS ON HIM HE FOUGHT DESPERATELY —THE EXECU TIONERS FINALLY SUCCEEDED. New York, September 19.—Peter Her nia was hanged in the county jail at Hackencas, N. J., today for the murder of Barney Kanter, a butcher, but before his execution was accomplished Hernia made a desperate fight. When two deputy sheriffs approached him to strap his arms, he suddenly tore off two brass brackets on the side of his cell, and, getting into the corridor, leaped over a partition. He then tore off a piece of lead pipe and crouching In a corner shouted that he would brain any one that came near him. By tills time the jail was in an uproar. The sheriff and his deputies were at first puzzled how to deal with the mur derer and disarm him. It was finally de cided to turn a hose on him. This was done and as Hernia put up his hands to ward off the water from striking him in the face a deputy sheriff leaped over and grabbed the hand of the murderer in which was the lead pipe. Other deputies quickly rushed in. Hernia was finally overpowered and securely strapped. He was then placed in a chair and curried to the gallows, his clothes dripping wet. He was lifted from the chair and the noose quickly adjusted about his nock. The sheriff then asked him if he had any thing to say. He replied In a weak voice: "Good-by, all. Excuse me.” The drop was then sprung and Hernia died of stragulation. The condemned man during the night asked frequently for whisky and this morning he refused to eat his breakfast when whisky was refused him. He af terwards smashed a chair in his cell and two priests who were with him had great difficulty in cnlming him. Hernia shot Kanter on November 4 last because the latter would not soil him 5 cents worth of dog meat. Kanter ex plained that his supply was exhausted, but Hernia pretended not to believe him, and upon a second refusal later In the day shot Kanter, who died that evening j from the effects of the wound. MR. GARBER CONCEDES IT. Says Ho Is Grateful to Friends for Their Support. Talladega, September 19. — (Special.) — Colonel Garber said to your correspondent this afternoon: "X have been busy In court since my return from Birmingham Monday. I haven't time now to give you an Interview. You may say, however, that on the face of the official returns concede the nomination to Mr. Wilson: that I am grateful to my friends for | their loyal support and that I will prob atly have something more to say later." Shaw Turns $10,000,000 Loose. Washington, September 19.—Secretary Shaw announced before leaving Washing ton this afternoon for the west, that dur ing the week he had authorised the dis tribution In round numbers of $10,000,000 of p'_ollc funds among banks throughout the country which have bonds available for security. The money will be released and deposits all will be completed with in a few days, and Just as rapidly as the bonds are received at U.e treasury. TEARS MASK FROM EUROPE’S FACE DR. NORDAU SAYS U. S. POSITION AS TO ROUMANIAN JEWS IS MAGNIFICENT AND A GREAT STEP FORWARD. Paris, September 19.—A representative of the Associated Press Interviewed M. Nordau on Secretary Hay’s Roumania note. “It is magnificent,” said Dr. Nordau. “After a period of darkness during which America seemed to be immersed in Monroeism and the furtherance of her own material interests, she has stepped forward and taken a glorious step in be half of suffering humanity. She has torn the mask from Europe’s face. Sec retary Hay’s circular compels the Euro pean powers who signed the treaty of Berlin to do their duty or stand con victed of conniving at the extermination of a quarter of a million of my brethren by tho barbarians of Roumania. The Roumanian government has heard the pernicious theory enunciated by the anti Semites that the Jews constitute a dan ger to a young nation, and on the false pretext that Roumania is a young nation it has determined to rid the country of them. The Roumanian government de nied th6 Jews civil rights; it closed every channel whereby they gain their liveli hood and it condemned them to extermi nation by starvation or flight. “Secretary Hay’s note must bear fruit. Europe must now recall to Roumania the fulfillment of her duties and obligations or bear the open shame.” U. S. POSITION JUST. Protest Regarding Jews Received In Vienna With Mingled Feelings. Vienna, September 19.—The protest of the United States on behalf of the Jews of Roumania was received !n official cir cles here with mingled feelings. It Is admitted that the position of the United States Is a Just one, but it is ar gued that the conditions In the Balkans at the time of the signing of the Berlin treaty and now are two entirely different matters. It Is considered probable that the first steps of the powers will be to In struct their representatives at Bucherest to furnish Information as to the present condition of the Roumanian Jews. The authorities here are also anxious to as certain what meuiods the Roumanian government proposes to adopt to secure the enforcement of the Industrial law, the enactment of which has been responsible for Increasing Jewish immigration from Roumania. In the meanwhile Austrian officials are sceptical of any good resulting from the Intervention of the United States. Mob Attack* Colliery. Plttston, Pa., September 19.—A mob to day attacked the colliery owned by W. H. Holmes, which Is located In the heart of this city. After driving the non-union workmen from the mine the mob set fire to the breaker, which was saved from destruction through the efforts of a num ber of men employed in the vicinity. The colliery resumed operations last week for the purpose of furnishing coal to the local trade. Several non-unionists were Inter cepted today on their way to No. 10 col liery, which resumed operation* yea tar day. W. ED SIDES WITH HENDERSON Thinks Speaker Has Right to Withdraw if He Desires HE IS IDT TO IE BLAMED Former Czar of House Says If Gen. Henderson Explains He Sees No Reason Why He Should Not Be Believed. BY WATTERSON STEALEY. Washington, September 19.—(Special.)— Former Speaker Thomas B. Reed of Maine was in Washington for a few hours today and was a caller at the su preme court library In the capitol. He expressed himself as being greatly in terested in the outcome of (lie Henderson case, and commented briefly upon it. Mr. Reed plainly evinced his sympathy with the present speaker of the house as if combatting the many republicar critics of General Henderson’s action, who assert that the reason he gave for his withdrawal was not the true rea son. Mr. Reed remarked scornfully: “I don’t see why, when a man in the political world assigns a good reason for sudden action on his part, even if it be precipi tate, he cannot be believed. Why should not General Henderson's reason as ad vanced by him be the correct %e. True, he may have feared defeat and with drew for that reason, and if he did he is not at all to be blamed.” When Mr. Reed was asked what, in hil opinion, would be the effect of Speakei Henderson’s attitude on the republicat party he said: ‘‘Well, you know that 1 am out of politics and 1 look to other* for political forecasts, but I might say that sometimes a great conflagration U started by a very little match.” The former speaker be;ng of the ex treme high tariff brand of republican* is naturally dead set agairt3t tariff re vision and says his party hud better lei Iho tariff alone, lie doubtless realizes that it is a dangerous thing for the re publican party to fool with. Mr. Reed la perhaps in a better position to appre ciate and understand the motives behind the action of General Henderson than any other man In this country. When he resigned every effort was made to dis cover some ulterior motive instead of the ono he assigned, nemely, that he needed money and congress was not the place to make it. BLUE JACKETS ARE LANDED. Insurgent General Herrera Is at San Pablo, Near Colon. Colon, Colombia, September Ifl.—Several hundred government troops were brought out this morning, and It was the intention of the authorities to have them take a train for Panama. The railroad company declined to entrain the soldiers on the 9 o'clock passenger train, but subsequently placed a special train at their disposal. Shortly after 8 o’clock eighty blue Jack ets from the United States cruiser Cin cinnati, together with two quick-firing Colt guns, were landed in Colon. This ac tion is believed to be due to the receipt of creditable information that a represen tative of the insurgent general, Herrera, is at San Pablo, a station on the railroad. Under these circumstances the govern ment decided not to entrain the troops for Panama. They will remain at Colon. In the meantime the railroad dispatched a special ti*aln with definite instruction* from Commander McLean of the Cincin nati to General Herrera’s representatives at San Pablo, saying that insurgent troops would not be permitted to stop trains over the iBthmus, 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 f* so, there is likely to be fighting at any moment. The return of the special from San Pablo will bring further news of the sit uation. PRESIDENT GOING WEST. Large Crowd at Harrisburg Gives Him Three Cheers. Harrisburg. Pa., September Ji.—Presi dent Roosevelt's special train arrived here at 7:10 o'clock and after a five min utes stop proceeded west. Frank P. Sar gent. commissioner general of immigra tion, who joined the party at Philadel phia, left the train at this point. United States Senator Quay rode with the Sen ator from Trenton to Philadelphia. A large crowd greeted the President here and gave him three .hearty cheers. He responded with a few words of thanks. A little child was held up to him. "I have a number of those at home,” ho said. WHIT OWENS GUILTY. Jury Again Says He Must Suffer for tho Crime. ‘‘Oxford, September 19.—"We the Jury find the defendant guilty as charged In the Indictment," was the verdict render ed In the case of the state against Whit Owens this afternoon. Four times has a Jury returned a verdict against the accusued oonvictlng him of aiding and abetting the taking of human life. Forty-eight men as grand Jurors have nnalmously Indicted Owens In the cases and forty-eight men as petit Jurors have unanimously sustained the Indictment Races Postponed. New York. September 19.—Rain again today canoed the postponement of tha raoea at the Empire CUg track.