Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 200, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1912 — 100 HURT AT INDIANAPOLIS WHEN STAND COLLAPSED. [ARTICLE]

100 HURT AT INDIANAPOLIS WHEN STAND COLLAPSED.

Prominent Democrats and Others Attending Marshall Notification Are Among Injured. z Nearly 100 persons were injured, several probably faitaljy, when the grand stand behind the speakers’ platform gave way. and sank to the ground yesterday afternoon during the Marshall notification exercises at Indianapolis. In the list of injured were state officials, democratic organization officials and rSany private citizens. Approximately o*ne-third of the injured persons were women. Judge Alton B. Parker, of New York, chairman of the notification committee, had proceeded with his address for approximately ten minutes, when the great stand, 60 feet long and 30 feet wide, swayed twice and then sank to the pavement, carrying with it more than 450 persons. Judge Parker had reached a climax in his Arraignment of the republican [and progressive parties. Suddenly. a pall of quiet fell across the multitude that had crowded about to witness the notification of the Indiana governor of his selection by the democrats of the nation for vice-president. There was a slow, grinding noise and the speaker stopped, turning toward the suddenly shifted interest center. In an instant the heavily loaded platform had crumpled and passed from the sight of those in front. There was intense silence as the mammoth stand swayed slightly to the east, then back to the west Then a heavy timber snapped with a little explosion. Still no one in the great crowd about the collapsing stand moved. As the center of the stand sank from the sight of those in front, men and women turned and fled. It was at least a quarter of a minute before a sound broke across the scores of men and women caught in the debris. Then women screamed and men shouted. There was, however, a noticeable lack of the Intense excitement among tbe onlookers that usually goes with such an accident. As the stand sank it was noticed that no one who was on it shouted or screamed. With a regular, singing motion, the big platform collapsed from the middle outward, and it was several seconds apparently before it had reached the pavement. Then confusion reigned for a time, but there still was a lack of loud noise or much disorder. From everywhere men rushed toward the wrecked platform. Many on the speakers’ stand leaped down into the wreckage and began the fight to save those caught beneath the boards. The uninjured who had gone down in the crash disentangled themselves and many of them turned immediately to the work of rescue. Policemen immediately formed a cordon * about the wrecked platform and as fast as ambulances arrived they were loaded with injured and started toward hospitals, hotels and private dwellings. “* The speakers’ stand, bearing tbe members of the notification committee, the principals in the day’s festivities and a party of friends of Mrs. Marshall, besides many other prominent persons, did not even sway when the stand collapsed. An Investigation of the collapse of the stand will be made, and if possible, the cause of the accident determined.