Indianapolis Times, Volume 35, Number 6, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 May 1923 — Page 1

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VOLUME 35—NUMBER 6

76 ARE KILLED IN FIRE PANIC AT COUNTRY SCHOOL CELEBRATION

LYONS 10 QUIT AS 0.0. P. LEADER AT MEETING TUESDAY State Chairman Requests ♦ Session —Successor Still in Doubt, The Republican State committee will meet at the Severin at 11 o'clock next Tuesday for the purpose of receiving the resignation of Lawrence E. Lyons of Brook as chairman and of appointing his successor. The call for the meeting was issued today by Frederick E. Schortemeier. secretary, on instructions from Lyons. Lyons’ resignation will come as a result of objection by party leaders to his action in joining the Ku-Klux Klan and then leaving that organization. Successor Is Question The question of his successor may not be settled before a ballot is taken. Leaders, Including Senator Watson. Postmaster General New, Governor McCray and Albert J. Beveridge, have agreed on Clyde Walb of La Grange, vice chairman. They have no vote, however, and some of the committeemen are said to favor Ed Bowen of Delphi, who has been active in seeking the appointment. The action of Lyons created a profound stir in the party and for a time threatened the organization with disruption. Lyons has been looked upon as the political protege of Watson and McCray. He has always had the opposition of the New faction of the party and himself was active in opposing the appointment of New to the Cabinet. Watson Intervenes. ■N’pw. in commenting on the Lyons ; Affair, remarked he hoped ’’the committee names a chairman with brains." ! Watson came to Indianapolis, established headquarters, and proceeded to take the lead in ironing out difficulties. He Interviewed the thirteen members of the State committee and numerous other persons in an effort to restore harmony. Lyons at first announced he would not resign, but it is understood his agreement to quit was brought about through pressure by party leaders.

BROAD MEMORIAL DAY BILL FAVORED McCray Says Narrowness of Measure Caused Veto. “If the Memorial flay bill had contained all the things G. A. R. members now say they want in the law I would have signed it In a minute,” Governor McCray said today. He was commenting on the action of the State G. A. R., in closing session at Muncie Thursday, condemning his veto of the bill which would have prohibited sporting events on Memorial day. The bill as presented to the Gov-Sjp-nor included only sporting events. ™he bill now proposed by the G. A. R. would Include all forma of amusement for gain. “I consider the G. A. R. affair a ( closed incident,” the Governor said, j “I explained to them why I vetoed the bill, and that is all I could do. I had it examined by lawyers in whom I had confidence, and they said it was unconstitutional.” NEW HOG RECEIPT MARK MADE HERE 62,000 Marketed During First Five Days of Week, If hogs marketed at the local live- ! stock exchange in the last five days were lined up single-file they would | reach from the monument to Craw- : fc-rdsville, figures compiled at the stockyards today showed. More than 02,000 hogs have been ' brought to Indianapolis since Monday. establishing a new' 1923 record, . which culminated today in establish-: ing a 1923 daily receipt record of 15,000. The record for any day was on Deo. 12, 1914, when 31,721 were ?celved. Value of the hogs sold was over $1,200,000. One local packing interest spent more than SIOO,OOO Thursday and Friday for hogs.

'Lloyd George Says:

The Indianapolis Times

Woman Is Head of Dental Assistants Bp A MISS RON IE MARIE TAYLOR Miss Roxie Marie Taylor is new president of the Indiana State Asse- , ciation of Dental Assistants. She was elected at the annual convention here this week. Site is assistant to Dr. E. L. Mitchell, 3140 N. Delaware St.

FEDERAL AGENTS SEEN MAN WHO LEFT HIS BOYS Trio Center of Novel Experiences While Father Is Out of Country, Walter Osborn, I*s, and his two brothers Sidney. 14. and Edwin, 11, were at the home of Mrs. Laura Roberts, 645 K. Twenty-Third St. today, wondering just how they happened to be the center of so much attention. Meantime Federal authorities and ju venile court attaches wanted to know what had become of It. E. Philips, guardiftn of she children, and just why he left the New Delaware Hotel, 517 N. Delaware St., in such a hurry that he failed to take his clothes with him. While the investigation is in prog ress the children are being cared for under the direction of E. L. Osborn, chief of the local bureau of investigation of the department of justice. Phillips, according to the boys, was appointed guardian of the children last month in New York when the father, John J. Osborn, went to Yen ezula for an oil concern. The mother, a Costa Rican is separated from her husband, it is said. Philips received SIOO a month for caring for the boys. He took them to New London. Conn., then to Boston, then drove in an automobile to Indianapolis. He got room and board for Walter and Edwin with Mrs. Roberts. Sidney he took with him. When Walter got a letter from Philips saying that he had taken Sidney to Chicago, he reported the affair to the police. H was told to go to the juvenile court, he said. There, he added, he was told to se Osborne. This was May 10. Monday Sidney was found with the measles at the New Delaware Hotel. Osborne immediately made arrangements to cate for the children and got in touch with the father’s employers. SNEAK THIEVES SHOW VARIETY OF TASTES Missing Articles Range From Water Pipes to Speedometer Chains. Police are investigating four robberies reported in various parts of the city today. Five water main pipes, valued at $225. were stolen from in front of the Capitol Warehouse Company, 63 Frank St. Leo Linaman. 925 Massachusetts Ave.. said a tire and rim was stolen off his machine. A speedometer chain was taken from a machine parked on Capitol Ave., owned by M. T. Clark, 1267 W. Twenty-Sixth St. x A fur, valued at SIOO. belonging to Mrs. Rea McAllister of New York was stolen from the Columbia Club. HOURLY TEMPERATURE 6 a. tn 66 10 a. m.- 59 7 a. m 57 11 a. m 61 8 a. m 58 12 moon) 63 9 a. m 59 1 p. m 67

Parents Rush Back Into Inferno to Save Their Loved Ones —An Eyewitness Story

Bu t'nitrd Press CLEVELAND. S. C., May 18 ‘‘lt was the most heart-rending sight I ever saw,” was the statement this morning of Pergt. S. T. Silton of the Camden police force, one of the first men on the scene of the school house fire which claimed seventy-six lives. ‘‘When I got there the school was a mass of flames. Persons were screaming and groaning. Those who got out were trying to go hack to release those penned in the hallway of the flaming building. "We tried to get them out, but the fire spread so fast it was no use. The building burned like tinder. People who jumped out of the windows nearly al! had broken bones. Some of them forgot all about their own injuries, when they remembered children of

BRYAN TO REFUSE COMMITTEE PLACE Commoner’s Decision Threatens to Plunge General Assembly Into Heated Controversy

By WALTER D. HICKMAN. The determination of William Jen nings Bryan to refuse the appointment as chairman of the home missions committee of the general assembly threatened today to plunge the assembly into -heated controversy. Bryan stated tn an Interview at the beginning of the afternoon ses sion that he would refuse the appointment as home mission chairman. He is prepare 1 to take the floor of the convention and state his leasons for refusing the appointment given him by Dr. Charles F. Wi-nart. who defeated Bry an for moderator Thursday. Under general practice of the as sembly, Bryan, as the second highest candidate for the moderatorsiiip. was

STATE BOOKS SHOW DEFICIT OF $3,915,000 Agricultural Board Relies on Supreme Court Decision to Exempt Payment of $500,000 to General Fund,

Indiana's threadbare general fund, staggering under a $3,915,000 debt I ayalil* snnn. was suffering further financial pains today with claims of the State board of agriculture that a debt totaling more than $500,000 is exempted from refund by virtue of a Supreme Court decision last year. The board, considering plans for spending improvement funds availSTRICT RULES IN INDIANA SCHOOLS Fire Marshal and Aid Give Reassurance to Public, A fire stioh as occurred in a school at Cleveland, S. C., could not occur in Indiana, John D. Kramer, deputy fire, marshal in charge of schoolhouse inspections, said today. ‘‘Kerosene lamps, such as started the South Carolina fire, axe not permitted In Indiana school buildings,” he asserted. “Even in communities there are no electric lights, school buildings usually have their t.wn electric plants. "Manual training and domestic science classes have asked permission tc store gasoline and to install incubators, but this has been denied. Ventilator shafts, according to our regulations, must go through the roofs and not end in attics in such a way as to make the buildings fire traps. light wires must be in conduits.” Newman T. Miller, State fire marshal, pointed out all township trustees are organized as deputies of the fire marshal’s office with instructions to guard against school house fires. Electric Firm Incorporates Incorporation of the Electric Products Company of Indianapolis, capital stock SIO,OOO. was completed today. The Incorporators are Arthur Wolf. E. M. Fife. Paul W. Knowles and Victor C. Gordon, all of Indianapolis.

France blunders again in turning down Germany’s peace dicker. The former British war premier makes some startling observations in a cable dispatch, which will appear exclusively * *

INDIANAPOLIS, FRIDAY, MAY 18, 1923

their loved ones left behind in the hall. “You couldn't get the facts about it for a long time, the survivors were so excited and grief-stricken. Families got separated in the rush. This was a country schoolhouse, where they used kerosene lamps for light. One of them got loose or the hook pulled out from the ceiling, It fell right in the midst of the crowd there and exploded. "A lot of people were burned then and everybody started screaming and running for the doors and windows. They all got jammed on the stairway and in the hall leading to the street and *they didn't have a chance after they got in there. “Nobody could help them and the worse they fought and strug-

I entitled to the chairmanship of the powerful committee on bills and oveiI cures. Moderator Wishart in making Dr. | Hugh K. Walker chairman of that ( committee Ignored Bryan Wishart did i not even honor Bryan by making him vice moderator. but appointed S. Spencer Chapman, an attorney of Philadelphia. Bryaji as chairman of the bills ! and overtuies committee would praci tically control the doctrinal and policy questions to bev ted upon by the assembly. Dr. -Valker, who heads the committee, Is regarded as a liberal land Bryan ns an ultra cinservative. If Bryan does not succeed in getI ting a place on the overture commit(('ontinued on Page 2)

able through a $1,000,000 bond issue, has referred to the court's decision as final and applicable to, the present sit uation. Help Asked The decision fn substance held the State could not borrow to finance the board of agriculture. On May 12, records in the office show', the general fund consisted of $90,000, from which were payable immediately n nlnfenance debts on five State institutions. The Auditor, following a meeting last week with the State finance board, sent a call to a'.l county treasurers asking for ud vance payments on taxes not duo or- j dlnarlly until June. Debts Due Incoming receipts .will partly care for the emergency, but will do no good In retiring the Immense genera! fund Indebtedness, officials said. These amounts have been borrowed since Jan. 1 by the State finance board and are due within the next few months: From Highway fund, $1,625,000; Indiana National Bank, $550,000; Fletcher Savings and Trust Company, $400,000; auto theft fund, $300,000; Fletcher-American National Bank, $300,000; Union Trust Company, S6OO, 000; Purdue endowment fund, $340,000. Governor Insistent. At a meeting Thursday of the board of agriculture it is understood Gov-: ernor McCray artd other officials in- i sisted the board pay at least part, of the half million dollar indebtedness. Individuals commenting on tho situation say the only way relief to the fund may bo established would be through a special session of the legislature. Others quote the Governor as being disinclined to a repetition of the storm that characterized the last session. Continue Freight Hearing. The Indiana State Chamber of Commerce continued its case today against the Baltimore & Ohio and twenty-eight other railroads asking for revision of intra-State freight rates on coal. Oscar Ratts, public service commissioner, and A. B. Cronk, traffic engineer, presided. R. B. Coapstick, traffic manager of the chamber, fought the case against the carriers.

gied the tighter they got jammed in. From the look of some of the bodies we took out they were trampled to death before the fire got them. "We could not get into the buildirg to get th- bodies out, for a long time, the fire was so hot. There was nothing left of the building at all. I never saw anything so terrible in my life.” The charred bodies of the victims were laid in rows on the ground as fast as they were taken out. "Hundreds of people came hunting their folks,” said Silton. ‘‘The scenes were terrible. Many of the bodies were nothing but charred bones. It was pitiful to see half crazy people, driven out of their heads by grief and anxiety poking

Evangelist Is Made Methodist Preacher MRS. MINNIE N. BRONSON. "1 believe that more and more women every oar are enu ring the ministry,'* declared Mrs. Minnie N. Bronson, 117 Eagle Dr., Salem Park, today. She has been granted a license to preach by the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Rev. Mrs. Bronson resigned last fall as president of the Morton County W. C. T. I', to take up evangelistic work. She has followed evangelistic work since childhood, and said she does not Intend to accept a pastorate. BLOOD TRANSFUSION FAILS TO SAVE DOCTOR John Schofield Supplies Blood to In jured Man. 6’;/ T'nitrd Prrrs BRAZIL. I nil., May 18—A blood transfusion operation failed to save the life of Dr. James A. Hawley, 53, of Brazil, Injured in a crossing accident Thursday, lie died late yesterday. His coupe was struck by a Pennsylvania train which was fifty minutes late and traveling at high speed. Dr. Stewart of Terre Haute, a passenger on the train administered first aid. . John Schofield gave blood to the Injured physician. Seventy in Pageant Seventy persons will participate in a pageant, “The Striking -f America's Hour.” at the First I- relical Church, New York and East Sts., at 7:45 p. m. Sunday. The pageant is under the auspices of the Women's Missionary Society. Public is invited.

Identified Dead in Holocaust Shows Families Are Wiped Out

Bn t'nitrd Prc*s CLEVELAND, S. C„ May 18.—The identified dead are: Mr. and Mrs. Eugene P.rotvn, Five members of the Krause family. Nine members of the Scott family. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Humphries. Mr. and Mrs. M. L. McLeod and two children. J. E. Pearce. Mr. and Mrs. C. G. Brown. S. J. West. Mrs. J. R. Phillips and three children. Two children of Mrs. L. M. West. M. B. McLeod. Charles Hending and four children. Mrs. Britt Croft and three children. Wesley Henderix and one daughter.

among the heaps of blackened bones .hunting for rings or some token that would identify the bodies. "You would see a woman hunting, and then she would scream and faint. People went about absolutely crazy. Everybody knew everybody else at that entertainment, you see. and it was quite an affair for a small country place. • “The folks that were in that hall were small farmers and land holders mostly, quiet folks who were proud of the work their children did at school and who went to see them perform at the entertainment A few folks from Camden went over. About seven or eight Camden people were burned to death, but most of the victims were country people like I de-, scribed.”

BOMB EXPLODES IN U. S. CONSULATE IN MEXICO Blast Docs I ittle Damage in Basement of Building. Bu t'nitrd /’r> MEXICO CITY, May 18.—A power ful bomb was exploded in the base ment of the building occupied by the American consul here today. No one was Injured and no damage was done to the consul's office. No arrests have been made. Fire Disasters Since 1900 HOBOKEN, N. J.—North German piers and three steamers burned, 300 deaths: ss,ot<u,ooo property loss. June 30. 190 a. BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Shiloh Bap tist Church, 115 deaths. Sept. 20, 1902. CHlCAGO—lroquois Theater, £OS deaths. Dec. 30, 5903. BALTIMORE—Business district destroyed; loss $70,000,000. Feb. 7, 1904. NEW YORK—Excursion steamer. General Slocum, burned; 1.921 killed. Juno 15. 1904. BROCKToN. Mass. —Shoe factory, 100 killed. March 20, 1905. BA N FRANCISCO—Fire, 452 killed. -April 18. 1906. BOYKRTOX, Pa.—Rhodes Opera House, 169 killed. March 4. 1908. CLEVELAND. Ghio Collinwood School. 17S children and teachers killed. March 4. 1908. ACAPULO, Mexico.—Florez The nter. 300 killed. Feb. 2, 1909. NEW YORK—Triangle shirt factory, 145 deaths. March 25, 1901. HALIFAX, N. S.—Explosion caused by collision of munitions ship with relief ship in Halifax harbor, starts fire which destroyed big area of Halifax, 2.(t00 killed. 4,000 Injured; loss $50.000,0000. Dec. 6. 1917. KLAMATH FALLS. Ore—Houston Hotel, 15 killed. Sept. C. 3920. MANILA, !’. I.—'Three thousand residences burned; 15.000 homeless: ten deaths; $30,000,000 loss. April 12. 1921. 11 AKA DOTE, Japan—Four thousand homes destroyed by lire; 259 killed. April 14. 1921. MALFIELD, Ky.—Ernest Lawrence Home. It killed. June 6, 1921. SMYRNA—Practically entire city destroyed when Turkish Nationalist troops set fire to Greek and Christian quarter; 2.000 killed; 20,000 homeless: $250,000,000 loss. Sept. 11-18, 1922. NEW YORK—Lexington Ave. tone ment. 16 killed. Oct. 24. 1322. ASTORIA, Ore.—One death, $20,000,000 loss. Dec. S, 1922. I*aundry Stolen The Sterling Laundry Company today reported to police a thief took two bundles of laundry from a wagon. One bundle contained forty-two towels and a pair of window curtains, the other, clothing.

Mr. anil Mrs. B. G. McLeod and one child. Mrs. Andrew Campbell. A Mrs. Rhoden. Jack Bush. A daughter o' Stony Campbell. Grace Arran ts. Ina'Arrr. ats Mrs. Waller Davis and three children. Mrs. R. L. Caskell and one child. Jess Smith. Two children of G. K. McCaskill. 1 Coroner G. L. Dison and .one child. Mrs. William Brown and one child. Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Davis and four children. Mrs. R. L. Dixon and one child.

hfipjjl W flo Tl o trpo (fil line Indianapolis limes Saturday

Entered as Second-class Matter at Postoffice, Indianapolis. Published Daily Except Sunday.

Blaze Starts When Kerosene Lamp Explodes in South Carolina Building —Search of Ruins Complete BY 11. D. NILES Vnitrd Pre Correspondent CLEVELAND, 8. C., May 18.—Seventy-six crashed and blackened bodies, the toll of a disastrous fire which trapped 400 parents, friends and children in a schoolhouse here, were in improvised morgues today as officials continued searching ruins of the little frame building. Officials in charge of rescue work announced at noon they did not believe any more bodies would be found in the still glowing embers. Every home in the litte village has been pressed into service, either as a morgue or a hospital to care for those trampled in the panic which followed the cry of “fire” or who were bruised in leaping from windows on the'*second floor. Homes of the peaceful rural community were converted into houses of horrer by the agony of the injured. Some suffered broken backs in daring leaps from the building, while others, including women and children, were battered and broken by the crush at the door of the schoolhouse when the audience, mad with fright, sought to escape. Stampede at Closed Door Tim farmers and their families who came to town last night lo be entertained by their children stampeded at the closed door. Those who fell or were knocked over in the crush of humanity were trampled under foot. It was shortly after 9 p. m. when a large kerosene lamp, suspended from tlie ceiling, fell among the audience and exploded, throwing flaming oil over the terrified country folk. The fire gave a grim point to the play, which amateur actors, recruited from the ranks of students, were performing. It was “Topsy Tuny,” a farce comedy which had kept the audience in a roar of mirth up to the time the lamp exploded. Persons nearest the windows smashed them and leaped to the ground, while the main body of the audience rushed for the one exit, a stairway ending in a narrow hull and entryway, not more that eight feet square. The door at the foot of the stairs was jammed and while flames licked over the packed victims, hundreds pressed on the stairway. Then the flames, roaring through the building, reached the frenzied cluster about the entrance and those who had gone down were consumed in the heat. Rescue workers, who were attracted by the light, found friends and loved ones buried in the blackened mass. Relatives worked frantically in an effort to recover bodies. Little groups gathered about each body as it was brought from the debris, but there was little that remained to establish the names of the victims. Loved Ones Carry Bodies The bodies, lifted tenderly by loved ones, were taken to nearby homes. As the toll of the disaster mounted, other houses were commandeered until virtually every residence had become a morgue or a hospital. All doctors and nurses from Camden and other surrounding towns rushed here throughout the night and early today and gave themselves up to the task of earing for the injured, while officials of ( leveland and Camden and some townspeople continued search of the gaunt ruins. The injured number more than a score, according to Sheriff E. E. Welch of Camden. The figures compiled by Welch showed more than sixty persons still were missing, but officials agreed a number of these undoubtedly escaped the inferno and have not yet reported. Eighteen bodies had been identified at 10 a. m. and turned over to relatives. The others were mostly a mass of burned flesh and bones. Identification was impossible.

All of the bodies recovered were taken from the narrow stairway of the schoolhouse. where the men, women and children were trapped in their effort to scape, aeeording to Welch. The stairway, strained and then buckled under the heavy load of so many persons, and precipitated many into the raging inferno caused additional deaths of tho-se fighting like mad to escape through the entrance door. I'itiful piles of hones and burned flesh gathered today represent 2r> per cent of the total population of Cleveland townspeople. Practically all of the white population about Cleveland went to the school last for the entertainment. The last census of the township showed 490 inhabitants. Cleveland is an unincorporated village.

About half of the bodies recovered are those of children. In some cases whole families are wiped out, in others parents and older children are gone and only small children remain. Hardly a family has escaped the loss of at least one. One of the injured, Carl Humphries, 30, who had been taken to a hospital at Camden was uninjured when he jumped from a window, but when he realized his mother remained in the seething furnace he rushed back in an effort to save her. his efforts were unavailing and he himself was burned. Search of Ruins Completed Search of the ruins for bodies was completed this afternoon. Camden

. Forecast UNSETTLED with probably showers tonight and Saturday. Not much change.

TWO CENTS

police said they believed all the bodies had been removed with the flnding of two additional ones, bringing the death tolol to seventy-six. Identifying victims was proceeding slowly and it was considered likely that some of the victims would have to be buried without identification, they were so badly charred. The funeral of the Are victims wiU he held at 6 p. m. today at Cleveland. One big funeral will mark the burial of all of them. Unable to identify their loved ones, the bereaved parents and relatives will Join in one funeral cortege and the bodies will be laid to rest in one plot in the Cleveland cemetery.