Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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WATCH THE DATE ON YOUR LABEL WATCH the DATE ON YOUR LABEL NUMBER 8 CAMDEN, SOUTH CAROUNA, FRIDAY, MAY 25, 1923 VOLUME XXXV. FIRST REPORT , OF AWFUL FIRE Mirthful "Topsy Turvy" Play Turned Into Grim Tragedy When Lamp Leaves Its ^ Moorings, Camden, S. C., May 18.-? (By the* Associated Press.)-? Grim tragedy, stalking in the wake of mirthful comedy, to day had turned Kershaw coun ty into a county of mourning. The climax of the commence ment play of the Cleveland school, a rural institution, eight miles from here, had been, reached shortly after nine o'clock last night, when an oil lamp over the little stage fell to the floor. The lamp explod ed. In an instant the stage was a mass of flame. Panic seized the audience of parents, brothers, sisters, and relatives of the graduating class, come proudly to honor the young sters that had crowded the lit tle auditorium. Some three hundred were in the room. RUSH FOR THE DOOR. There waa a concerted rush for the single exit that led to a narrow wood en stairway. The weight of the mans was too much for the steps and they collapsed, hurling' scoces in a tangled mass, numbers being crushed to death. In a breath, it seemed to persons \^ho escaped, the entire building was wrapped in flames, and within an hour the buijding was little more than a heap of smouldering ashes, the -funer al pyre of more than three and a half <core of Kershaw County citizens, in sortie instances entire families being wiped out. CAMDEN PEOPLE PRESENT. Scarcely a home in Kershaw county but that was affected by the disaster. Many Camden people had gone to wit ness the playlet. . Some of them are numbered among the victims of the tire. Five injured are in the hospital here but all are top badly hurt to talk about it. Cleveland School is located in the ?enter of a fertile section, but sparce ly populated. The I'oad leading to the scene is little more than a one-way path along the edge of a plowed field. This morning hundreds' of automo biles and buggies were passing to and fro. marking the route to the scene where the tragedy reigned supreme over comedy. ARRANGES TO RENDER AID. Permanent Committee Is Named To Disburse Relief Funds. F. H. Harding, president of the Camden and Kershaw County Cham ber of Commerce, under authority of a citizens' meetii)(j today, has ap pointed the following permanent com- J mittee on investigation of needed re lief and disbursement of funds for the Cleveland school fire sufferers: H. G. ( arrison, Jr., mayor of Camden, hairman; C. P. DuBose, treasurer; J. \V. Cantey, prominent farmer and hamber of comerce director; M. H. Heyman, of Camden, prominent; busi ? man and chamber of commerce number; J. N. McLeod, prominent firmer from Cleveland School sec n; K. I. Reardon, secretary. This committee will have absolute < . :*hority in every respect. Mr. Tay m-ld representative of the Amer ..n Rod Cross, is here and will meet ' morrow with this and other com-<J ?';tces to help out. Mr. Taylcr has 'Ttred the services of two experi " -ed Red Cross workers to cooper and advise in distribution of re : funds and in other ways. ' he following men and women were ' ? <?inted today by the citizens' meet ? as o central steering committee .hat-ge of collection of relief funds ?' om citizens of Camden and of Ker ? i'v county: M. H. Heyman, ehair Camden; W. S. Burnett, treas ? ('amden; William King, secre . ( amden; W. A. Boykin, Boykinj,] ' K. C. Ritchie, president of tjilrj 1 nden Civic League; C. C. WhiMM ? amden; Robert Kennedy, C*m : Mrs. M. C. Miller, chairman of ' local Red Cross chapter, C*|nden; f'antey, Boykin; E. I. lUlWon, j nanager and secretary* 9iJw C*m ;md Kershaw County Chamber ' < mmerce; R. T. Micklo* Longto\qjf ? .'><? following subcommittee chaii' ? n were named to look af tor the col ' > 'ions in their respo.ctive sections ? Kershaw county: AImc We*t, Ces ar t; D. T. Yarborough, Bethune; .John T. Stevens, KershaW. (,ther subcommittee ehafrmejl will f ? designated later. The men and women of the Antral 1 nr.g committee are ell : well Miown and prominent citt|ftIUI en y the confidence of cvfty one in this ' ounfy. . B" Catholic Church Rev. M. J. Reddin ' ayor of Camden *witl donated by the ?awards tne relief 'iev. Reddin had heard any arr*.ng?mon??, he tjve and suggested to the Catholic church of towards the di greeted ky a gene reus LAD BEREFT OF BOTH PARENTS Thompson Davit Left to Care For Family of Small Sitter* and Brothers. ? (By Staff Correspondent of The Co lumbia State.) Camden, May 18.? Stories of hero ism did not develop rapidly after the Cleveland school Are. Because, per haps, eyewitnesses could not distin guish individuals, ov jn the darkness and horror of the scene, could not distinguish or recognize individuals, or if they did could not remember. One heard of men who had escaped, rushing back to aid and rescue friends or loved ones less fortunate who never returned. But none upuld say who they were; none could separate brave deeds from death cries and death struggles in the quickly coming, quickly ending catastrophe. Yet today there stood out one ? a lad in knicker bockers ? who though he was not even at the terrible scene whi^h al most bereft him of kith and kin who, though he raised no hand to rescue the living or aid the injured, nor risk ed neither limb nor life ? who was not even at the scene of the disaster ? yet today as he stood there in the little country churchyard, where the newly dead lay "row upon row" even as in Flanders' field, ? made those around him feel that he could be * classed among the bravest of the brave ? .with a courage as strong and as true as any of the full growns around him. He was Thompson Davis, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Davis of the Cleveland School settlement. In the mad rush to safety, when the fire came to the little school build ing ? he lost father and mother and two sisters. As he stood there, amongst the sheet wound dead, near est those he believed to be his own ? and whom he had identified as his be cause he recognized a scrap of a lit tle sister's newly made commence ment frock ? or a mother's best dress ? or a simple little ring that identified a sweet younger sister ? as he stood theff ? a reporter asked what he knew about the, fire. "I don't know very much. I wasn't here. But I lost my mother and my father and two oldest sisters, Lena and Ida May. They were 14 and 12. At home there's a little brother about nine months and three more little sis ters. They are two, five and six. They and me are all that's left. But I guess I can help them some." Instantly a dozen hands of strong men reached for his. Instantly a doz en throats got husky. But, Thomp son's clear gray eyes never blinked though a sob was in his throat. "I guess I can do jt," he said. "The^ others will help." Instantly again a dozen big brown hands were thrust into as many pock ets and ere he knew it, his hands filled with crisp new' bills. HejpMi tated, bewildered, dumbfoundeaMKjg elderly man stepped forward and placing a hand on the lad's shoulder said: "You've got a big load, my ton,, ?a big load to carry ? you m^Mt ^o it, my boy, you must do "I'll do my best ? sir ? I'll do my best, said the boy. "I know, .now the others will help." And he Jootced wist fully over at the big lont^fcr^Nre wliere ! his kith and kin were tojfay-?-an'Vncle stepped up and said to him*. "Ypu bet they will, my boy, you bet tfiiirwill.'' Maybe the eyewitnesses couldn't distinguish or re menjber the heroes ? ROSTER SHOWS PUPILS LOST Entire Fourth Grade of Cleve land School Was Lost in Thursday's Fire. (By Staff Correspondent of the Co lumbia State.) Cleveland School, May 10. ? Of the 75 persons burned to death in the do struct ion of the school house Thurs day night, 28 were oupils of tin* school* an examination of tho roster showed today. The entire fourth grade. thu'i- pupils, was wiped out. Miss Ina Mae Stephens, principal of the school, had her registers at her boarding place, and in this^ way it was possible to obtain a complete ros- * ter of pupils of the school. The total enrollment was 91 with an average attendance of 66. Tho boys numbered 40 and the girls 51. The average attendance of the* boys was 2,1 and the girls 39. Below is a complete roster of the school pupils. The names in black are the pupils who were burned to death in the fearful tragedy. First Grade.-r-Clayton Arrants, Mary Brown, Hamilton Croft, Francis Davis, Fannie Lee Davis, Margaret Dixon, Theron Dixon, Theda Dixon, Troy Godwin, Alva Hendrix, Leila Hinson, Frank Hinson, George Bin son, Oscar Holland, Emily Ives, Jim lyes, J. D. Ives. Advanced First Grade.~ Selina Davis, Leila Mae Dixon, Wilbur Hen drix, J. C. Hinson, Joe Smith, Parrie Douglas. Second Grade.? Grace Arrants, Jes sie Smith, Maggie Douglas. Third Grade. ? Curtis Arrants, Lot tie Brown, Marguerite Croft, Dorothy Croft, Ruth Dixon, Thelma Dixon, Ernest Hinson, Maggie Lou McCas kill, Eva Phillips, Connie May Shiver, John Henry Douglas, Willie Douglas, Lawrence Branham, Sallie Branham? Lindsey McLeod. Fourth. Grade. ? Eva Mae Davis, Sarah Dixon, Orabell Hinson. Fifth Grade. ? Elizabeth Brown, Sa rah Davis, Clara Dixon, Linwood Dixon, Hattie Hinson, Robert Phil lips,, C. T. Shivar, Freddie Smith, Lillian Smith. Sixth Grade. ? J. T. Brown, Nellie Dixon, Annie Lee Hendrix, Mazie Hendrix, Colzy McCaskill, Charlie Hinson. Seventh Grade. ? Clyburn Bruce, Idolene Davis, Leila Mae Davis, Thompson Davis, Carl Dixon, Lou Dixon, Clara Hinson, Clyburn Smith. Eighth Grade. ? Clifford Brown, Dave Dixon, Ada McCaskill, May Mc Caskill, Alzera Smith, Lucile Smith, Dorenfe Phillips, Claude Hinson, Mary Dixon. Ninth Grade. ? Parker Davis, Ber? tie Hendrix, Jack Rush, M?rtie Rush, Xonnie Dixon. Tenth Grade. ? Ima Arrart#w, Otis Arrants, Charlie Bruce, Kate Dixon, Ola Phillips, ?fck . . , Had Narrow Escape. ? Mrs. .John Ratteree, of this city, Avho was visiting her daughter, Mrs. 'West, near the Cleveland school last week, had a narrow escape from the burning school bu^dingT and only savled her life by sliding down a flag pole, as did her daughter, Mrs. W*st, with her baby. Mr. West lost his life in the fire. ? Rock Hill Record. but more than a score of older Caro linians believe that Thompson Davis of Cleveland School, Kershaw county, is one. v THE TOLL TAKEN BY SCHOOL FIRE Correct List After Careful Re vision by Newspaper Men and Other Helpers. Seventy-seven known dead, with two unaccounted for-^-so stands the roster of the dead from the destruc tion by fire Thursday iwght of Cleve land school in Bevilah community, six miles southeast of Camden. The list was tare fully verified Saturday even ing by three members of The State's staff and the Camden correspondent, assisted by citizens, including several of those bereft of near kindred, and with the untiring, invaluable assis tance of the sheriff of Kershaw coun ty, O rover Welsh. It is not likely that a 'more accurate check could be made ttt this time. List of the Dead. Mr. and Mrs. Charles N. Hum phries and their son, Thomas 13. Humphries, 30, assistant cashier, Bank of Camden. John Jeter Johrtson, Jr., 11, son of the Rev. J. J. Johnson, pastor of th j Baptist church. Mr. and Mrs. Miller L. McLeod, and two sons, Lindsey, third grade, and Milton. Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Brown. Shell J. West. Thelma West 13, and Rebecca West, 11, daughters of L. M. West. Jesse E. Pearee, adult. Mrs. J. R. Phillips, and three chil dren, Ola and Dorine, ninth grade, and Eva, third grade. Charlie Hendrix and four children, Alva, 7, first grade, Wilbur, 10, ad vanced first grade; Annie Lee, 13, and Mazie, 15, .Sixth grade. Manus Baum McLeod, adult. Mr. and Mrs. Burnell G. McLeod and infant son, Bi*uce, one and a half years old. M rs. H. Britton Crofy and two chil dren, Hamilton, first grade; and Do rothy, third grade. Wesley Hendrik and one daughter, Bertie, 15.. Mrs. Grace Rhoden, wife of W. B. Rhoden. Mrs. Estelle Campbell, wife of An drew Campbell. Eoline Campbell, 14, -daughter of Stoney Campbell. Jack Rush, 14, son of Manning Rush. Mrs. Walter Davis and three chil dren, Eva May, 0, and Fannie Lee, 8, and W. G., 2 1-2. Grace Arrants, 7, adopted daughter of Frank Arrants. Mrs. R. ?L. McCaskill and soil, Roy, school boy. Vera Trapp and Emily Trapp, school girls, daughters of D. S. Trapp. Jessie Smith, third grade. Grace McCaskill, 6, and Colzey McCaskill, 11, daughters of C. K. Mc Caskill. l Ima Arrants, 26, daughter of Henry Arrants. Mfs. Willie Brown, and daughter, Lottie, third grade. Mr, and Mrs. A. R. Davis and two daughters; Selina and Leila May* G. Lucas Dixon, corp;ier of Ker shaw?X!ounty, and daughter, Clara, 14. ? Mrs. Lewis T. Dixon, and~two chil dren, Sarah, 9, and Linwood, 11. Mrs. C. Lem Dixon, and three chil dren, Thelma, 10, Theda, 7, and Wil lene, 2 1-2. ? Mrs. R. Shafton Dixon and daugh ter. Margaret, 7. Lonnie Truesdale, son of Will Truesdale. Mary Lynn Godwin, infant daugh ONE HUGE GRAVE r HOLDS VICTIMS Thousands Attended Funeral of School Tragedy Held Friday at Beuiah. (By Staff, Correspondent of The Co lumbia State.) Camden, May lH.^Sur rounded by. thousands of sorrowing relatives and friends, many with tears streaming down their cheeks, approximately GO bodies of the 74 persons who perished i?i the (lames of the Cleveland school house last night were laid to rest in one K'ave at Beuiah church this af ternoon just as the sun was setting. The scene was one of pathos, touch ing? reverence and worship. The littlo church ground was packed with folk from all sections of the state, from the governor to the humblest of the tillers of the soil of the community. The crowd was estimated at betweert 3,000 and 6,000, the- largest ever at tending a funeral in this county. No accurate count was availablo as to the number interred in the one grave. All the unidentified bodies were placed in this huge grave and sohie of the identified. The commit tee in charge of the funeral, announc ed tfiat 62 were lai(j to rest in the grave, all together, as they had died, while the undertakers, who prepared the charred remains for burial, de clared that it was impossible to give the exact number ) Everybody has been upset since tKe tragedy tQ such an extent that it was practically im possible to gather coherent stories. The undertakers snid 50 bodies were known to be in the grave and possi bly others were there. Thirteen identified bodies are to be interrefotomorrow after funeral serv ices at three places, Camden, Beuiah and Antioch. Bodies of some were burned to such an 'extent that they cannot be recognized as bodies. In addition to the one big grave, two separate funerals were held after the general services. Long before the hour for the fun eral automobiles began arriving at the little Methodist1 church, a short distance from the disaster. Cars were parked in fields, woods and every where around the church. ^ With bared heads and silent rever ence the thousands stood as a mixed choir from all the churches of Cam den started the services with "Some Time We'll Understand." The grave, 40 by. 12, was banked high with cut flowers ? wreaths of all kinds. Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers and relatives who had lost loved ones occupied seats around the grave, while others formed a great circle around the grave. It was a most touching scene ? wo men and men were crying and all around the crowd realized that death may at any time call away those near and dear. Three ministers, the Rev. J/ L. (Continued on Last Page) ter of Cleveland Godwin; found clasp ed in arms of dead negro nurse, Sadie Wade. Louise Sowell, 9, and Clara May Sowell, 13, daughters of D. L. Sowell. Frank Hinson, first grade, son of Huey Hinson. J. C. Hinson, advanced first grade, a;id Orabelle Hinson, fourth grade, children of James Hinson. Adaline McCaskill, substitute teacher in McLeod school nearby. Ellie Barnes, Lucknow. Fannie Bowers, Kershaw. the Cleveland K*1fK? h?u*e they W?r? of CoHimbte State.) Tr - - * ' i* *i?V ~ ? Jt\ * ? \ o ?' V * 7 * - . ^ . is .; - ANOTHER STORY OF GREAT FIRE News nnd Courier Representa tive Pictures Scene Around Beulah After the Fire, (By William Hanks.) Columbia, May IK. Fjvo miles east of Camden on the Black river road is a beautiful cottage 'homo, .set back off tin- road ill a formal garden of old fashioned flowers. The broad Held in front and on the sides of the home is yellow with grain, some of which has just boon cut and shocked. An ap pealing 'domestic picture, the kind of ideal that many a man has of homo, Yet this is no homo, Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Brown who liW'd there yesterday were buried today at Beulah church and there is none other to call this homo. This is but one of the tragedies that make up the ensemble of tho greatest catastrophe in the history of South Carolina, costing more lives perhaps than the earthquake, though not attended with the superhuman manifestations and dramatic effects. During the World War there was an epidemic of "flu" that was more grue some in the toll of death that it took. Hundreds of bodies were stacked for days in the morgues of our military camps, waiting coffins , for interment. But never in peace times has there been such ai horrifying loss of life. Naturally there are two questions that prompt themselves; "Was it avoidable? Are there other schools in South Carolina in which the same thing might have occurred?" From all the evidence obtained on the spot, it seems that it could, not have been avoided. Panic knows ii? restraint, no law. Every person in that building could have been saved if all could have been martialled into line and marched out in fire drill ex orcises. But wbo was to think of such an orderly a thing at such a ter rifying moment ? Strong men appeal ed to the frantic audience to stop, gave their lives in the effort to save others. But the fear of fire is the most terrible thing in the world. All other human emotions are rendered sub ordinate. ? The greatest community tragedy in the history of the state prior to this one occurred in Kershaw county, also in May, and just about five miles from the site of the Cleveland School. May 0th, 1866, a flat boat on the Boykin pond on Swift creek turned over and twenty-four persons were drowned in sight of shore, and almost within reach of frantic loved ones. It was a Sunday school picnic party. The fid dlers were on the boat and the dan cers caused it to dip on one side. That caused a rush to the other side of the boat and it went down. There were some McLeods of Sum ter county in that tragedy. Governor McLeod said today that they were his relatives. The McLeods burned in the Cleveland school were not related to him, but he has known them for years and :wrfs very fond of them, and of others *(ho were burned. A. J3. Murchison, county superin tendent of education, might have been among those who were lost, for this school school is in his neighborhood, but he was attending a school meeting in Senator Funderburk's district. Mr. Rhoden, of Camden, and some of his children intended to go to the school closing as Mrs. Rhoden was a West and this was her old bome community. One of the children was very tired and Mrs. Rhoden was the only one of the family who attended. Her name appears in the list of tho#>e who died. There were thirteen residents of the city of Camden whose bodies were found in the ruins. For that reason and the further reason that the residents of that en tire country are so closely identified with Camden, every store, cafe, .ga rage, drug store and every other place of business was closed today and crepe appeared on all doors. Louis I. Guion, vice president of the Federal Farm Loan Rank in ColumT bia, is a resident of Kershaw county, lie stated to me that there would be twelve farms left with no one to work them and there were other farms on which none would be left but children. This will be the big responsibility of the county, to care for the crops oi these dead citizens. County Agent Sanders- stated that he is ready to de vote his whole time to helping in this unexpected crisis. Offers of financial help poured in from all over the country, but all that will be needed will b*.: raised locally. These were well-to-do, substantial people, with few exceptions. The greatest pressing need will he labor for the farms. There will be a mass meeting at the Camden Chamber of Commerce Saturday morning to look after that. Senator Funderburk is taking charge of the situation in a ? cool, practical manner. -He is a farm er, a man of great sympathies, and a too! and sensible leader. He will give out a statement Saturday . Charles Humphries was one of the county commissioners ,a leader in progressive work in the county. Mrs. Iirown was a member of the county board of education. She was a leader in many things and she and Mr. Rrown wore known as citizens of great value to the county. The Dixon family was the one to suffer moat heavily, There were elev en dead in that connection, in cluding the coroner of The cSWStyr A negro nurse was in the school building when the stampede occurred. (Continued on Last Pago)