Remember Italian Hall: Where 73 Died On Christmas Eve

"SteveLehto" (stevelehto)
12/24/2014 at 09:20 • Filed to: None

On Christmas Eve, 1913, 73 people died in a stampede after a false cry of Fire! at a children's Christmas party in northern Michigan. There was no fire and the event marked the turning point in a bitter labor dispute in a large mining community. Two questions always arise: How could such a thing happen and why has this story not been more widely told in the past 101 years?

The northernmost part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula is known as the Copper Country, after its thriving copper mines which led the world in production at the turn into the 20 th century. While the mines wallowed in profits, workers – mostly recent immigrants – made a few dollars a day and had few rights. The Western Federation of Miners organized and gained enough membership to call a strike in the summer of 1913. They struck when the mines refused to collectively bargain and the mines shut down when the miners walked off the job.

The mines refused to negotiate. Outside forces tried to get the parties to settle but mine management held the position that talking with the union meant recognizing it. To shore up their position, the mines brought in strike breakers. These men worked for agencies that specialized in busting heads and breaking up pickets and soon there was violence in the region.

A boardinghouse in a town called Seeberville was shot up in broad daylight by some of these strike breakers and two strikers were killed. The victims were unarmed and the shooting was unprovoked. Although the gunmen would face prosecution later, the sheriff helped them evade justice by spiriting them out of the county and putting them in a safe house. Such was the way justice worked in the Copper Country in 1913.

By Christmas, the strike had dragged for months with no end in sight. Union benefits were sparse at best and the season promised little by way of cheer. The women's auxiliary of the WFM decided to throw a party on Christmas Eve for the children of the strikers. It would be held in a well-known union gathering place, the Italian Hall.

The Italian Hall was a two-story building with a saloon and general store on the first floor and a large gathering place with a stage on the second. To reach the top floor, visitors had to climb a tall, single flight of stairs which covered a rise of 14 feet. Parents and their children began arriving the afternoon of Christmas Eve and soon the upper floor was crowded. Perhaps 700 people were in the hall at the peak of the party. Songs were sung and presents were given to the children by Santa who sat on stage next to a meager Christmas tree.

Then, a man entered the building, climbed the stairs and stepped into the main room. He yelled "Fire!" twice, at the top of his lungs twice, in English. He then turned and as panic set in behind him, he ran away. There was no fire but there was an instant panic. Masses swarmed toward the exit at the top of the stairs, pushing and shoving to escape the onrush of people from the hall. Someone tripped and fell on the stairs and more people pushed from behind. More people fell. Soon, there was a pile on the stairs of a hundred or more people, mostly children.

The commotion inside the building attracted attention on the street and someone called the volunteer fire department. They arrived quickly and soon realized it was not a fire they were dealing with, but a stampede and crush on the stairway. They entered the building through a fire escape and began trying to rescue those on the stairs. Some they could save. 73 could not be saved.

The number of deaths overwhelmed the community. The victims were taken to a temporary morgue and soon plans needed to be made for a massive number of burials. Undertakers ran out of caskets and had to appeal to nearby communities for more, particularly children's caskets.

The union president sent a telegram to the governor, asking for an official investigation into the tragedy. When word got out that he had done that, a group of men - probably working with the sheriff - beat, shot and kidnapped him.

They threw him on a train and told him he would be killed if he ever returned to the area.

Services were held at several churches and then the local cemetery where many of the victims were placed in mass graves which are unmarked to this day. At graveside, a union speaker – responding to criticism of the union for rejecting charity offered by the mines – said, "It is not charity we want; it is justice."

But who was at fault? Rumors swirled that the man who had raised the cry had been a strike breaker and had been wearing a button which identified him as an ally of the mines. The sheriff – the same one who helped the Seeberville murderers hide after their crime – half-heartedly investigated and then decided to let the coroner take over. This was an interesting decision because the coroner's only job was to assign a cause of death. Everyone knew how the victims died. It would have made more sense to arrest the man who cried Fire and put him on trial.

The coroner went through the motions of investigating but there is no question he was not trying to solve anything. He brought in witnesses who were not in the building, and called witnesses who spoke little English without providing interpreters. After three days, he and his hand-picked jury concluded that the victims had died after a false cry of Fire and the cry had been raised inside the Hall. Which, of course, everyone knew. And a grand jury – also hand-picked by mine management – refused to indict anyone for the Italian Hall (although, comically, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for his union activities while refusing to indict them men who shot and kidnapped him.)

The strike petered out in 1914. The Italian Hall had been the turning point in the minds of many. How could one soldier on after seeing such devastation? Among the 73 dead were 60 children. Three families lost three siblings each. Mothers and fathers perished while children lived. Everyone in town had either lost someone or knew someone who had been lost. Families pulled together but they could not stay out on strike any longer. The strikers tore up their union cards and decided it was more important to live and fight another day.

When it happened, the Italian Hall disaster was big news. It was on the front page of the New York Times . Just a few years later, Oliver Wendell Holmes conjured the image of falsely crying Fire in a theater and was !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

In Calumet, the town where the Italian Hall stood, the tragedy is well known even though no one remains alive today who was there that night. The Hall itself was torn down in 1984. A park remains, with the arch from the Hall and a historical marker. Every Christmas Eve locals place candles on the site and a few gather to remember the event.

In recent years, the Italian Hall disaster has been getting a little more attention. PBS broadcast a documentary last year called Red Metal which told the story in the context of the strike. It still is not mentioned in most history books, not even those used in Michigan. Perhaps that will change some day. It is a story of Michigan and of labor. But most of all, it is simply a story of human tragedy. On this Christmas Eve it would be appropriate to reflect for a moment on the Italian Hall. It must never be forgotten.

Follow me on Twitter: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Steve Lehto is an !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and writer and wrote, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . He was also historical consultant on !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , which aired on PBS.

DISCUSSION (100)

505Turbeaux > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 09:25

good lord, what a tragedy. I have heard about this before, but now I know all the detail. Well written, thanks for the history Steve

SteveLehto > 505Turbeaux
12/24/2014 at 09:31

Thanks. It is a story well-known in that region and in some other communities (like the Finns - half the victims were Finnish) but not so much outside of Michigan. And, it wasn't just the Italian Hall - there was so much more lawlessness during that time it was almost like the Wild West.

Thanks for the note.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 09:37

I'm waiting for the Objectivist troll to come in and say "well this never would have happened if they had just gone back to work..."

SteveLehto > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
12/24/2014 at 09:40

I am hopeful - this being Christmas Eve and all - that readers will keep trollish comments to a minimum. But then again, this is the internet.

Thanks for the note. Merry Christmas/Festivus (depending on your persuasion).

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 09:43

Merry Christmas/Hannukah/Yule/Festivus/Kwanzaa/Solstice to you too, sir.

SteveLehto > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
12/24/2014 at 09:44

I'm actually a member of the Cult of the Unconquered Sun but I'll accept the "Solstice" as close enough.

Coachrotte33 > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 09:54

As a history teacher I love reading your stuff. Thanks for sharing.

SteveLehto > Coachrotte33
12/24/2014 at 10:02

Thanks! Where and what do you teach?

Coachrotte33 > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 10:04

I am a combined Humanities teacher in Plymouth, Indiana. I team teach with another gentleman. We cover North America from "discovery" through the Civil War. 8th Grade kids so every day is a trip.

SteveLehto > Coachrotte33
12/24/2014 at 10:05

Fantastic. I taught Michigan History at the University of Detroit for a couple years. I thought it was great that someone was paying me to talk about history (but then I had to grade papers and exams. What was up with that?!)

Damasconian > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 10:16

I work with a company that is headquartered in the UP and have visited the site. Three years ago I attended a training seminar and they took us to the memorial. I was shocked and embarrassed that I knew nothing of this story. Its a silent tragedy that continues to reverberate in that region of our nation.

Yoopers are awesome people. This was a very sad event.

SteveLehto > Damasconian
12/24/2014 at 10:18

Thank you for the note. My family is from the region so I have heard about this story for as long as I can remember.

Coachrotte33 > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 10:24

Love having the kids and the time with them. That other stuff is what makes the day long;)

BaconSandwich is tasty. > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 10:55

It's stories like this that I find a bit heartbreaking. Not only was there was such great loss, there was no justice, at least in this life.

A week or so ago I read an article about two guys in Chicago that were severely beaten by off-duty police officers. I'm sure there was two sides to the story, but either way it was incredibly messed up. Again, it's stuff like that that totally gets me riled up.

likethisandlikethat > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:17

A lot of injustice in the beginning of last century...

Pibbs says once you go Swede > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:18

"Sun worship is fairly simple. There's no mystery, no miracles, no pageantry, no one asks for money, there are no songs to learn, and we don't have a special building where we all gather once a week to compare clothing. And the best thing about the sun, it never tells me I'm unworthy. Doesn't tell me I'm a bad person who needs to be saved. Hasn't said an unkind word. Treats me fine."

-George Carlin

SteveLehto > likethisandlikethat
12/24/2014 at 11:21

Yes, and as I often point out - the labor portion of the story was business as usual around the country at the time. The violence preceding this event was also pretty common. It;s just that the deaths of 73 on Christmas Eve which elevated the story to a whole new level.

Thanks for the note.

Auto Guy > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:23

Yet ANOTHER amazing story from Steve. Thanks so much for sharing, and yes, this story has been historically under-shared and little-know outside of da UP. My family has friends and relatives in the area; and I went to visit a few years ago: Calumet is now a [surprisingly] lively area. Heck, Jeff Daniels even went there on his Winter Tour (by Motorhome!) a few years ago. Available on YouTube, and Jeff does an amazing job of capturing the UP history and general "vibe," of which your story is a historical cornerstone.

Happy Holidays, Steve!

SteveLehto > Auto Guy
12/24/2014 at 11:26

Thanks for the note. I go there every chance I can get. When we debuted the film Red Metal, w showed it at the Calumet Theater, a wonderful old operahouse from back in the day. There is a lot of great history in the area.

Happy Holidays to you too!

damnthisburnershitsux > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:27

I've always heard the example as a reference to the limits on free speech but never heard the full story behind it. I had always assumed the real case ended with a court case that made it's way to the supreme court. Thank you for enlightening me to the real story.

It is a shame they never found the culprit.

it burns! > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:28

Steve, this is fantastic, thanks for sharing! I've obviously heard "you can't yell fire in a crowded building" but had never heard this story. Very well written, an interesting topic, and I liked the context you provided.

StevenG > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:29

Kill minorities and not even get an indictment, glad we don't have that happen anymore. Oh wait......

StevenG > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
12/24/2014 at 11:29

I am deeply offended. KEEP SATURN IN SATURNALIA!

TacMedic > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:30

That's a very sad, but interesting story. I love how you told it.

It's a sobering reminder of the dangers of the panic effect in a crowded area. It's been shown many times, and is always as deadly. Too bad justice wasn't made; perhaps this would be considered manslaughter or even murder today.

SteveLehto > damnthisburnershitsux
12/24/2014 at 11:31

The case was Schenck v US and was a free speech case. I remember reading it in lawschool (long before I had researched this story.)

I think they did know who the culprit was. They just let him get away because he had been in the employ of mine management. Would have looked really bad if he had been brought to trial.

Thanks for the note.

VashVashVash > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:31

I still feel that following this incident a great mistake was made treating this as a first amendment issue rather than a building code one.

Simply put, if the exit to the building could accommodate the people inside of it, starting a panic would not have resulting in many lasting consequences.

SteveLehto > it burns!
12/24/2014 at 11:31

Thanks. I appreciate the note.

Kex > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:31

That was one interesting story. Shows how unfair the world and life can be.

it burns! > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:32

Also: something-something, asshole lawyer ;)

StevenG > VashVashVash
12/24/2014 at 11:33

So you are in favor of having no multi-story buildings?

SteveLehto > TacMedic
12/24/2014 at 11:33

The subtitle of the first edition of my book was "The Truth Behind Michigan's Largest Mass Murder." I personally believe that the man who cried Fire should have been tried for some form of manslaughter - which is just another degree of homicide.

Thanks for the note.

Audi-os, Amigos! > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:34

How.....how did...... 73????

SteveLehto > VashVashVash
12/24/2014 at 11:35

The building had been built to the code of the time.

People shouldn't intentionally start panics.

mhadden > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:35

To bring some light on an otherwise somber story, when I saw the headline pic, I instantly thought of Bob and Tom's Alphabet Game Show skit. Wish I could find a clip to post (for those who don't know what I'm talking about), but copyrights...

Thanks for the history. As a Michigander, I had never heard that story. Then again, most of the Yooper stories stay in the "Yooper Territory".

SteveLehto > StevenG
12/24/2014 at 11:36

Did you click the link to the Newseek piece I wrote a few weeks ago? Similar topic.

SteveLehto > Kex
12/24/2014 at 11:36

Thanks for the note. I agree.

damnthisburnershitsux > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:36

Ah yes I see that now it was Oliver Wendell Homes' opinion that makes reference to shouting fire in the case of prosecuting a person who was urging draft dodging under the espionage act. Thank you again for another interesting read!

SteveLehto > it burns!
12/24/2014 at 11:37

And a Merry Christmas to you, too!

RaggedMile > Coachrotte33
12/24/2014 at 11:37

I love that you put "discovery" in quotes. Surely the people already living here knew it existed before Europeans came around.

it burns! > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:40

Oh wait, I thought of the other thing some idiot will complain about: "This isn't about cars, why is it on Jalopnik?!?"
But seriously, one of the best reads I've found anywhere on GM in a good while. Happy whatever-Cult-of-Unconquered-Sun celebrates :)

Coachrotte33 > RaggedMile
12/24/2014 at 11:41

kids don't understand that. It's a very sad part of my job.

SteveLehto > it burns!
12/24/2014 at 11:44

I have tell myself to not bother trying to write "around" all of the complaints I anticipate. That one occurred to me, as did a few others.

The commenters always surprise me though. They'll come up with something no one could have anticipated.

Thanks.

Skinnayyyy > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:45

Just to go as far as to show how little is talked about this, I went to Michigan Tech for a year and never even heard about it until recently. I actually just read about it roughly a month or two ago.

SteveLehto > Skinnayyyy
12/24/2014 at 11:46

Cool. How much snow do you have so far?

DipodomysDeserti > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:47

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schenck_v…

Ahhhh, the old clear and present danger clause. The real reason you can't tell fire in a crowded theater...or write to people and urge them to resist conscription.

GreenN_Gold > Audi-os, Amigos!
12/24/2014 at 11:48

That number is tough to wrap your mind around. I think fear of the strikebreakers, who had already killed people, made the threat of being trapped on the 2nd story of a burning building seem very real and very terrifying. And you have the motivation of parents trying to save their kids' lives (perhaps being aggressive), but the result was tragically the opposite.

TacMedic > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:51

I didn't notice the book reference, I'd love to read it but cannot find it on Amazon.ca or anywhere in Canada. Is it available as an e-book?

Skinnayyyy > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:51

I have no idea how much is up there now. I was only there from 2005-2006 and that was a year of "no snow". We had something like 6 feet.... We actually had to drive to the plow dump sites and bring in snow by the truck load so we could make our ice statues for the winter carnival.

I'm in NYC now, but I do know that they have had snow on and off since like October.

it burns! > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:51

Don't waste your energy. I'm sure it's exhausting dealing with negative idiots all the time, but there's only so much you can do when people can't comprehend "Don't like it? Don't click!"

There are a ton of miserable pricks in the world, I hate that some people hesitate to write or end up having to write defensively because of the inevitable trolls. Use "dismiss" liberally and keep up the good work.

SteveLehto > TacMedic
12/24/2014 at 11:52

Email me. I'll get you a copy. Lehto@kennon.com

SteveLehto > Skinnayyyy
12/24/2014 at 11:53

Oh, I misread that. I have been up there in a bad winter. Snow drifts got tall . . .

SteveLehto > it burns!
12/24/2014 at 11:54

Thanks. I'm getting better . . .

Audi-os, Amigos! > GreenN_Gold
12/24/2014 at 11:54

That's a good point about the fear of strikebreakers - and excellent of Lehto to mention the two shootings prior to set the mood.

Could you....could you, sparing me the gory details, explain how 73 people could have died in a narrow stairway? Is it.....asphyxiation? Actual blunt crushing trauma of vital organs? And...again, sorry for the morbidity - how was there room for 73 people to be killed in this way?

kgcphoto.com > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:55

Kinja'd!!!

Thanks for the story. I love the UP. I also have this cup.

GreenN_Gold > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:56

Thank you for the history lesson. I also advise against yelling "bomb" at the airport, shouting "I have a gun" at the bank, or exclaiming "Free tacos!" anywhere. Mania will ensue.

Merry Ho-Ho Eve.

dustynnguyendood > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:56

Great story. Thanks for making me feel smarter now than when I got here (usually not the case with me and internets).

SteveLehto > kgcphoto.com
12/24/2014 at 11:56

Now that is funny.

Thanks for the note!

SteveLehto > dustynnguyendood
12/24/2014 at 11:58

That's my goal.

Thanks for the note.

fgvdg > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:58

Start working at home with Google! It's by-far the best job I've had. Last Wednesday I got a brand new BMW since getting a check for $6474 this - 4 weeks past. I began this 8-months ago and immediately was bringing home at least $77 per hour. I work through this link, go to tech tab for work detail

———————————> http://www.jobs700.com

it burns! > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:59

Immediately after writing that I saw the crazy religious screed in the grays above. You were right, there is no way to anticipate what someone will be mad about :)

Arbiter01 > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 11:59

Is it ethical to yell "Movie in a crowded firehouse?"

Great story Steve and a reminder of the days of robber barons and when unions had a purpose and high calling.

7liter12598723 > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:00

The strike breaking era in Michigan and other mining states in the early 1900s was far, far more lawless and dangerous than the 'Wild West' era (apostrophies because back east had far and away more murder, theft, and mayhem than the 'Wild West' at the time).

It isn't even close, the West was dangerous because of the nature of the available work out there and the nature, not the people. Even the counting the slayings in the Indian Wars, there was still less homicide out west than back east.

SteveLehto > it burns!
12/24/2014 at 12:00

Yeah, I have to leave a few in the grays each time . . .

SZRimaging > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:01

First of all, great article! I remember this story from Michigan History that I had in High School. It is one of those things you read about, it amazes you, and just sticks in your head the rest of your life. And it is really odd when you think it happened in Calumet, one of the quietest small towns I have ever been to (coming from someone living in Petoskey/Boyne City).

StevenG > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:03

Also a great piece of writing as usual.

I think juries of all kinds have these issues. I have been called to jury duty only a couple times and never got a case. Lawyers seem to have no interest in an educated person being on a jury.

fgvdg > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:04

———————————> http://www.jobs700.com

SteveLehto > StevenG
12/24/2014 at 12:05

Thanks. There is so much game-playing when it comes to juries (grand or otherwise). Some aspects of our legal system are great; others, still need work.

GreenN_Gold > Audi-os, Amigos!
12/24/2014 at 12:06

Not my area of expertise, but the staircase was rather tall at 14 feet. The article mentions there were as many as 100 people in the stairway, which means the 73 people would have nearly 30 people on top of them. If I'm to believe what I've seen in movies, there may have been a "women and children first" mentality, and the article mentions it was mostly child deaths. The Detroit news picture that Steve posted also mentions suffocation. So I'm guessing you have mostly kids crushed under the weight of a bunch of people, and those that weren't stomped or crushed simply couldn't breathe.

Just some brainstorming on my part. Morbid indeed.

Foxtrotzed - Internet Sensation of 2010 > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:08

Last year we got about 340"

http://keweenawcountyonline.org/snowfall.php

Looks like 18" on the ground and 88" for the season.

Audi-os, Amigos! > GreenN_Gold
12/24/2014 at 12:09

Yeesh. Fucking awful.

Evil13RT > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:09

People shouldn't, but they do. So the question is how to manage it.

Because we've gone the route of banning the weapon (based on what might happen) rather than punishing the offender (based on what they've done), the mine won a case against the freedom of speech rather than having its instigator punished.

We use this incident as an example of why rights should be deprived, where it should be an example of the lengths people will go to deprive you.

VashVashVash > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:10

I wasn't implying that it wasn't, I meant to say that the code requirements were clearly inadequate. A building should allow its occupants a quick exit in the event of a real or perceived emergency. I think even the most die hard libertarians would agree with that, thou they might differ about the means by which it should be accomplished (enter the liability vs regulation argument).

VashVashVash > StevenG
12/24/2014 at 12:11

I'm in favor of wide staircases, and enough exits to accommodate the occupants. Also, doors that open outward, for a rather similar reason.

SteveLehto > Evil13RT
12/24/2014 at 12:12

Oh, I never said I agreed with Schenck (the outcome of the case, that is). I was merely pointing out that this incident was the inspiration of a phrase everyone has heard.

SteveLehto > VashVashVash
12/24/2014 at 12:14

Building codes have changed since then. The primary difference is that the stair case would not have been a single flight. It would have been broken in two with a landing in the middle.

Cronus > GreenN_Gold
12/24/2014 at 12:15

Where are the free tacos!?!

VashVashVash > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:16

Link please? I love your stuff, Steve. Is it that all lawyers are great at telling a story, or just the successful ones?

StevenG > VashVashVash
12/24/2014 at 12:16

So then low occupancy and low building height. I am glad you are not in charge of building codes.

What you suggest is simply not feasible.

SteveLehto > VashVashVash
12/24/2014 at 12:17

Thanks for the note. Here you go: http://www.newsweek.com/scot-free-why-…

Yupp > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:18

Excellent job on the piece, Steve. I really enjoy reading your articles and following you on twitter. Enjoy the holidays!

Skinnayyyy > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:19

I remember on the drive up there I was asking my dad why there were so many houses that had doors that lead to nothing on the second story. That was an eye opener.

One year I had friends that had parties at their houses where their fridge for the beer was their front door being open and bottles sticking out of it.

SteveLehto > Yupp
12/24/2014 at 12:23

Thanks for the note. You too!

Nitecrawlah2 > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:23

I only vaguely recall hearing about this, though certainly not with the historical context and detail provided here. Thanks Steve, and a lovely Winter Solstice to you and yours.

VashVashVash > StevenG
12/24/2014 at 12:24

What matter of nonsense are you peddling? The world is filled with tall, high occupancy buildings that get evacuating without the deaths of dozens of children. It's demonstratively feasible.

SteveLehto > Nitecrawlah2
12/24/2014 at 12:24

Thanks for the note. I appreciate it.

StevenG > VashVashVash
12/24/2014 at 12:25

Name one that has been evacuated in a panic.

What is possible in a controlled evacuation and during a panic are totally different.

troy.overton > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:29

I'm originally from Flint, so Michigan history like this is particularly interesting to me. I found this story to be very interesting, and I admittedly did not know the details surrounding the tragedy. Thank you for sharing this piece.

VashVashVash > StevenG
12/24/2014 at 12:30

Well buildings get evacuated during actual fires, so there is that. If a fire fails to start a panic, it might be because there are ample exits.

Dumahim > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:31

So the lead image says "Why you can't yell 'fire' in a crowded theater."

Did this event play a part in the eventual conclusion that it isn't protected free speech?

deleted > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:31

it is a quite a well known story. I know it and i am from belgium. However, i believe i learned about it in a documentary from pbs

SteveLehto > troy.overton
12/24/2014 at 12:31

Thanks. I worked in Flint for many years and spent some time in Grand Blanc as well.

Have a great holiday.

deleted > deleted
12/24/2014 at 12:31

sorry, i see there was a mention of the documentary

troy.overton > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
12/24/2014 at 12:32

I think our official term is Cristmahaunakwanzikatus.

GreenN_Gold > Cronus
12/24/2014 at 12:32

We tried that once. Never again. It seems Taco Tuesday is the most society can handle.

troy.overton > Pibbs says once you go Swede
12/24/2014 at 12:32

He did riff on sun worship for a bit, didn't he. Oh, Pandora, how I laugh with thee...

SteveLehto > Dumahim
12/24/2014 at 12:33

It was most likely what Holmes was referring to when he wrote the opinion in Schenck v US (where the phrase was immortalized). One of the links in the article goes to a piece someone else wrote about it. This is commonly believed to be true.

SteveLehto > deleted
12/24/2014 at 12:33

Did you see the documentary? It was shown in the US last year and then in Finland this year.

Tohru > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:35

I bet the guy who cried "Fire" ended up seeing lots of it after he died.

OttoParts > Pibbs says once you go Swede
12/24/2014 at 12:40

Hey, what's this sun worshipping nonsense? I thought George Carlin prayed to Joe Pesci?

Mike > SteveLehto
12/24/2014 at 12:43

As a native Michigander, I'd love to read more articles if you have links.