The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-17 00:00:00

TERRIBLE SCENE IN A GAOL.

The Chicago Tribune gives the following particulars of a
terrible scene which occurred on the 26th ult., in the Cook
County Gaol :--
In one cell there were five young coloured men,
named George Washington (No. 1), George Washing-
ton (No. 2), Benjamin Wilson, John Williams, and
Charles Pile. They were accused of various crimes,
ranging from burg,ary to petty larceny. In accord-
ance with the rulea, or in the absence of any rules, the
prisoners were allowed to smoke amongst the straw,
bedding, end other combustible material that make up
the contents of the cells. About three o'clock in the after-
noon Pile lighted his pipe, and threw the burning paper
upon the bed, and the straw caught fire. His com-
panions retnim-trar eri with him, but he coolly reniarked,
Let it alone—let the gaol burn up." He
had no sooner given utterance to the expre,sd al when
the bed presented a sheet of fl .rne. The prisoners, con-
fined in what the reporter calls the "little five by six
holes," generally deprive themselves of all chuffing
but their pantaloons, and in this state were the inmates
of Cell No. 8. When the fiAllatO leaped into the air,
one .4 the George Wwhingtons mole an effort to ex-
tingnieh them, but of no avail, and soon joined with
the rest in crying for help. Everything combustible
in the cell was on fire and the inmates literally stood
in the flame. Tan heavy wooden door hail been thrown
back, and only the iron-grated door was between them
and safety. But while this door gave them a view of
the outside, and gave those outside a view of the burn-
ing furnace with the roasting Inch within, it was never-
theless an effectual barrier againd. escape. Assistant-
turnkey W. F. Rice was in the office at the time, and
the moment the cries of the unfortunate prisoners
reached h s ears he hurried to their rescue. When he
reached the door, the Hamra were rushing out between
the bars, and it was with the utmost diffi ultv. not
unaccompanied with danger that the lock could be
reached. While NI r. Rice, all excitement and nervous,
of ciowse, worked about the lock, the prisoners set up
fearful yells of agony and pain, and with might anti
main threw themselves against the bars in the vain
endeavour to force them from their fastenings. Finally
the door flew open, and out rushed the prisoners, wild.
blistered, and with hair on fir.. Nsarly trantic with
pain they rushed up and down the corridors howling
piteously, and it was many minutes before they could
he calmed sufficiently to accept such aid and su courac
their keepers could offer them.
The tall GeorAe Ws-hington was most severely
burned. His entire body was one mass of mien
wound.t, and in many places ill, th•sh was frorl
roasted Wihon was badly r urned about the back,
shoulders, and face. Wash,ngton No 2 the sanic.
Charles Pile, the author of 'he catastrophe. fated a
trifle better; and John Williams, who had taken
refuge under the bed, escaped with some comparatively
slight burns about his hands and face. It was how-
ever, feared that one, and perhaps three, of these un-
fortunates might lose their lives.