The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-01-18

svNEp BIZ FrnE-TwENTY-Tw PERSONS
BURNED TO DEArH I've are called
upon to record one Of the most horrity-
ing and melancholy accidents which
has ever occurred within the limits OF =.
this State Though an accident which
no caution OF foresight could avoid, it !.
will send t: rill Of holrrr throug ghout :,
the whole country. On the evening Of
the 7tll instant, between the hours OF
s and Q p. NJ, the occupant of the Jail
heard, ver5 suddenly, u rumbling noise
in the upper stories Of the jail as it the
iron gates were being shaken, and i'm
mediately followed tho cry Of fire, he
rushed from hisroou. to ascertain wGcth-
er the Jail was on fire or not, and after
walking around the jail he observed a
little smoke, issuing from one of the
windows on the third floor, his next
object was to open the prison door and
extinguish it, but remembering that:
Mr.. Bariueau, who was tue jailer. and. .
who was living several hundred Yards
from tho jail, had ekeyg in lbs pos:
session, he (the oceIp q the jail) mn
.nediately dispatched g messsn ger iors
him: Mr.. Barineau, Inpanied by.
the +sAeriE, =Halessoan at fhe jail n: n 4 i
the ineantime, however, numbers ofper-
sons had collected. The fire, apparent
ly, at this time had not made as rapid
progress as was shown i'll few ming,
utes, although dense smoke was issu4
ing from every window. The Sheriff.:
with the assistance of nearly all the cit
liens Of the village, and the garrison at
this place., Immediately took.!he most.
active measures to save, if possible, the
unfortunate inmates. The door on. the
bascmo t was opened, but the dense
and aud suifocating smoke prevented
any one from rescuing those who occ',-
pied THO third story. AS last resort,
strenuous efforts wero then made, with
the assistance ofladders, to remove tho,
grating from one. of the windows, Which
nroved Intellectual. At this time the,
cries and screams of the suffering IL
mates were heari.rending. The, Jail
was in flames and twenty-five human
beings we're being burnt to death with,
out any possible relief. Human assert-
cy could effect nothing, every effort was,
made to rescue them which could Le,
suggested, but all. to no purpose, the
devouring flames soon consumed them,'
and in the charrcd ruins is only to be
seen the CHASTITY spectacle Of bones:
Horrible as tho accident may be, and
as much it may be regretted, a consula-
ton follows of having done our duty TO
the best of our abilities and that ac-
cidcnt is confined to place OF order OF
circumstances. With us rests the du-
ty, but the result with God. '.
At the time the. jail caught FIRE there
were in it twenty-three prisoners.
Twenty-Five negroes were confined in
the upper cells on the third floor, among
whom We're three women. Cn the
second story Robert III Finn, q white.
man was confined on bail process. Mr..
NJ. F. Mcbride, by great daring, rushed
to Flinn's room, Which was the first
first one at the head Of tho stairway,
and unlocked the door, he thereby
making his escape. h[r. Mcbride de-
serves the highest credit, but in his
attempt to sare tho prisoner lie came
very near losing his own life, he fell
twice by suEocation Lefore he reached
the foot of the staircase.
When every one Gid so W. II it would
10 wrong to make invidious distinction;
but we cannot withhold our meed Of
praise of the surerhuman efforts of
Lieut., Ross, private VIM. Green (who
mounted ladder at tho most perilous
crisis, and assembled to a window on the
third story Sheriff Matthews, MI. Beck
Joe and William DlaEcly (colored) par
ticulararly excited our comnlemdation.
As to the origin of this fire we can
only conjecture. Whether it was acci-
dental or designed by tie prisoners,
for the purpose of making their escape,
is one "f those mysteries that will re-
main unexplained. a jury Of inquest
is sitting for tho investigation Of the
Whole matter, but up to the time of
going to press they lave not rendered
their rdict-EMys:ree Star. .