The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-02-08
POUGHKEEPSlE.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE or the HEaALo.

barninG Of the Poughkeepsie Aimshonse-
Panic Among the Inmate.-Desperate En-
counter With Lunstic-No Lives Lost.
PoraHKEpsIE, Feb !, 1865
At about half past twelve O'Clock this morning George
wers eolorsd cook attached to the City Almshouss
here heard YELL he supposed, proceeding from
Of the crazy rooms In the building. II was not the
usual style OF yell generally heard that department.
but Wild unearthly shrek. Becoming startled he
cook ran out from the Kitchen, when he was met BY
German inmate who said the building was on Gre Look
ing up flames and smoke were seen issuing
from the roof the crazy room towards
the east end OF the main building. In sn
instant the alarm became general, when a scene
Of the utmost confusion and excitement visible
among the eighty or ninety inmates therein confined
The building being located the suburbs some timo
elapsed before the alarm reached the city. When IL
did q general signal of fire runs out from the
various bells Firemen rushed every direction, and
as the exact locality of the fire became known
perfect stream OF humanity commenced moving to.
wards the spot All sorts Of rumors were aioat IN re-
ation TO "terrible disastersn snumbers burned 10
DEATH" &C.; but all such rumcrs and reports were
utterly false. The inmates, every one OF them, ana
even all the furniture aud bedding of the building,
were through the GOODNESS and OF mind OF the
place Of safety.
Whom it was ascertainsd that there possible
chance OF checking the progress of the flames the az
tention OF the colored COOK and man named DAVID
Moore was turned towards rescuing the inmates vert
first rushed 10 the closed room OF acrazy man named
Frear. He started him out when he ran down stairs
Reaching the bottom he chartered like an animal, aud
then ran into the burning building again He was again
started out and finally secured. Vert then broke nto
another crazy mans room, where German named
Mead was confined with a ball and chain to his leg.
Mead took things rather cooy. and deliberately and
iaughingly walked OUT carrying his load al iron with
him. oher iunatics were removed as easily till the last
reached, and ne desperate, crazy Spaniard,
who went by the name OF s'Pollyn
Both Vert and Moore, knowing the character or this
man, resolved to 80 into his Cell together They ap-
preached the door cautiously and after unfastcnng 10
showed u suddenly open wnep 1t was AZ suddenly and
more violently closed by the crazy Spaniard. In the
meantime the flames progressing rapidly and tho
smoke wbired through the corridor aud about the
crazy man 8 room in dense and sufocatng Volumes
Vert decided that he had to act with great prompt
ness and energy, and Immediately procuring an axe
again pressed the door open and walking deliberately
10 where the unatc chained to the door raised the
axe on hign aud with tremendous blow severed the
chain. He tnen seized the Spanard who by this time
had become thoroughly aroused, when q terriho
tussle ensued IL was apparent that the
lunatc was getting the better of the man.
observing which, Moore, Wert's companion, rushed IN
and the two grapped with the creature. very severe
encounter during which the lunatic got Moore9
hand in his mouth and lacerated the skin terribly.
After resistance the lunaic picked up
bodily and carried safely from his dangerous posi-
| ton. All OF the rest OF the inmates were panic
stricken and to and fro In direction, but
stated above safely removed The building was q
large frame structure but very Old ana dapidated 10
insured for S. 900 which is probably about 81 $50
more than IT worth. During the tire the weather.
intensely cold ana the fremen suffered severeyl
number of the paupers nave been brought into the
city and at quartered AZ the Court House,
As the Poughkeepsie way freight and passenger
tram, bound South, due here this evening, reached
Casteon and while lying az that station, an extra train
consisting or locomotive and three cars, also bound
down. into the passenger car Of tho Poughkeepsio
train, nearly demolshng IT, One mana passenger
the tram jumped from their engine, thereby
escaping injury.