Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-11-20
DESTRU cTIoN
~ TOF |
ttNtTfc ASYLUM +!
Full Particulars of the Heart
Rending Disasters.
NAMES OF THE DEAD,

III E - -. Il ~ Il
NAMES OF Tue DEAD.
|Inc1dents at -t1ae Fire,
The Reception by the Deaf and Dumb
,l99gl2 AeiH 2 ess .5S SO .soK
AGTS OF HER0I NJ BY OUR CITIZENS
FoiT F'is'Ta ,5t7E gE'EFrE -e7.8Uss-yF
Never in the history of Columbus wa
there such confagration as that at tn,
Lunatic Asylum, of which we gave
hasty and necessarily partial account yes
terday, as all sorts of rumors were flying
and we did not wish to give more than tn,
facts. Paying visit to the ruins, yester
day, we were enabled to gather many i'm
portant particulars, and have time to re
late besides what we heard and saw.
.s5zsf THE FIRE. Ja= 'soasiA
The fire broke ont about half past min,
o'clock. 1t was first discovered in one o
he rooms at the northeast corner OF thu
east wing of the building. This east wins
was devoted entirely to the use Of the fe'
male patients, and the ward or section
where the fire originated contained som,
fifty of them. Fifteen minutes before al
that portion of the building was in flames
the attendant having that section ir
charge, passed through 1t, and there wa'
no signs of fire, smell of smoke, or Other
indication of danger. Quick as flash II
must have spread, for, by the time, the en-
gines, arrived on the ground, though the
flames did not show through the roof, the
interior was so filled with smoke and fire
as to threaten death to any one who should
attempt to penetrate it. si.'A
The major portion of the inmates had
net yet retired, but in the ward where the
fire originated, some Of the most mischiev-
GUS we're, and some sick ones. All efforts
to induce these to leave their rooms were
unavailing, and the few citizens who had
reached the place, and the attendants, were
obliged, at the risk Of their own lives, to
rush in and drag them from the horrible
fate that awaited them. The roar of the
flames, the rolling clouds of smoke, now
black as night and again lit with .lurid
glare; the cries, screams, shouts, laughter
and dancing of the demented women,
whose piadness seemed increased by the
wild and exciting scenes around them,
made up picture terrible to look upon.
By-and-by came word that some were
diving in their, rooms suffocated in the
smoke, and others raying and struggling
to free themselves from their confinement
Then some of our heroic citizens rushed
into the flames and dragged forth the dead
and the dying. Some were dead when
reached; others died shortly after coming
to the fresh air. One poor creature, a
beautiful girl of about eighteen, whose
arms were confined because of her mis-
propensities, on being brought out
called piteously for her mother, and died
with the prayer on her lips that she might
6eI allowed to lay her head upon her moth-
er's breast, '.it pains me so," she said.
There were. six of the female, patients
who died of suffocation and inhalation
If the flames. They were placed on mat
resses ON the piazza, near the main en-
france, and afterwards conveyed to the
lead house in the North Graveyard to
await the orders of their friends. Their
iaames ia and residences are: Mary Murray,
Wyandot county; Susan A. Parker, Lick
ng. county $ Bridget ,Brophy, Columbus;
Clara Bradford, Lizzie Herrold and, Caro-
inc Conner, Athens county.
There were rumors of many more hav-
ngiIost their lives, but it is absolutely GER
ain that the above names comprise the total
atalities. Three persons, Hattie Love. Mrs
Balm and Mrs. Parker, were nearly suffo-
ated, but were all right last night.
Mrs. Brophy's body was taken to her
ate residence, on Buckeye street, in tho
,orthern portion of the city, we believe.
morning.
The opinion of those contested with the
Institution in, regard to the origin of the
ire is that some one of the patients. in
,pirit of mischief, lit piece of paper at
,he gas burner in the hall, just after the
attendant had passed through, and set fire
% her bed. On no other theory can the
binding smoke be accounted for.
The building was heated by steam, and no
tory Of sdefective fiues /" will answer.
rhe gas burner in this portion of the build
ng was in easy reach, the ceiling being
ow, and although the strictest orders are
-ssued to prevent patients approaching tile
ighcs, yet the cunning of madness often is
90 much for the watchfulness of sanity.
INCIDENTS OF THE FIRE.
All around the long line or the burning
crowds of men stationed them.
;elves,and with pale faces and husky voices
urned to with a will in removing to places
If safety outside, any and everything NOV
lble within. The proyerbial tate of house
,old goods on such occasions was fully
One stalwart man steppt d
carefully over a fragment of charred tim
Der. and cunningly avoiding collision with
a boy bearing an empty market basket,
strobe far to the rear with pillow snugly
squeezed under each arm. Scarcely had
ne issued from the perishing structure,
when a fine dressing bureau came tumb-
ling after him, which was dashed to pieces
On the stone tagging. A barrel of potatoes
duly hooped and headed, was rolled away
from the fire, while Fairbanks scales
same down on the stony surface with vim
which was heard above the roar of the
flames, suggesting serious doubts of future
usefulness. Two men, with shouts of ex
bore a large basket filed with
smoothing irons, which were tenderly laid
upon the ground, while two others rushed
,ut and dashed upon the same spot baske,
iull of preserved peaches in fragile jars. A
box of shoes required the care and attention
If three men to deposit it safely on the
ground, while piles of queensware were
;aught to look out for No. / as they were
& l.