The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-07
JAIL BURNING.

The Destruction of the Indiana State Prison
One of The Prisoners Sinothered to Death
Exciting scenes Among the COnvicts.
The Louisville Journal has an account of the
Indiana disaster, previously reported by tele-
graph, from which we extract the following
Here ensued scene which defes all descrip-
ton. The dollhouse had been standing for over
twenty-five years; all the wood work was as dry
as tinder and highly infammable; the hatchways
in the roof were all closed; ninety-two of the
convicts were in the chapel, leaving about sixty
five in their cells. Imagine sixty-five human
beings in iron cages, locked up; the cracking of
the flames above; the pouring of the smoke
through all the ranges the yells and plead
ings of the poor wretches calling for de-
liverance; the herculean efforts of their
fellow-convicts, pouring in from the other
wings of the prison; the officers and
guar DIS amid the smoke; the confusion. excite
ment and chaotic confusion of everything.
In the excitement, the keys of two ranges OF
cells were broken. This gave fresh cause for
alarm. Bolts crowbars, old pieces of iron, and
every available thing to break locks, were
brought into use. One stalwart convict named
Thompson, frenzied with despair, seeing no
hope of escape, made one mighty attempt
and burst open his cell door. The smoke in
creased fast, and filed up the entire vacuum
in the dollhouse, as the windows and all
other apertures, with one or two exceptions,
were closed. This Intensely exciting scene
must have lasted for nearly half an hour be-
fore the last man was released from his fiery
prison, If they were all got out alive. But this
Is not certain. Every man came out with
sire canning and swollen eyes. They came forth
staggering, coughing, straining, and tottering
around like drunken men, leaning up against
the walls of the prison, some sitting, some lying
down. At length the work was nearly done,
but still few pitiful wailings could be heard
pleading for help. The heroic saviors rushed
back, guided only by sound, and dragged out
the last three cOnVicts, Peter Dittman, Billy
Hamlin, and Dick Tirhoon.
THE ONLY DISASTER To LIFE
was to a negro named Isaac Roberts, who was
confined in the upper range of cells, near the
north end, on the east side, place most diff
cult to get at and the furthest from the door
leading out of the prison. Some of the em-
poyes of the prison felt delicacy in letting the
reporter know of this case of fatality; in fact,
they refused to give any particulars. The hesi-
fancy in this respect is certainly unnecessary,
for everything was done that could be done. No
efforts were spared to save the conVlcts, nor was
the cell-house abandoned until 1t was impossible
for man TO enter and remain one minute there,
and the fact that only one man was lost is q
sufficient evidence that all hands did their duty.
FORTUNATE.
Just at the time the fire broke out prayer
meeting was being conducted in the chapel
and ninety-two convicts, who have cells IN thai
portion of the prison, were engaged in religious
worship in the meeting. Had they been con
fined in their cells at the time of the fire. fear
full loss of life would have resulted.
NO ESCAPES.
No attempt was made by any of the convict
to escape during the excitement that prevailed
and up to o'clock last night no escapes haC
been discovered.
THE CAUSE.
At first there were slight whispers about in
cendiarism by some of the conycts, but thi
opinion found not half dozen believers. Ia
fire originated near the roof, from defectiv
lue. The chimney, 1t is said had not bee
cleaned out for some time, and the SCOT ha
accumulated. On each side of the cell-hous
there are two stoves There had been fire il
all the stoves, but the fires were all very lol
when the fire originated. The disaster is attrit
uted to the SCOT catching fire and burning som
laths between the ceiling and the roof.
The railroad officials at Chattanooga repol