Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-03-12
wHISKEY AND FIRE
A DRUNKEN MAN BURNED TO DEATH IN
THE CALABOOsE!


|
Rum Sellers!
Whiskey again comes to the font AS
prime agency in the horrible death, in this
community, of another misguided man,
whose appetite was stronger than his rea-
SON. Another widow mourns the loss of
her stay and support, and more orphans
are bereaved of loved father, that indie
pendence saloon keepers may make a liv-
ing without work. This is the signifi-
canoe of the terrible tragedy of Saturday
night, the details of which we give be-
low.
James Cushing, an Irish farmer living
in Fremont township, the father of large
family Of children, an Industrious, and
reputed to be usually sober man, came
to town on Saturday last to do some bust
ness. Coming within the influence of the
whiskey dens along our streets, he got to
drinking, and toward evening became
quite intoxicated. His daughters repeat.
edly tried to,get him to go home, but
though he was put into his sleigh several
times, he would escape from them and
seek the saloons anew. Finally the City
Marshal came upon the scene, and used
his influence to induce Gushing to go qui-
city home. But he was stubborn and
made stout resistance, offering violence to
the officer, and the latter had no alterna-
tive but to lock him up III the calaboose,
which he did about o'clock P NJ, taking
the precaution not to light fire in the
place, for fear of possible consequences
in the condition Of the prisoner wild with
drink.
About 8 o'clock, just after the steam
er had returned to the engine house
from the fire on the west side described
elsewhere), young man passing the Gala
boose noticed an unusual quantity of
smoke issuing from the chimney. and also
from crevices in the roof, and going near,
heard the groans of man from the inside
AT this time undoubtedly the fire had been
smnuldering for some time. as the build |
ing was very tight, and poor Cushing was
probably nearly dead from asphyxia. The
alarm was instantly given, and parties at |.
tackled the door with axes, the steamer in I
the meantime taking position at the cistern
on Walnut street
The Marshal had started for the Gala
boose to light fire, deeming the prisoner
lie arrived on the ground few minutes
after work had commenced with the axes,
but the lock had been so damaged that |
the key would not open it. Meanwhile |
the fire was increasing and volumes of |
smoke were issuing from the windows
and roof, but no flame. At this juncture /
Il heavy beam was brought into play as a |
battering ram, the first stroke of which !
burst open the door. As the air enter, d, |
IA fierce torrent of fame burst out, com t
pletely filling the doorway and cutting off +
all ingrcss.
now poured in upon the fire, and cxtin
gushing the flames made it possible 10 i
enter the building. The body of Gushing |
was found on Il cot in the north west cor
ner of the room, the head and other por I
tons charred to crisp, and presenting a
most horrible spectacle. A mattress with |
the straw pulled out was found stuffed in
to the privy, i'll the opposite corner OF the |
room fl ON the body and partially burned,
evidently having been set on fire by Cush
ing, accidentally or designcdly, and the
source from which the flames were com
municated to the wooden walls of the |
building The latter were found com
pletely charred.
Various theories arc offered regarding
the cause of the fire II is evident that I
Cushing had matches in his pocket, or
was supplied from the outside. 1t is pos.
sble that he set The straw on fire accident !
ally, in lighting his pipe; and again, it
may be that, in the confusion of his fac
ulties resulting from drink, he mistook
the privy vault for the stove, and stufiing
the straw into it set it on fire to warm
himself. These things are mysteries that
will never be solved, but that he came to |
his horrible end amid fire and smoke, d. |
rectly j. consequence of the whiskey |
dealt out to him in those dens of crime |
and dissipation which disgrace our city, |
and by men who have been and are yet
allowed to pursue their hcllish and unlaw
full traffic, without molestation, IS terri
Bile fact, which cannot and should not be
hid, until the public conscience is reused
to the point of decisive action, to secure
the enforcement of the law and the rescu-
ing of the fair fame of our city from the
stigma now resting upon it, of being a
community where whiskey reigns SUI
premc, dominating law, order and de-
cency.
Justice Barton on Sunday summoned a
jury and held an inquest, the result of
which was the following verdict:
THAT James Gushing came to his death
on the evening Of March 9th, A. d. 1875,
by the burning of the city prison, in which
the Marshal had confined him, for being
intoxicated; and that the fire originated in
the inside of the building, and was caused
by the said James Gushing, in some way
unknown to u.s."
d. S. DEERINd,
+. B. OLDER, Jury.
JOHN SEXTON,
| There has been disposition in some
quarters. to throw the blame for this terri.
BILE tragedy upon the Marshal, but this
cannot be done with justice, as that officer
simply did his duty and nothing more
| There is no use to attempt, by evasions of
this kind, to hide or diminish the damna-
BILE fact that whiskey, vended in dozens
of places in our city, in defiance of law,
without even feeble attempt on the part
of the authorities to stop it, has within the
short space of few weeks sent two men
| to a traric and untimely fate and brought