Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-12-17
etter from Tennessee.
NASHVILLE, Tenn,
Dac 9Th 1881.

mr. Register Though busy, l must
,.nu an account of the exciting fire
g.b occurred here yesterday evening
,"ta State penitentiary, an immense, Wen
1nT noS prison. situated In West Nashville,
va almost entire burned. The fire broke
We" obout 4 o'clock i'm the afternoon. III
ON" ".ted in one of the working departments
s'' SUI, some cause; it is said that some OF
i rn rorkmen were burning tar and from
.n;s fire the flames originated. When l
-, comnany with maiEg of the Vanderbilt
i.rJents arrived at the place the excite
,nnnt was intense over the question,
..wbat will be done with the convicts."
4 great many persons, most of them col
oreI. had gathered round the door at the
entrance of the penitentiary to see the in
mates come out. But when the doors were
opened and hired guards were seen point
inc old rusty muskets in all directions,
General stampede among the colored peo-
nle followed. The flames had cut OIL many
of the prisoners from the main entrance
and they were obliged to climb, by means
of ladders, over the wall ut the lar emu.
Some were sick from the fright, ana one
man having been forgotten, almost sum-
Gated from the smoke and heat. ine o'"
or couyiCts came out under guard ana
then all of them were put 10 "orh 10 90
what they COuld, in connection WIN the
fire ENGINES. toward saving the Southern
cnd of the building, the Northern being
left 10 the mercy of the flames.
If was rather sad sight to see the poor
wretches. dressed in their striped suits,
forced to do what they could toward
saving the miserable place i'll which they
mad long been confined. They worked
faithfully however, and succeeded III saw
inc the part that they cndeavored 10 save.
.orgot to mention that some who had
been consigned for life 10 the penitcntia-
~. were not taken out OF their cells ut all,
though as they heard the flames raging
near, they begged p:tifully for some one
10 remove them.
| went around to the Northern side
where the fire was devouring all before it
and among other things, room full OF
paint came in the path of the fire. Then
ihe roar became dreadful; the bursting Of
the paint barrels, the crashing of walls
that were thrown down by the eX-
plosion and rocks of the building bur sting
made 4 fearful din. Just al this time night
had come and the conyiCtS were seen run
ming this way and that, with guards near
them, as though they were wild animals,
the fire throwing strange light over the
immense thrOng of people made the whole
:; scene of excitement intense.
After the flames had been nearly eXtln-
guishcd in the Southern end of the penl-
Tertiary, the convicts were marched back.
though some resisted at first, and all
seemed reluctant (no womder) 10 return
10 what was left Of this Grcary abode. |
have not heard the amount of the loss but
hear that the property WAS insured. The
number OF convicts is between five and
TX hundred.
will add something Of a different char
actcr from the above 10 my lettcr-,hc
sorrow | felt at the news of the death of
my class-matc and friend, w. Z. Craighill.
First in his class, and first in the hearts
of its members, he was regarded by all his
friends at Shepherd College rs a model
student and model man. His modesty was
urOvcrbial, his merit none questioned.
what he was we all knew, but the thought
at what lie would have, had lie lived,
makes us deeply regret his early death.
There are 50 few such young men that, in
one sense, we can hardly spare them, but
short as his life was, during it, he erected
a monument that will last longer than
marble slabs, monument to the Christian
religion, us shown so beautifully in his
life and Gcath. "Let me die the death of
the religious, and let my last end be like
His -