The Worthington advance., 1881-02-24
BE.Y.~UUSSEL1ON.s
Did lie Five the Asyl.nn-Dr. Bartlett
Thinks not-,Still in the COuntu jul.

Did lie Five the Asylun.-Dr. Bartlett
Thinks not-Still in the COUNTY jul.
The investigating committee of the
Legislature began their investigation
into the st.. Peter Asylum fire on Feb.
End. Dr.. Bartlett testified as follows
concerning Ben llusselton' s connection
with the fire:
Had Il patient by the name of Ben.
Husselton; he was very exCitable; he
came III March; he came from WORTH
ington; he was very willing to help; ;
told him lie night go home: he went
out harvesting and took sick aud came
back; gave him money to go home, but
he was brought back in il couple weeks ::
he was about fifty years of age; used to
help the engineer; he
HAD ACCESS TO TIE NAPTHA;
sometimes lie had the liberty of the
building; We give them liberty when
no Seri Jus QtlarrelS with the engineer or
attendants; regarded him us safe man ;
every man who is not in at meal time
is reported to me. Husselton Was not
at supper on the evening of the fire; he
was in the engine room; after supper
he conld go anywhere where the fire
was; he liked the engineer very much ;
it is probable that he might have gone
int" the naptha house that evening with
out being noticed; he might take napth:.
in any quantity. if so disposed. After
the fire requested Sheriff Downs to
lock him up; my reason for having him
sent to jail was on account Of his lam
guage and demonstrations; there is a
doubt in my mind that lie fired the
building; there WAS nothing in the way
Of his obtaining naptha, but l doubt
that it was llusSelton who fired the
building; think some one fired the build
ing; don't know OF anybody who had
better opportunities than uusSelton for
firing the building; never heard a report
that uusselton was inclined to be in
centary.
BY Mr. Col!ins-Did you keep naptha
i'll !; can III the building?
A. No, sir; use safety matches ex-
clusively III the buildings; after the fire
lluSselton appeared very much excited;
there is il possibility that an outsider
may have set the fire; he could enter
through the Kitchen; there are two at
ten0antS located in each hall: there was
no unsual absence on the night of the
fire; the fire seemed to be close to the
floor; think Il m;ln can touch the base
ment joists with his hand; think the
fire originated Immediately over a steam
coil; a bunch of rags placed on the coils
might set the joists ON fire; Uusselton
a. fII t<>
might have got Il can Of napth;t ard
fired the building ut amy time, ii so dis
posed; am certain he did not appear
at supper on the night Of the fire;
there are no iron doors to shut one wing
from the other in case Of fire. and the
attics all connect with each other.
HusseIton was the only one who Was
absent from supper. Smoking is not
allowed in the house, except in the
boiler.rOom; ut the time the fire broke
out gave no olders, us I was too busy
rescuing patients; after | had succeeded
in righting the hose. | ordered the pa
tientS to be removed from the central
portion Of the wing: We found the re-
mains of eighteen bodies among the de-
bris Of the building; my opinion is that
all the dead patients came to their
DEATH BY sUFrOCATION
from smoke: there was only one man
who was sick in bed in the center wing,
and an attendant gave him clothes and
helped hilp into the hall; cannot tell
what became of him; the smoke appear
ed to he he lenseSt on the second floor;
think that the smoke appeared on the
third floor first; my furniture was re-
moved that night, some time before -
O'Clock. but did not give my orders to
that effect; [ did not see the furniture
removed; it was all removed from the
house. but don't think it was touched
until after all the patients had been re-.
moved from the entire building; did
not carry amy of my furniture ont my
self; no pauperS have been admitted to
the hospital i,ut one and he was :,d-
mitted by special act of the legislature.
The Pioneer Press reporter says:
Ben. 11uSseltun, the man VINO b vast
fully Dragged Of set;n & fire to tht'
building. is Still confined in the county
Jail. lie is recovering rapidly under
the treatment OF Sheriff Downs, and as
his senses return he appears to realize
the danger to Which hr exposes hims-if
by his foolish declarat IONS, and is IL. W
mncl, more rrtic-nt than ut 4 former
interview. The exlens,. Of his keeping
is borne 10y the State.
Il GREAT CORPORA y1ON.
That recognized ;,Ut|!orit y-Tie Rail-
way Age says-in II Late ISSUE:
The Chicago, Milwaukee and st.
Paul company, 10y recent consultations
and extensions, has Increased it's mile
age to the immense total of :; ti,O miles,
or about one tWtLty-liith Of the entire
mileage OF the country. TirS places it
ut the head Of all railway con,In,slits 5 il.
the world, in es.'ect to extent uf miles
operated by IL single body of General
Otficers'' -
This is simply astonishing, but since
The Ages statement Was made the
Company has added to its length untjl
now it actually owns and operates near.
ly 1000 miles of continuous track.
Such rapid strides are but the advance
the Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul
Company and its management. ;.wak-
ems
THE ADMIRATION OF THE WORLD.
In these four thousand miles are en-
braced three different routes, with three
daily train each way. bttwt Ell Chicago,
St. Paul and minneapolis to and from
which points the road IS the only un-
broken line. Certain it is, no other
read or roads reaches, and by SO direct
Il route. AS many of the summer resort S
of the Northwest. The fact is also es-
tablished that 10 other company owns
as many miles Of road in Dakota. and
no road reaches us many Of that Terri
tory's principal cities, while with its
immense system II penetrates more To-
calities in Minnesota, Iowa and Dako-
ia, where the cheapest and choicest
farming lands are found, the soil of
which is unsurpassed for general pro
ductiveness. Every person who has
travelled over the Chicago, Milwaukee
4 st. Paul Road will heartily endorse
the following from Il correspondent
OF A PROMINENT INDIANA DAILY:
II haye travelled" he remarks, 'over