Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-01-25
THE MILWAUKEE HORROR.
Searching the Buins.

More than two weeks has passed since
the terrible calamity at Milwaukee, but
the public still retains its interestin that
mournful tragedy. Every incident in
the exciting events that crowded the
awful hour in which SO many fellow
beings, possessed of like love of life, like
sense of suffering, like ties OF affection
with ourselves. were reused from the un-
consciousness of restful sleep to confront
death in its most appalling form. still
finds eager. pitiful hearers and readers.
Many OF those who escaped the flames
have since died in far greater agony
than those who went down in that glow
ing, torturing funeral pyre. The work
among the ruins has unveiled many a
sad scene of final agony, showing low
the victims met their fate. In few in
stances bodies have been found stretched
among the springs of mattresses, where
suffocation quietly translated them from
the sleep of life to the sleep Of death,
probably almost without pain. before the
flames reached them. But by far the
greater number-so the search for the
dead discovers-were fully conscious of
the horrors of their position, and died in
frantic endeavors to escape. In instan-
ces where the features were preserved
the agony of terror and despair is writ
ten in them in lines unutterable.
1t would take large volume to de-
scribe the moving scenes connected with
this event. In one place several bodies
and fragments of bodies were found in a
cluster, the victims having been huddled
together in their flight, and one stun
bling over another. Here was limb,
and there calcined skull and in one spot
they found blackened, half consumed
foot of child, the only remains of the
innocent that could be discovered. The
total number of remains recovered down
to this date is forty.three. This makes
seventy-two in all that are known to
have persisted, and there are at least sew
enteen persons still to be accounted for.
FROM THE BRIDAL TO THE GRAVE.
One of the thrilling incidents depicted
is the fatal leap of the Chicago actor, Mr..
John Gilbert, from third story window
of the hotel, with his wife in his
arms. Married only the morning before,
they had set forth on their honeymoon
amidst the congratulations of friends,
and full of joyous anticipation. Startled
by the cry of s.firelFthe shrieks of
alarmed guests lying through the corri-
dors. and the cracking and roaring of
the devouring flames. they sought escape
by the hall, but were driven to the win
dows to avoid suffocasion. There they
called in vain for help. None could be
given them. The flames burst into their
room, the heat and stIfling smoke be.
came insufferable. Death was behind
them, and nothing less than death beck
oned them to jump to the frozen stony
earth beneath. There was no alternative;
kissing his bride he clasped her in his
arms and leaped into the air. To her it
was the instant end of terror and con-
scious suffering. Plying strangers lifted
her crushed and lifeless form and laid it
away for friends, who have since claimed
it. Mr.. hilbert still survives, although
mangIed in shocking manner and in
excruciating pain. His recovery is bare.
ly possible