News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-09-27
A BURNING MADH0USE.
TRAGIC SCENE AT THE RECENT FIRE
IN AN ENGLISH LUNATIC ASYLUM.
DIR. Boyd, Fearing for the Safety of the
Inmates, Returns into the House and
Perishes with his Son.

Southall Park, which is adjacent to
the Great Western line, ten miles from
Paddington, was recently the scene of a
terrible fire. A private lunatic asylum,
kept by DR.. Boyd, was totally destroyed,
and the proprietor, his son, two patients
and a cook lost their lives, while three or
four other inmates were seriously in
iured. Mr.. K. Boyd, being in room
with a spring lock, jumped out of the
window, thus escaping with broken
thigh and a cut face
DIR. Boyd saw his daughters safely on
to the lawn, hicb they attained by
me ais Of It ff.o s"ape that stood per-
manently at the west end of the build
ing: and with the observation, 81 am
afraid they do not understand the real
danger" he returned into the house.
A servant who escaped says that subse-
quently DIR. Boyd and his son appeared
to be following her toward awindow, but
they never appeared there.
1t is supposed that DR.. Boyd went
back into the house, either in solicitude
for the safety of the whole of the in
mates, or, being assured of their safety,
! TO secure some valuable documents, and
his son accompanying him, they both
persisted. When the inhabitants of the
adjoining village, arousedby the screams
of the inmates, got to SOuthau Park
about three o'clock, they found flames
issuing from almost every window at the
front of the ancient mansion. The
screams are said to have been frightful.
As gentleman who witnessed the scene
observed, "When you hear the screams
| of an insane person in q state of panic
you don't easily forget it, -
A fireman states that III the reflection
caused by the fire just as the brigade
was about to start for the confagration
a newspaper might have been read at
Hanwell, mile and half away. When
the HanweIl volunteer fire brigade,
which was the first to reach the place,
arrived in the park about four o'clock,
the mansion was enveloped in one great
blaze, while the flames were at the same
time playing havoc along the wings.
cit was fearful blaze, was the de-
scription of fireman. Mr.. Webber,
farmer, two sons of Mr.. Abbott, the
famous bee keeper, the resident cOnsta-
ble and other inhabitants had mean
while been distinguishing themselves
by attempts to rescue the inmates.
THE PATIENTS.
Heartrending scenes were witnessed
in the wings devoted to the patients. In
an upper window the Abbotts and others
engaged in rescue work saw cluster OF
scared faces. The flames were stealing
rapidly in their direction, and those who
for help, whIie th,,s., >vi,,, were i,ntieIts
stared mutcly nt the destruction around,
making no effort for their release. They
were got down by means of ladders, the
Abhotts handing them down; but it was
only bv the exercise of force that some
| Of them we're got out alive.
While the patients were being got out
Of the wings greater scenes OF horror
were +ranspiring at the mansion. High
ND. and on the very top OF the western
tower two women could be distln
onisbed in the fitful light of the flames,
which were making greedy passage
toward them. Their doom appeared
certain. From the windows below them
the fire belched forth, smoke curled NJ
to their very feet and light east VINO
famed the blaze that was gliding along
, the roof.
Beneath them every avenue OF escape
was cut off. and there they stood on
niece of masonry the supports OF whlcl
thev could see were being consumed
The situation seemed hopeless. Ih
9 fremen had not then arrived; there wa
{ none to hand the apparatus for SAVING
life: the only thing available was a Lao
s der, and that only reached the height
d the lower wing.
| Women wept, and men ran aimlessl
i bither and thither in their distraction
0 A bright glare from the ignited root
n the main building told that aid must [
u ON the instant, if at all. The haple:
e oirls. in their position of mortal peri
at CHING together and turned to look agha
,e Mt their approaching fate.
q. From the obscurity of the surroundn
fields they could be seen from atar, ou
lined. in their white clothing and d1
: hevelled hair, against the sky. The
~ Auno forth their arms, and asked,
H. ~ wild and hysterical tones, for mercy.
80 THE RESCUE.
q. Aid was at hand. Webber, the fl
NO mer, and Doughton, the constable, v
in nnteered to ascend the tower, and tn
lis did so in the only way that was op
ial to them. They got on to the r'
mt Of the lower wing, which, happily s
he held good, and, drawing the ladder
ed. after them, with the exercise OF great P
nc sonal strength, they placed it against
ian tower. resting the bottom of the uprlg
ne. in the leads, so that there might be
wn more chance for them should the I
the beneath give way. So exciting was
she moment that the spectators OF the dar
red act held their breath.
the Only the roar of the fire dlStuf
re- the silence of the night. Through
re- black and eddying smoke Webber,
ed, Doughton. made his way, now lost
mo- the sight and anon disclosed to 1t D
ted burst of light.
sion At length the top was reached
had sinewy brown arms were seen to ehcl
rev one Of the girls and place her on
self. ladder. She descended two or {
his steps. and. whether she was Stltiel
with the smoke or whether her nerves Il
des- her is not known, but she lost her
e to and fell with crash on the root DE
had A sickening sensation pervadea
par, crowd as they heard her wall ou''
the am dying" The second girl was
boy down in safety, the ladder was lowe
with and in the next minute both were Ia
cked down to solid earth amid hea
oI IS cheers. The efforts of the tiremeh
directed to the saving of the wings
these are much gutted.
bout The mansion is a mass OF RUNS
it is was partly caused through some 0
egg. walls having been pulled down for St
If is The pannelling in the mansion ah'