The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-01-31
ANOTHER FIRE At THE STATE
PRISON

On Friday night last about midnight
fire broke out in the main building of
the penitentiary, at saltwater, and de-
stroyed about everything except the
stone and iron. The loss is about $780,
600; insurance $4,000. The roof was
burned from the cell building. The
prison library Of 100 volumes was de-
stroyed.
The prisoners were all removed safe
ly from their cells except Henry Lemp-
ke. sent from Nlcollet county, who per-
ished in his CELL. The worst of the
convicts, to the number Of about 80,
were sent to St. Paul, Minneapolis,
Winona and other points to be taken
care Of until the cell building can be
rooted over. About 260 prisoners re-
main and these have been quartered in
one Of the shops, al! thrown together.
and placed under strong guard.
Some stories of heroic conduct on the
part of the coRvicts are told by thes
Pioneer Press reporter. VanAlstine,
a life man and murderer, was sent to
the st. Paul Jail.
The report says:
One of the convicts, VanAlstine, was
taken to the Jail in carriage, he claim.
ing to be sick. His fellow cOnvicts eX-
pressed the greatest sympathy tor him,
rs they say he saved 4 number of their
lives by his bravery. They claim that
he was the one who, after the guards
had Said all were out, rushed through
the smoke and fire and let out the con-
vets in the upper tier of cells.
Conroy, also life man and a mur-
derer, is said to have done good service:
IL this terrible exigency several of
the convicts rendered valuable assist
ance and were instrumental IN saving
many lives. n large number of the
cells were still closed and through the
smoke and ever increasing roar of the
flames could be heard the cries of the
confined men shrieking for release. A
little group of guards and convicts
were at the west end Of the upper bal
cony making vain efforts to reach the
helpless men. AS they were driven
back by the smoke, the figure of a man
| staggered toward them from the dense
cloud in which the balcony WAS wrap
ped and fell exhausted at their feet.
1t was Brown, the guard. Recovering
consciousness, he made another at
tempt to return to release the prisoners,
but his strength was exhausted. At
this jnncture, r. 3. Conroy, of Mime
apollS, u convict sentenced for life for
murder, seized Browns lantern and
bravely volunteered to undertake the
ro1o J.,,, i<,f Il
his face he crawled forward and was
porter he said:
am one Of the Oldest men here. and
us heard the men crying for aid knew
that they were doomed unless immedi-
ately released, and | felt it my duty to
make the attempt. | craTled along on
my hands and knees with my face near
the floor and opened several of the cell
doors. AS opened the first door the
man did not step out. | could hear a
low mumbIing, and peering through
the smoke [ saw him on his knees pray
i,., aloud. lie was so terrified that he
did not hear me open the door. |
selzed his arm and drew him out. lie
was SO excited that [ could scarcely
lead him back to the place where the
others were. at the stairs. went back
into the gallery three times and sue
ceeded in releasing thirty prisoners.
Many of them were praying when
opened the cells; others were cursing
terribly and pounding upon the doors.
One man was lying upon his face,
nearly sutfocated by the smoke. The
last time l crawled back thought
heard 4 moan in one Of the cells, and
fearing that there might be some one
overlooked, crawled in that direction
but could not find the cell; and as I
heard nothing more 1 thought I was
mistaken. Most of the men behaved
very we'll as soon as they were released
The smoke was terrible. 1 could only
breathe with my face near the floor,
and the walls were hot and constantly
growing hotter. I think we released
every man,
One of the guards, named Cayon,
says
The last time I started down the
south side of the gallery, the smoke
had grown so thick that had to grope
my way on my hands and knees. I
opened number Of the doors and sent
were met by guards. 1 succeeded in
| 1CalCllIIS CuO AIOilC C1IA ttiIu idi JuSt
started back down the north side when,
as stood up to open a door, lost the
sponge which protected my mouth and
nose. For u moment l was almost
stifled, and fell prestrate upon my face.
The smoke was not so dense within a
few inches of the floor, and managed
to crawl along, a few feet at time,
until I reached the west end, where
there was comparatively little smoke.
I tell you, when my sponge dropped, i
thought was doomed man. Igroped
for it but could not find it. I don't
care to be as near death again as I was
at that moment. The yells of the con-
fined men, and the rattling of the iron
doors, in the midst of the sitting
smoke, with every now and then q
tongue of flame shooting up, seemed q
very glimpse of hell. and could almost
fancy as fell, the shreiks of the con.
Yicts to be the cries of doomed souls.
The Worthington ADVANCE, a spir
itualistlc attempt at journalism, pub
lished at ''Salnt's Rest" has engaged
in a ghoulish warfare with the resur
TOD