The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-14
LUNATICS CREMATED.
Another Horrible IncineratiOn OF the
Demented Inmates Of
Lunatic Asylum.
BURNING REDLAM.
Twenty Eight Lunatics Perish In the Asy.
lum Fire at PhiIadelphIa-PitifuI
Scenes Enacted.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. ia large number
of lunatics perished in last nights fire in the
Insane Department of the Aims House.
There was no fire alarm at the Aims House.
and the attendants on d1ty when the FIRE
broke out we're so busy endeavoring to ssve
the inmates that an alarm was not sounded
until after the fire was discovered.
The fire was first seen in a room used for
drying clothes The flames shot up an open
space surrounding a small stairway and
very quickly broke through the roof When
the fire patrol reached the alms.hoase they
found the fire burning fiercely, bat ran into
the house to assist in saving the inmates.
When the iTemen arrived their movements
were greatly hampsred by the inadequate
supply of water.
Nearly all the lives were lost in the imme-
diate neighborhood of the stairway at the
foot of which the fire started. No lives were
lost among the occupants of the first floor,
and not more than half a dozen OF those on
the second. But few of the inmates OF the
rooms and cells on the third floor, near the
junction of the buildings, escaped.
When the fire broke out William Strange,
John Hayes, Thomas Kane and Joseph
Schroeder were the keepers on duty. Mrs.
Umstead, the housekeeper, was 10 the
WOman's Department, making her nightly
round. Joseph Nudane a well-minded in
mate. was coming down stairs when be saw
smoke He yelled fire and through the
corridOres calling on the inmates to save
themselves.
Strange, Kane, SHREDDER and Nudane sat
about Iberatlng the insane people. Help
i ho holf pod oh
paupes who act as night dremen in the
| engine house. On the third floor near where
| the FIRE started the Iescuers were driven
back by the intense heat and smoke. In the
! violent ward, where forty. five inmates were
| confined, il was feared that all we're lost, but
| most of them were rescued.
The occupants of the nineteen cells in
| Ward NJ, near where the FIRE first started,
are sll supposed to have oeen suH0cated or
burned to death, with the exception of those
who were rescued by the fremen.
PHILADELPHIA, FeO. 12-11 3. m.-The IRE
| of last night at the Aims House entirely
! destroy ed that portion of the institution set
! apart for the inane. OF the 6S4 lunstics
| confined there many are still missing, but
| it is thought most of them wandered away.
at 9 o'clock this morning two more
J cbayrsd bodies were found in Ward No. ,.
| They had been roasted beyond all recogni-
| ton. Several human forms can be seen IN
the burning wreck in the cellar. 1t is now
thought twenty-eight of the inmates per
ished.
During the night many insane persons
were found wandering IN different parts of
the city, some nearly naked. The poor
creatures generally seemed unable to under
stand the situation, and in some cases begged
! their captors Diteously not to throw them
/ into the river. Others seemed to take it as a
good joke, and laughed gleefully when the
subject of fire was mentioned. Another
H. - l. -
| morning with a manecle attached to his
wrist and q few links of chain dangling from
! it. He shrieked and laughed as be struck
| right and left among the frightened people.
| It was found necessary to use violence and
knock him down before be could be secured.
Another madman caured q panic in a
street car by rushing in half clad and with
his face scorched aud blsckened He sank
| covering in a corner. 1t was soon found he
was more frightened than those who ran
! away.
The report that the streets were full Of
| escsped maniacs caused much alarm in
West Philadelphia, and strangers look upon
each other with much distrust.
| The fremen are still working at the ruins
| They are weary and half frozen. Each
mans helmet and coat appears hard as
| armor The search for bodies continues
| steadily. There appears to have been
great deal of Unne sssary trouble caused by
rotten hose and scarcity in the water supply.
| To remedy the latter dozen DrsTny fire.
men chopped a hole in the Schuylkill River.
| But when the hose was introduced the mud
! and grinding bits Of ice split the leather,
and the attempt vss failure. The confu-
sien about the ruins and the craftiness o.
the insane people in secFeting themselves.
| the promiscuOus manner in which they are
! being cared for aud the utter veariness OF
| all who have had them in charge prevents
a correct estimate being made of the loss OF
life and property.