Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-20
A ROYAL HERO In RAGS.
TRAGIC DEATH OF A BRAVE
OLD SAILOR AT KANKAKEE.

Four Journeys Through the Smoke and
Flames in Behalf of the Bnrning
Asylum's Inmates-He Perishes at
Last a Martyr to His Gallant Bravery
Echoes from the Other Wild Alarms
KANKAKEE, ILL. Jan. 19.-While the
flames were at their height in the mfr
mary Of the insane asylum, John COyne.
an old sailor from Chicago, who was
an inmate of the institution, mounted
ladder which had been raised to the north
dormitOry in an undertaking seemingly
hapeless. Dense clouds of smoke rolled
out of the windows. The west wing,
where the ire was first seen, was a solid
mass of fire, with the wind blowing the
flames like blast to the interior of the
building. The stairway and floor of the
hall had fallen. COyne intrepidlv went
through a window at the top of his ladder
and crawled along the floor, lying close
down, where he found he could escape
the densest part of the smoke.
BRAVE HEART AND STEADY HEAD.
He CROPPED his way to the beds and Dul led
their occupants down to the floor and to the
window. where breath of air sufficiently re-
VlVed them, SO they could go down the ladder
unasslsted. Coyne again returned into the
dormltory, where he picked his road to other
beds and rescued others in the same manner.
Thus Tour times did he return laden with his
human freight. With the fourth one the
smoke proved too great for even brave COvne
standing IN the window he vainly called as Dr.
Dewey mad done in another part of the south
dormltory, upon the inmates to come to the
window nut his calls were without response.
At the window near the flames for an instant
hand was seen to move listessly across the
pa99es anu then lts owner sunk out of sight
ana INTO death, as the cOrnice and roof were
lallng ana rendered any idea of help from
those below futile.
DOWN BY IMPROVIsED ROPES.
A patient named Hallihan, who was con-
sldered only partially insane on being awak-
ened, made rope out of his sheets a9u blan-
kets which he let out of a window to the
steps by the side Of the burning wing lie
Ineh cfaWleu down the rope, after telling an
other inmate to follow him. He reached the
steps safely, but the second one LET 90 h : hold
when part the way down. and fell and re-
celVed serious injuries. A third one 10 ked at
the names and tnen at the distance beneath
and retreated from the window He was not
seen again, and is among the lost The pa
tleuts as Iast as they were taken from the
building were conducted to neighboring de-
tached wards, where the feeble and injured
ones were cared for and their wounds dressed
ana sumulants administered. Nearly all the
pailents saved their clothing, which the night
before had been laid together by the side of
their beds. In the excitement, thev had not
forgotten 1t, but taken in a handful a. they
were TOLD by the attendants to run for life.
FATALLY SHOCKED.
One or two of the sick ones are considerably
shocked ana VIII probably die from the effects
The remainder of the rescued are said to be
DONG well and no Immediate danger Is feared
with them. IL is certain, however, that to
Lne seventeen burned the mortality list of the
hre Will be increased materially as the
Old and lnhrm cared for in the building will
not DC able IN al. instances to survive the
shOck ana surrounding excitement. One of
the attendants describes the horrible scene
lie says as he looked into the burning build |
ing ne saw number of bodies lying on the !
BiTuers burning. Heads and feet were drop
ping OH and the bodies finally went into the |
cellar below There were no means for put |
ting out the fires excepting the water works |
supply, hut that was useless as there was ma |
nose or other apparatus.
SEVENTEEN THE TOTAL OF THE VICTIMS.
CHICAGO, Jan. ia Kankakee. II l.. special |
says: -Four more bodies were found this |
morning IN the ruins of the insane asylum, |
making the total number seventeen. All the |
other patients are accounted for"
STARTLED BY AN EXPLOSION OF GAS. |
PITTsBURG, PA, Jan. l9.-An explosion
OF gas occurred this morning at Sharpsburg. |
nVe miles east of this city. which set fire TO |
Moornead Bros. X Co.'S iron works With |
the and Of engines sent from Pittaburg and |
Allegheny the fire was eXtnguished after the !
stOrehOuse had been DESTROYED and the mill |
damaged to the extent of $4,000. The explo- |
SION was caused by natural gas leaking, and |
communicating to fire in the stOrehouse. G, |
4. heed, shipping clerk, was blown 50 feet, |
ana seriously but not fatally burned. Nearly |
" - 49, % II VliC lHiiutuldbC Vicinity |
were more or less damaged by the concus- |
sion.
THE BURNED SUGAR REFINERY.
BOSTON, Jan. 19.-The Bay State Sugar Re
lining Company, in Eastern avenue, was COM
pletely gutted by last nights fire. and it is |
SAID that the loss to the sugar manufacturers |
viii be IN the neighborhood of $780,. .OOO while |
the loss to the owners Of adjoining property, |
including the Standard Dye Works and tene- |
ment houses, VIII aggregate s35. 900.
A COUNTY CLERKS OFFICE RTrRNED
RICHMOND, VA, Jan. l9.-The Office of the |
Clerk of the County Court Of King William |
county, Virginia, was burned yesterday, to- |
gether with It's contents, embracing all the |
court records and other valuable papers
ENGLISH WOOLEN MILLS BURNED.
LONDON, Jan. 1.-THE Victoria wooden
mills at Bailey, in Yorkshire have been
burned. The loss ia about $3.50, 600.