The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-01-21
Seventeen Patients Burned to Death
In the Illinois Hospital for
the Insane,
The Building, Supposed to be Fire.
Proof, Had No Means TO
Extinguish q Fire.
HORRIBLE HOSPITAL HOLOCAUST.
Seventeen Insane Inmates OF the Illinois
south Infirmary Hospital. at Kanka.
kee, Burned to Death

KANKAKEE, H., Jan. 18.-The South In.
6rmsry of the Illinois Eastern Hopital for
toe INSANE burned this morning at 4:5O.
The irs originated in the furnace room, and
had secured strong hesdway before it was
discovered; the woodwork Of the building
being of Southern pine it burned very
rapidly. The building was occupied by
forty-6ve patients, six attendants and
enc night watchman. Seventeen patients
are missing, and thirteen bodies
have been recovere They are burned be-
yond recognition. AL Of the patients were
infrm and incurable. The bsd-ridden ones
were rescued first and those who were able
TO help themselves did not realize their dan
ger, and they were the ones who perished.
The attendants lost their personal effects,
and many narrowly escaped with theirl ives;
one OF them having to tie the bed clothes
together to escape. There were no facili-
ties for putting out the fire, State not hav-
ing made any appropriation, The building
vas new one, and cost about 5000. 1t is
total wreck.
The following perished; Henry Brown, of
Rock Island; II. W. Bslden, Galesburg;
George Bennett, Morris; Joseph Colbert,
Chicago; Orlsnd Ellis, Pontiac; j. W. Gala
way, Macoupin; Thomas Hickey, Spring
field; Matthew Hague, Chebsnse; 7. Hack
Chicago; John Johnson, Vermillion;
Michael Jordan, Chicago; J. Nathan, Chi
cago; A. Runysrd. Winnebago County; @.
StrotZ, Chicago; J. w. Taylor, Chicago; z.
Weymouth, Putnam County. Thomas Here
by was brother of State Senator Hereby.
The building was q two-story stone and
brick, with stairwayE. 1t was completed last
August 1t was used as an infrmary, with
forty-fYe insane inmates, twenty three on
the first floor and twenty-five on the second.
sleeping on the second floor. Attendants
Reid, Williams and Fireman Labarge slept
on the first floor. The building was heated
by hot-air furnaces. 1t was twelve degrees
oT.Zeroswhen the watchman, named Cobb
discovered smoke issuing from the floor i'm
mediately above the furnaces. He awoke
the attendants. The smoke at once became
drawn through the hot air faes and along
the balls and stsirways to all parts OF the
building.
The fire spread 80 rapidly that all efforts to
save the building in the absence of fire
alarm to summon help, and for want of
facilities to quench the flames, were found
to be in vain. Attendant M. A. Reid began
dragging and carrying out the patients.
Many patients, clad In their night clothing
only, rushed from bitter cold air back into
the building. Reid at the risk of his own
life, struggled on until twenty-one OF his
tweDty-three patients we're rescued when
he became exhausted and was carried
away. On the second floor Attendants
Rose and wife heard the alarm and
escaped down the stairway Just before it fell.
Attendant Brown, sleeping on the same
floor, was awakened by the smoke, and at
tempted to save patient in the adj dining
room, but failed, and sliding down by means
Of sheet from his window, jumped to the
ground. Superintendent r. s. Dewey
reached the scene, and with ladders climbed
10 the second story windows, smashed the
windows, and was able to rescue same of the
patients thereby. Almost all the patients
refused to cooperate in the efforts being
made to save them, and were only rescued
by being dragged from the flames and forci-
bly, prevented from returning.
A marvellous escape was that of an inmate
who fell with the second story, struck the
burning debris above the furnace and
bounded through the window to the ground
uninjured. The remains of the bodies of the
twelve patients have been taken from the
ruins, were burned to fragments, and were
only to be identified by the location in which
they were found. The dead thus ide ntifed,
with their ages and residences were at the
Coroner's inquest this afternoon.
Superintendent Dewey had asked the Leg
isature two years ago for 81 500 to protect
these detached wards from fire; that 81 900
was allowed, all of which was used in mains
and hydrants; that fhe amount was INSULT
cient to answer the purpose. He suggested
that the floors above the hot air furnaces be
CndukeOslb De1ugS0OWQ IL evidence tQatlL was
but four inches from the outside and ten
inches from the inside of the furnace to the
pine joists- He gave two reasons for the
great number of deaths: (1) patients who
were almost all suffocated by smoke before
they could be reached; (2) the inability or
unwillingness of insane patients to try and
help themselves. The remains of the bodies,
with one exception, did not aggregate each
but little more than handful of charred
ashes. The entire remains of ten of the vic
tins were spread on a small tai BILE two feet
square.
Friends are arriving In search of the lost
ones The scenes on their arrival and the
view of the remains are necessarily very
hesrtaending. kilograms are pouring in
from all parts of the State. from parties ask
ing as to the safety of their friends among
the inmates of the hospital. The ceroners
jury, which adjourned until tomorrow
afternoon, is investigating as to whether the
furnaces were defective. The fact that there
is no general alarm between the various
buildings OF the hospital, or any system of
water works to protect life and property, &C
counts largely for the very large loss of life.
n. W. Belden, aged fifty, of Galesburg,
one OF the victims, and the only one whose
remains preserved even the semblance of
human being, was prominent man in his
section OF the State. he was on the second
feor, and was an invalid that was unable to
help himself Superintendent Dewey made
an attempt to save him, and placed ladder
to his window. Dewey assembled it. and
broke the glass with his hands. bat being
unable to break the sash, descended Tor
some implement to break it with Mean
time Belden's shrieks for help were loud
and agonizinR, and as Dewey re-sscended
his cries died away. The smoke
and flames poured from the window
30 that no help eould be given him DR.
Dewey, hearing calls for help from another
window, hurried to the rescue and though
q man Of light build, drsgge 1SO-pound
patient through the window and bore him
safely to the ground. The burned building
was used ss aa inirmary, many OF the in.
mates being unable from sickness to walk.
The only chance for obtaining water was