The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-06
A FIENDlSH DEED.
Coal Oil Poured Into Red-Hot stove-Six
Men Burned in a Frightful Manner.

ST LOUIS. Feb. ga te rrible attempt upon
human life and one in keeping with the reputa-
tion OF East st. Louis, was perpetrated last
evening. Shortly after IL o'clock burst of
fame, enveloping shanty near the railroad
tracks, was discovered AS the flames were dis
covered. those who ran to the spot heard the
most heart-rending screams and cries. and it
was known athuman beings were imprisoned in
a cage OF fire. There was no one near the place
at the time, but the glare of light that illumin-
ated the darkness attracted the attention of all
the railroad men who happened to be out. They
ran toward the place, and as they did SO they
heard the most sickening and piercing shrieks,
groans and cries, telling that human beings
were held in there in the fiery cage,
unable to escape. There was a rush
to the door. and it was forced
in, when two men staggered out, their arms
beating about and their clothes ablaze. Other
men were dragged out unconscious The specta-
Gle was one to be long remem bered by al who
witnessed 1t. The victims, AS they came out.
We're seized by rough but friendly hands, and
rolled about on the ground in the snow. The
light from the burning shanty cast glare over
the thfong and presented o picture that remind
ed one of the old prints of battles. The faces
OF the victims We're blackened and long strips of
flesh peeled off, presenting horrible sight,
such as only burned flesh can. The unfortu-
mates were taken to the relay depot, where they
were attended to. There were six men in all
taken out of the building. and when they ali got
together In the relay depot their means and
groans made music that would make anyone
tremble and shiver with horror. During the
brief intervals that they forgot their burns and
pains, they told now the fire originated They
had strolled in. one by one, to the shanty, in
order to warm up and were sitting around the
stove talking, when suddenly the stove seemed
to parst open and the flames went
all about the room, enveloping the men
before they could turn toward the door.
They could only beat about with their h ands
and struggle with each other in an endeavor to
get to the exit. They grappled with each other.
and this impeded their escape, and it seemed
eternity before they heard the cries of those who
came to the rescue. They remembered very dis
tinctly that they smeed coal oil as the flames
burst out around them. The fire was the result
of either a practical joke deliberate attack
upon the lives of the men to settle an old grudge.
The strange manner in which the fire started can
only be accounted for on the ground that some
wretch poured oil down the chimney into the
stove. 1t is said the the man who did the deed
is known, as he had a grudge against one of the
men, and declared but recently that he would
get even If it took years to do it. Near the back
of the shanty, on the ground was found tin
can that evidently had contained coal oil. Some
of the railroad men who ran to the rescue of the
imprisoned victims SAID that the light or the
blazing shanty disclosed the figure Of man
beating hastv retreat from tho vicinity, but
they did not know. at the time. of the horrible
circumstances attending the origin of the conha-
grafton. IL the man who carried out such
fendish plan of vengence had been captured he
would surely have been lynched
The names of the unfortunate mon are: Morris
McGlynn, James Donahue: William Guilky, Pat
Boyle. Scott Sanderson, Joseph McGee Fred
Ericsson, They are all fearfully burned. but
whether or not any of them are necessarily ia
tally injured cannot be known as yet
Scott Anderson, foremen of the men, was seen
this morning and stated that early in the even
ing. when he and his went into the shanty
for supper, they expected trouble. for an oppos-
Jig and unfriendiv gang of men had been there
before them, and had fastened the windows and
door ofthe building. Anderson and his friends
however, soon gained admittance. AS soon as
they entered the door of the shanty was closed
by some one from without and securely fastened,
and almost Immediately afterward powder be-
gan to be thrown down the chimney This how
ever did not result seriously, and the men with
in filled the stove with oily waste in order to
make the chimney-a common stove plpe-so
hot that those above could not approach it.
Those without then resorted to pouring oil in
the chimney, and Immediately the room was
filled with flames. None of the men, it is now
thought, were burned fatally. sE}