Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-09-16
A nAN AFIRE.
A Sensational Incident at the Work
honse.
fWAshlnton Star.l

lWashinton htarl
Yesterday there Was a sensational in
cident at the Washington Asylum. Os-
valid c. Allen. an inmate OF the work
house, who suffered under the suspicion
Of being covered with vermin, was sub
jected TO the usud treatment employed
in such cases-that is, be was given a
sponge bath OF cosl-oil This PROBABLY
would have been forgotten IN a short
time il it had not been for the
fact that some one applied match
TO Allen while he w8s stark naked,
dripping with coal-oil. Allen WAS
suddenly all ablaze, and the incident
caused much excitement The hames
we're not extinguished until Allen vas
severely burned about the hands and
back. The facts became known to-day
through the prompt report made OF the
affair 10y Mr.. W. II. StOuienburgh, who,
besides laying the facts before the com
missioners and asking an investigation,
obtained warrants at the Ioilce
Court for Charles Thomas ci'0s
Williams. Patrick keefe, and Edgar ia
Wis, the three men supposed 20 have been
connected with tue match. Mr.. St'uteu-
burgh said 20 n STIR reporter to-day
that he bad satisfied himself that the al
fair was an iil-ady.scd Joke. lie wassure
that there was no intent to do injury 10
Allen. The facts as set forth by Mr..
Stoutenburgh in his official report dated
yesterday are as follows: "Ailen Was
committed September -th for fifteen day
on a charge of trespassing IN the park
and on his arrival here found 10 be- cover
ed with vermin, for which he was tathcd
aud treated. This morning be was ex-
cused from work on account OF rheuma-
tIsm and during The day 1t was discover
cd that lie was still uucIeau. Mr. Arnold
took the man TO the basement and gave
instructions to one Edgar Davis. - floor
man, to rub Allen with kerosene oil 10 kill
the eggs deposited by the yormln. He
(Alien) 1t first objected but alter being
reasoned with submitted to the treat
ment, Mr.. Arnold watching the opera
tion until nearly completed. when, as he
states. his attention was called 10 the
upper floor fora moment, when he heard
cries Of distress, and running back found
arm thNtlDltA III lhtll'o ANU aNF't''A
men trying to extinguish them" After
mentioning the names of various Wit
ncsscs TO the affair the report says &.
"MaK Beck states that as Davis finish
ed his work be SAID, Now am
done; you can st him on
fire. md laughed when keeie
struck a mulch, lit his pine and handed
the match to Charles Thomas who also
III his pipe and then put the match near
Allen, when the oil ign.ted. beck, WHO
is an intelligent German. states ms bellcf
That al parties were IN - joking mood
and that no harm was meant The other
witnesses have expressed the same opln-
ION. Allen was taken to the hospital
and the doctor Gays he apprenends no
serious effect from his injuries Mr. stout
enbnrgh expresses Observation-Disclosures
the affair was the result Of a mlschleyoGs
joke. he does not think there was any
NEGLECT Of duty on Mr. Arnolj's part, al
though he committed errors lu not re-
porting Aliens condition. IN Using the
Oh without adding two ptrts OF water, as
ia the custom, and IN leaving TIE man
while under treatment. Thomas and
keefe, he saws, viii be- prosecuted. lie
asks an investigation 70 place the blomc
where It properly belongs.