Democratic messenger., 1889-06-08

ters OF men who have been robbed OF all
they held dear on earth"
lie had no sooner finished the last sen.
tencc than five burly men, with looks oi
terrible determination on their faces were
on their way to the scene Of plumber, one
with n coil Of rope over his shoulder and
another with revolver in his hand. In
go minutes, so II is stated, they had over
taken two Of their victims, who were In
the act Of cutting pieces from the ears and
fingers from the hands Of the bodies OF
two dead women.
With revolver leyelcd at the scoundrcls.
the leader of the posse shouted: Throw
up your hands or I'll blow your heads
OIL"
FINGERS AND EARS IN THEIR POCKETS.
With blanched faces aud trembling
forms they obcyed the order and begged
tor mercy. They were searched, and as
their pockets were emptied Of their ghast-
ly finds the Indignation Of the crowd in.
tensified. and when bloody finger of an
infant encircled with two tiny gold rings
was found among the plumber In the lead.
ier's pocket cry went up:
Lynch them Lynch them!"
Without q moments delay ropes were
thrown around the necks and they were
dangling to the limbs Of tree In the
branches of which, an hour before, were
entangled the bodies Of dead father and
son. After the expiration Of half hour
the ropes were cut. and the bodies lower
ed and carried TO pile Of rocks in the
forest on the hill above.
The scene to-day is one Of the most har-
rowing possible for the imagination Of
man TO conceive. The accumulated driit
gorged up at the viaducb to height oi
40 feet, and then took fire from the upset.
ting Of stoves or lamps. Then were
strong men made sick at the sight. As
the flames crackled and roared among the
timber of the floating houses human
beings were seen pinioned between the
house roofs, locomotives. iron beams,
freight, passenger, Pullman and baggage
cars, heavy iron beams, the greedy flames
licking with haste their diet Of human
flesh.
The scene was horrible beyond dcscrip.
uor From infants few days old to the
wasted figures of age were burned before
the eyes of the beholders, aud no rescue
from such a fate was possible. Strong
men turned away with agonized express
ions and women shrickcd at the horror of
the scene. The dead have been computed
at not less than 5000 and the number may
exceed this estimate, and 10000 is q mod
crate figure. This seems incredible, but
until the waters will have aba,cd and the
work of removing the deal from this trc
mendous mass it will be impossible TO tell
how many lives have been lost
JonNsTowN, Pa. June 2-Thcrc has
been no cxagcration in the estimate of the
loss Of life sent out by the Associated
Press.
Ofthc 10000 population in the Gone.
maugh valley at least 10000 are dead.
Their bodies lie under the awful funeral
pyrc which still shoulders above the stone
viaduct are scattered along the banks of
the Conemaugh, Allcghany and Ohio
rivers ar else are buried in the mud which
lies several feet thick in the track of the
flood
HORRORS TO III REVEALED.
Wha, this mud conceals can only he
conjcciured, but awful evidence of the
hundreds Of bodies hidden under It's Shiny
surface is given by the odor of dccompos'
ing flesh which this afternoon is plainly
pcrccptible all over the valley. II will be
several days before all the bodies can be
recovered, and a horrible task awaits those
who are engaged in the work.
Ar THE MoRGUEs
Six improviscd morgucs are in Johns
town, and in these bodies are held until
decomposition renders il unsafe To keep
them longer. These temporary places for
the dead are in churches and school.
houses, the largest one being the Fourth
Ward school. house. where planks have
been laid over the tops Of tcsks and on
them the remains are placed.
A corpse is dug from the bank; II is
covered with mud; Il is taken to the ante
room Of the school, where It is placed ur-
der n hyirant and the muck and slime
washed of. With the slash Of knife
the clothes are ripped open, and an at
,cndant searches the pockets for valuables
or papers that would lead to identification,
Four men lift the corpse on rude table,
and there II is thoroughly washed and an
embalming fluid injected into the arm.
With other grim bodies the corpse lies in
a larger room until il is identified or he
comes offensive. In the latter case Il is
hurried to the large grave, n grave that
will hereafter have monument over il
bearing the legend Unknown Dead"
PEsTILEScE STAINS.
The number of the latter Is growing
hourly, because pcs,ilence stalks in Johns
town, and the bloaiei. dIsfigurcd masses
of flesh cannot be held much longer. Bod
les of sialwart workmcn lie beside the
remains of dainty ladies' many of whom
are still dcckcd with costly earrings and
Jewels an the fingers.
Rich aud poor ihrong these quarters
aud gaze with awe.siruck features at the
masses Of mutila,ions, in the hope Of rec.
ognizing missing one So rs to accord
the body decent burial.
IIE FoUSp MS BETIoTnEp.
A wealthy young Philadclphian named
Oglc recently became engaged Ia a Johns
town lady, Miss Carrie Diehl. They were
To he welded in the middle Of June, anh
both were preparing for the ceremony.
The lover heard of the terrible food. but
knowing that the residence ofhis dear one