The Red Cloud chief., 1890-05-16
ASYLUM HORROR.
Burning Of . Lunatic Asylum Near
Montreal. Canada
Tr,shtfui se~n~s-At i~ass siny rstissss
~ several >ass Perish In the Stam0-
MANY Lunssics ESCAPE to the
Wousia.


limo OF gaunt towers and q mass OF blax-
ing debris Is all that Is left Of the
Tongue Pointe lunatic asylum, wherein
many poor lunatics lost their lives.
The horrible sights that wcr" witnessed
during the destruction o! the building
will never be forgotten by the spcc,A.
tors, though 20 IN" lunatics 1t Was .
time o! supreme glce and in their de-
light they disported themselves among
flames and waved their arms in turbu.
lent satisfaction at the ruin that WAS
being wrought. Not until the walls
tumblcd over their heads wcrc their
maniaNl scream ceased.
There were incarccratcd In the asylum
1900 luna,ics, FOR the place VAS more
like n prison than n hospital. and last
evening not more than | 100 had been
accounted for. l,u, many had ,scaJsd
into fields and woods. and the number
Of the dead Is nov a matter OF con.
tGturc and is not likely 20 ever IL, ~.
ce~rtaincd, since no other record was
kept than that In the asylum books and
these were destroyed in the Gre.
Ten miles below Montreal q point OF
land iuts out into the river. Here IL the
village Of Tongue T'ointc and here Mas
the famous ~lunatic asylum.
Fifteen minutes before noon the cry
Of ''nrc" was given. The fire originated
In q cupboard In the second ward Of the
uppsr story and was the work OF =
patient.
When the Arrmcn arrived the dome OF
one tower had just fallen and the flames
49,.
waN were brought la bear on the Nance
and while they lasted some" good work
WAS done, but that was fur u very brief
space and then the horror OF the Situa-
ton was revealed.
As the heat increased statues foil
from their inches 10 III" ground and then
the inhabitants Frustrated themselves,
crying aloud that the saihts had de-.
serted them indeed. Meantime the
beds. furniture and utensils % every
description were bciLg sbowcred from
the windows and = stream ~ ill-clad
mcn poured out Of the eastern ~ing.
Not . patient was lost
Among the women 10 was 4 iNerent.
The less helpless cases were placed In
the lower wards aud they were removed
without difficulty. but from the upper
wards. where the violent patients were
secured. their came the widest scream
a. they resisted the nuns. who were be-
seeching them to make their escape. ~
tho windows women could be seen peer
ing thsough the bars. grinning and lah-
herring az the bright flames that vent
up "a the sky. As the heat became
more Intense they would grasp tho bars
and remain there until the flames en-
vc,op"d them.
The inhabitants had come. from all
parts around about, attracted by The
blaze. and In an hour IA" li,'lc village
was one surging mass Of shouting. vrctf'
Grating people accounting the strange
scenes they had boh"ld.
when tho frcmen found they were
powcrlcss Ia save the building. tb.y
turned their st,cntiuH IA the inmates
and burst in the doors with axes. In
side. Chief Hcnoit says, IL vas such Z
sight as no fireman ever before Wit
ucssed. In one ward that he ent"rct
there were twenty-five patients, and Al
his approach they huddlcd together like
Q pack of beasts. entwining their arm
into one mass 81 humanity. lie sr'ret
the nearest, but said he; II could NJ
separate tho crowd than ! coul'
parts Of your horse" lie tugrcd .
them until the IRE dar,rd into thsi
rsrncnts and EMBODIED them like
shroad Of fame, aud then he escapes
with his life.
In smother ward three hremen ~"r
nearly trapped to death. They cnt"re'
and the door. which bad . spring lok
closed behind them. A. 10 cus,omar.
there ~ss no handle on the inside. Tn
door resisted their axes and they rushe'
~ the windows. hut werc driven bacl
nv the namea The chief. susprc,inI
their peril, ens Aid to the other side an
She men we're carried down on ladders.
Doctors Itourque aud Hsrslet yer
carried from the building u~nconsriou'
and whatever must h. aid % the man
ssemcnt As q whole. individuals enc.
ciaed every power tn Lesson the c~s!assit
they bal neglected Ia avert
One 81 the tertiary nuns, Slater Marie
lay sick In the innrmA'y on III. OF,
Hoor. and 20 her rescue cam thYe
Others. They seiyed their companio
and bore her In . blanke, 20 III. sisii
es~c, but they were met, by = sheet q
Game and all Jsrish.d. Their name
~cr.: Sister. Marie, Dsmeris!s .lItsi
and Lumiene.
Noae ~ the dad sisters ~as owe
twenty years % age and a.! cAne 'ro'
parishes t~lo~ Cvetsc.
iaser-The death roll 10 nov est
mated ~ atty, although nsay more ~
0iSAins bot sre exported 20 turn up
u feared that seven tertiary nuns hs,
bren burned 10 death. - three mor- 81
nisaing. They ~err not ho~ever. -
IN the flames and the sisters prefer M
giving on. their nance 81 prcsent
Among the patients ~to IsrsheA ~
Sister IanAie. . run % The sse,s
Heart convent ~ sAuit ~ Escolls
he hsA Hsn undes tressnsns In u
Nsy.sm fos sone months
0ssvy WssA ss~~0
EASruEx. Mia. May IA 9ve,
viad storm passed over ihis s~c,lea ihi
unrooseA svo buildings hsre-ike Fo~a
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