The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-09
FLAMES IN A MADH0USE.
THE HORRORS OF TONGUE PoINTE RE-
ESA CTED IN PRESTON, N. i.

Inmates OF tho ChennnEo County buildings
Awakened by the Cry OF FIre-The Pau-
pera and Insane Patients Saved, but Ten
Idiots Locked Up in Cells Killed.
UTICA, May s.-The larger portion Of tho
Chenango County buildings. which for fifty
years past have been located at Preston, about
six miles feom Norwich. we're destroyed by FIRE
last night at about midnight, and ten OF the In
mates. possibly more. were burned. The
buildings destroyed we're the asylum, In which
there were about eighty inmates, and the
pnurer house and idiot ward in which there
were about forty inmates. They were three
story wooden buildings in good repair, having
wings OF two-story in height They stood side
By side, q driveway separating them. They
were valued at t25O00 and insured for $4,000.
and are q total loss. The horrible part OF the
disaster was the burning OF ten idiots, who
were penned in their coils and were roasted
alive. Tho fire started in this portion Of the
main building. and rs the inmates we're asleep
and no sounds were heard. 1t Is probable that
tho smoke and gases smothered them before
thoy felt the pain of the fire.
The origin OF the fire was probably the
smouldering sparks Of slight fire which &C.
Cured on Wednesday afternoon. Deborah
Dibble. feeble-minded old woman. was smok-
ing n pipe, and set her clothing and bedding
on fire, and was burned fatally before the
flames could be extingushed. Her corpse
was burned last night 1t Is supposed that
the fire started from some smouldering sparks
from this event.
The keeper was awakened by a pauper,
and attempted to release the idiots. but WAS
driven back by the fire. he then ran through
tho other buildings in his night clothes. rous-
ing the inmates and turning them out Of doors.
The insane patients had some OF them. to be
forced out. and fought against release, but all
were saved Most OF them were taken under
guard to tho Methodist and Universaist
churches until other quarters are provided,
and such o gibberinG. motley congregation was
never seen in churches before. Some escaped
and took to the woods. where the Sheriff and
q large number Of deputies arc hunting for
them today.
Tho names OF the nne idiots who were
burned are: Sarah Mills Of Alton Sarah GAL
lagher and ArvilIa Atwood OF Norwich Sarah
Bailey OF Columbus Laura Gray OF Greene.
Deborah Dibblo of Balm bridge Mary o. Daniels
Of Preston, Almcda Austin. Adelia Benedict,
and Lucy Warren of Warren county. Keeper
hainwarinG rescued several at the peril of his
life.
The scene at the burning was indescribable.
and the horrors OF Tongue Pointe were re-
enacted on Il smaller scale. Demented and
terror-stricken inmates wandered around tho
burning piles in q hopeless manner. The great
wooden buildings lit up the hills for miles
around. A bucket brigade was, formed Of the
citizens OF Preston. and about n hundred labor
ell to save the smaller buildings in the renr
with success The stables and farm build
iings Were saved The large milk house was
burned.
HE board o.. SupeE;yiIsors Is in special ses.
Edward Francis, q pauper. tells this story:
My room was In tho rear, OF the pauper de-
he e0
and called Keeper Mainwaring. who came
b Sss E ns a On npS 5h
inside we're screaming and calling for help. but
no one could live u minute In there. 30 we went
sound. You know that Mrs Dibble was smok-
ing a pipe In there in tho afternoon gnd set
sho died about ) O'Clock last night. Her bed
WAS all on fire, too. but we threw water on 1t
and Put it out, afterward, washing the floor;
all right but some sparks must have been lett
e shoulder and they finally brEkc into q
was taken out and none Pc edWho could DO
tired at my usual hour an, must have been in
a sound sleep when Qwoh with start. and a
cold sweat STOOD OUT al over ne; uahnot say
smell OF smoke but an Unborn instinct told me
that something was wrong Without waiting
bare feet. and on entering the paupers' dining
room O strong smell OF smoke struck my nos
trs. fol owed tho scent, which led me 10 the
idiot department. On opening thu door lead
ing from the hall to that building was thun;;
derstruck TO see that the interior was all
ablaze; in fact, 1t was one mass OF lame
and the smoke WAS overpowcrng. | at
tempted to open tho door aud rescue
the poor inmates. who were nll securely
shut in their cells as usual but was driven
back by the heat and smoke. ! saw, that the
save them. | then ran out and gave the alarm.
went to my room and pulled on my trousers,
and then ran through tho corridors and
aroused the puupors, telling thcn as plainly as
/ could what mad happened; In some instances
tho poor people wero dn2ed, and it was neces-
turn them loose in the yari and tho fields.
There were twelve inmates IN the idiot asylum.
md they must have been overcome by the heat
before ! awakened them. for heard nothing
from them. and they roasted IikepEs In hole.'
W. +. Hall tho Keeper OF the insane DEPART
the alarm was given. He gives those particu- |
II should think It must have been II O'Clock |
when my wife and went into tho pantry for q |
lunch before retiring. Just then Mr.. Mainwar- |
ing came running in breathlessly eXclalm-
come and holp US | Immediately ran out |
and saw flames bursting from tho idiot do |
partment. ! rang the alarm bell furnished by |
the county 10 Inform the neiGhbors Of |
the escape OF q lunatIc, or other trouble here, |
and then returned TO tho Asylum and devoted |
the cells and pulled them out in hurry. Some |
Of the lunRtics were ugly and refused to be |
rescued until main force was used mile others |
seemed to comprehend the situation long |
enough to make their escape. tell you. 1t WAS |
n hot time for q Few minutes Dut thank God.
ypt fbap pl II1t