Morning journal and courier., 1890-05-09
hOA ALL XOAA 4 AzAsSs ANOTHER ASYLUM HORROR, Ten Living Persons and One
 Corpse Cremated. SCHOONER STRUCK BY t|GHTN|NG. A Serious Quarrel Between
 Lovers in Maine. THE TARIFF. DEBATE RESUMED. Speeches Pro and Con on
 The Measure.
THE TARIFF DEBATE RESUMED.
A COUNTY PooRHoUsR BURNED.

- Eleven Idiots Misslng Inadequate
 Protection Against Fire-The Un- fortunate Victims Sheltered in the
 Universalist and Baptist Churches.
 UTICA, May 8.-The Ohenango county poorhouss and insane asylum. located st Preston, six miles west of Norwich, were burned last night. The fire was discovered about Il o'clock in the north wing of tho poorhouse building, where the idiots were kept. There were no provisions for extin- Ruishing the flames. The keepers and neigh- bors gave their attention to getting out the one hundred and twenty-five paupers and insane and let the building burn.
 These were all rescued, but eleven idiots are missing in the ruins. Six bodies can be seen slowly burning. The other five are supposed to be covered up.
 The poorhouse building was three stories high and built of wood. The insane asylum was also a wooden building, two stories high, and only separated from the poorhouse by a driveway. The property was estimated to be worth $25, 900, and is insured for $15, 5000.
 The Universalist and Baptist churches have been opened for the reception of the unfortunates.
 The origin of the fire is unknown. Yes- terday afternoon woman was in the idiot uepHEtlnoas suoAAuS. Ouo Pu1 AsE HPo into her pocket, and was soon enveloped in flames. She ran out into the yard and was secured. She died from her burns about sundown. She had matches in her pocket, and some one of the idiots is supposed to have got hold of them. Last night no lamp was left burning in tue room of the idiots, as had been the custom. The surmise is that an idiot tried to light the lamp with the | matches, and set fire to the building.
 TtHA ytn ment over the destruction of the poorhouse and county insane asylum this morning is intense. All who had friends among the unfortunates have eagerly sought informa- ton of their fate. Preston is six miles from any railroad and procession of all sorts of vehicles has been going there all day. The smoke and stench from the holo- caust are perceptible here; at the scene of ! the disaster the stench Is siokening. Ten mated. The idiots were locked in and roasted like beasts. Their unearthly screams first aroused pauper named Edward Fran- cis who slept near them.
 Francis tells this story: "My room was in the rear of the pauper department just across the alley from the idiots, and immediately on hearing the cries I arose and called Keeper Manwarring, who came down stairs from hie room in hurry. By that time the building was doomed and the folks inside were screaming and calling for help, but no one could live minute in there, so we went fo1 the others and got them out safe and sound. You know that Mrs. Dibble was smoking . pipe In there in the afternoon and set herself on fire and was 50 badly burned that she died about o'clock last night. Her body was all on fire too, but we threw water on il and put 1t out, afterwards washing the foort and thought at the time that everything wal | all right, but some sparks must have beer left to shoulder and they finally broke into a blaze. Everybody who could possibly b' l saved was taken out and none perished who could be awakened"
 E. F. Manwaring, the keeper, said: "I re tired at my usual hour and must have beer in sound sleep, when .woke with star, and @ cold sweat stood out all over me. cannot say that heard any noise or dis tinguished any snsll of smoke, but an in' born instinct told me that something wal wrong. Without waiting to dress myself bounded down stairs in my bare feet, ant on entering the paupers' dining room { strong smell of smoke struck my nostrils.
 followed the scent, which led me to the idio department. On opening the door leading from the hall to that building, was thun der.struck to see that the interior was al ablazs, iu fact, 1t was one mas | of flame, and the smoke was overpowering attempted to open the door and rescu l the poor inmates, WnO were all eeCurol' shut in their cells as usual, but was drivsi , back by the heat and smoke. cav that tn ) idiots were doomed and that nothing coult
 save them. then ran out and gave tn
 alarm, went to my room and pulled on m,
 trousers and then ran through the corridor
 and aroused the paupers. In some instance
 the poor people were dazed and it was necss
 sary to carry them bodily from the hous
 and turn them loose in the yard and tn
 fields. There were twelve inmates in tn
 idiot asylum and they must have been over
 come by the heat before awakened them
 for heard nothing from them, and the roasted like pigs in a hole. How the fir
 originated is a mystery to me, as well { l to everyone else. When l took possessio
 as keeper threw out all the old stovepir
 and replaced 1t with new, besides putin
 heavy sheet iron screens around every stov,
 and besides this 1t has been my hobby to a everything to prevent a copfagration. l. must have been @ case of spontaneous con
 bustion."
 Coroner Fsrnald of this place went II Preston and ordered the removal of Il
 charred and blackened remains in the ruin
 Buckets of water were dashed upon the ruil
 and at length the roasted trunks were pulle
 out and laid upon the grass. All we
 burned beyond recognition. In some i = stances the remains were removed vii
 shovels, nothing but 6 skull or few bon P giving any indications that they were on human beings. A number of relatives the victims gathered around and the affec ing scenes that followed beggar descri tion.