Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-07
HOLOCAUST.
An Insane Asylum Burned near Mon
treal-0ne Hundred Lives Lost.
No wnter with which to Qusnch the Fiery
Demon-Ths ManIacs Sport In the
Flames-Terrible sceneE.

PoENTE, QUE., May ga long line of gannt
towers, blazing debris, shining in the wild eyes
of maniacs. That Is all one now sees Of the
Tongue Poente lunatic asylum, located ten
miles from Montreal, and which, with many
lives, was to-day consumed by the
flames. The sights one witnessed before
this tragic scene are such as can never be fer
gotten. Taking 1t sll in all, nothing could ex-
cee6 the horror attending this terrible calamity,
considering the number Of the victims. the
terrible nature of their death and the manner
in which the helpless victims received their
fate. What to spectators was scene of horror
was the lunatics moment of supreme glee, and
flames and waved their blazing limbs in turbu-
lent satisfaction at the ruin that
was about sD%s,.n them ena Not Not until th tine
maniac screams silenced. There were incar-
cerated in Tongue Poente 1900 lunatics,
for that asylum was a prison more
are accounted for, but many escaped
into the fields and woods and the dead are ashes.
What is the number of the dead is purely a
matter OF conjecture and can never be ascer-
tanned. since no other record is kept than
that in the asylum books, and they
the whole of the evidence from the fremen, the
inmates, the sisters in charge, bystanders and
personal observation, it is a conservative esti-
though some assert that the number is double
that stated, and others place it below this
figure.
The fire originated in the cupboard and was
the work of patient. AT five minutes of IL
Geographic message was received in Montreal
saying that the asylum was on fire and imploring
assistance. One engine and two
reels started on their ten mile
run and were quickly on the spot, but
in five minutes they exhausted the water sup
ply. The only thing that could save the build
ing was the st. Lawrence river and it was half a
mile distant.
When the Associated Press reporter arrived
with the firemen the dome of one tower had just
fallen. The flames were bursting everywhere.
flames ard ale they lasted some good was
done, buA that was very brief space,
and then the horror OF the situation was
revealed As the heat increased the statues
fell from their places to the ground, and then
the inhabitants Frustrated themselves, crying 4
aloud that the saints had deserted them, indeed.
Meantime beds, furniture and utensils of every
description were being showered from the win
dows, and a stream of ill-clad men poured out OF
the eastern wing.
The sights in the grounds surrounding the in |
stituton were horrible beyond description. |
Hundreds of lunatics, male and female, were |
grouped together gibbering and in a frenzied |
Nuns were making every effort TO |
control them and allay their fears, and rap |
idly as; possible the poor creatures were |
moved to places of shelter in the neighborhood. |
The fremen worked heroically and suc- |
ceeded in rescping many persons, in many in |
stances at the risk of their own lives. Thou |
sands OF persons hocked to the scene |
from the city and surrounding country. Nuns |
doctors and other attendants are beseiged with |
anxious inquiries after friends and relatives. |
One of the doctors connected with the institu- |
ton was seen this afternoon, and he said that |
there was very little commotion among the in
mates when the alarm was given, and that those
in the forward part all walked out |
quietly; some, however. refused to leave
heir cells and had to be taken out by force.
Those who persisted were In the wards on the
.op floor. Efforts to learn their names have SO
lar proved futile as the rescued are SO scattere
hat no roll can be called.
hnf Ia natl 11uk
women 1t was different. The less hopeless cases
we're placed in the lower wards and they were
removed without difficulty, but from the upper
cured there came the widest screams as
hey resisted the nuns who came beseeching
hem to make their escape. At the windows the
bars, grinning and jabbering at the bright flames
hat went up to the SKY. As the heat be-
,ars and remain there until the
lanes enveloped them. On the inside
Chief Benoit says 1t was such a sight as no fire.
we're twenty-five patients, and at his approsch
hey huddled together like pack of beasts, en-
wining their arms into one mass Of
tut said the chief: 81 could no more
eparate the crowd than could the parts of
'our horse.' He tugged At them until the fire
!arted into their garments and embodied them
ike shroud of flames and then he escaped with
lis life. The sisters worked with the persistency
# heroines, by turns imploring, beseeching and
the patients and finally saving q
cry large number in view of the inadequate
ABILITIES at hand. Sister ThereSe, the superior
o the already long lis. of vic
inns. Drs. Bourque and Baralet were
1hatever must be said of the management as a
Mole, the individuals exercised every power to
essen the calamity, they had neglected to
vert.
A loud explosion was followed by crash of
cams. Tho interior was giving way. The wild
aces sank from the windows and the shrieks OF
he maniacs were lost in the general uproar.
me by one the walls toppled inward and fierce
laze burst up from the newly-added fuel that
ose to the sky and threw its glare to the St.
awrelce's southern shore, and even tinged the
rest of Mount Royal, ten miles distant. Then
dipped down into the blackness and nothing
ut afew brokentowers remained rounding off the |
lass of debris under which are now not the bodies
ut the ashes OF the hundreds of victims. By
lis time it was O'Clock and growing dark and
cry cold. Spring rain had converted the place
Ito a quagrnire and only horsemen could get
efnr: place to- Place Place v The poor
elicste, stood ankle deep in the mud.
uperintending the removal of such furniture as |
ad been saved. The patients wandered about
imlessly, clad in scant garments. When re- |
ased good many of them leaped for Joy and |
FUNDED like deer across the fields to the woods. |
atients OF both sexes escaped, and though
Gordon of police was thrown round. not all |
ere included and horribly suggestive tale
as borne in by the inhabitants, who were COM
g through the woods to the see mes of the dis
ter. new dread has come upon the inhab-
ants from the presence OF so many escaped
natics, and they will count the mselves for
mate if they are not visited by series of such |
lines as only mailman can dev Use.
The death roll is now estimated at fifty
though many more are missing, but are ex-
ected to turn up. 1t is feared that seven nuns
sve been burned to death, as three more !
e missing. They were not seen in j
70 flames, and the sisters prefer not
ltients who persisted was Sitter Lanaie, nun Of ,
e Sacred Heart convent at Saulte An Recol-
tt She had been under treatment in the
ylum for some months.