Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1890-04-01
WILD WINDS.
Three Men Burned to Death In o
Fallen Building.
A Tornado That Swept From calsdo'
MIA to Trade Water.
LEAVING raAcA o. DGsoLsr'on.


within the memory Of the prescn
generations, transpired at Belleviov
Thursday night. Tho largo store
house Of McGehee Bros. was blow
down and four men caught in thu
ruins. One Of them escaped by al
most miracle, and the other thret
were burned to death. Those who
lost their lives were John q. McGehee
ono OF the fivo McGohee Bros, and
manager of the store, aged 81 years.
Chester Gray, COL, aged about forty
five years; Marshal Blakeley, col.
agod about twenty-five years.
The fourth man in the building was
Robt. f. Warren. an intelligent young
fellow about eighteen or twenty years
old, who clerked In the store. He
worked his way for twenty feet under
the debris until no reached the edge
and put out his hand and called for
help. A young lady named Sudie
Meacham. a daughter of A j. Meach-
am. tho village blacksmith, was the
only person who had presence Of
mind enough to aid him. After re-
peated efforts she raised up the cor
ner OF the fallen building and pulled
Warren out. He was scratched and
bleeding in many places but not 80
riously hurt. His clothing was torn
and muddy and he WAS 80 dazed and
exhausted that he wandered aimlessly
about moment or two and then sank
down exhausted on the ground. He
was taken to Esq. II. B. Clark's, near
by, and remained in bed for twenty
four hours before he was fully re-
stored. Though still laboring under
considerable excitement he was, never
theless, sblo to tell tho details Of the
affair whom q KnSTuoKIAS representa-
tive interviewed him Friday after
noon. Following is his story;
TIE SURVIVORS, STORY.
Mr.. McGehso had been sitting at
tho dosk in the rear part of the store.
/ was behind the counter making
some additions. The colored men
were sitting near the stove, but there
was no fire in the stove at the time
and had been none since morning. IL
was then about 8 O'Clock or o little
before. The wind had been blowing
furiously for some time, but suddenly
there came q stronger gale and the
building lungsd and shook. Mr..
McGehee had been discussing the
storm with the Others and had laugh
ingly suggested that one Of the col
ored men 60 out and toll the black
smith to get in the toulouse. When
the building shook Mr.. McGehee got
down from his scat at the desk re-
marking: at came very near getting
us that time" He started towards
the door, probably sixty feet away.
When about the center of the house
there was another shaking motion
and all OF US broke for the front door.
The door was shut and before it could
DO opened the contents of the drug
side OF the house, to the west, fell in
with loud crash and the building
began to fall, with the noise OF creaking,
breaking timbers on all sides. Tho
door was opened and Mr.. McGehee
sprang out on the narrow porch, fol-
lowed by Gray, who also got out.
Blskelsy was behind them and did not
get out. ] wss twenty feet from the
front behind the east side counter. At
the same instant the door was opened
the building completely collapsed and
fol! to the northeast 1T fronted north
the same way Mr.. McGehee was es-
Gaping. 1t caught them all and the
corner Of the house fell forward ten
feet beyond them. The weather
boarded sides of the building had
given way and the walls wese crushed
down to the east. The second story
settled down without the roof being
broken and was held up about two
feet from the first floor by the broken
counters and other distractions.
There were ten oil lamps burning in
the store at the time. When the crash
came lodged under the counter and
soon found that / was not hurt. /
began crawling towards the front and
remember looking back and seeing
the burning wick from one Of the
lamps on the floor in spot Of oil and
broken glass. / made slow progress,
there were so many distractions.
When I had gone about ten feet l
found crock where the wall had
parted from the floor and left room
for me to get on the ground. ] made
my way on my knees in tho mud, but
could find no place TO get out. /
passed to within few feet Of the
ether men. Blakely was evidently
crushed and in great agony. He
moaned and groaned at Q terrible
rate and soon died, ! think. Is he
stopped making noise. Gray was
evidently unhurt and moving about.
He called loudly for somebody to get
an axe and chop him out. Mr.. Nc
Gehee, who was near him, remarked
coolly, "They might chop us in chop
ping us out" Previous to making