Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-12-29
AN ASYLUM HORROR.
A Michigan Insane Asy lum
Peopled witr Five Hundred
Demented Women a
Prey 70 Flames.
Judge Lynch Disposes of the
Georgia Gang who Run an
Illicit Still Under Divine
Authority.

/ PoNTIAC, NJ cu.. ID e Is Fire wzs
: discovered in tho north wing Of the
Eastern Michigan insane asylum at
. II o'c ock this morning The flames
spread with fesrful rapidly, ana with
| the limited facilities a. hand the fire.
men were IoWeriess Fifteen min
ute- after the fast alarm va. sounded
che occupant Of the wiaz, 5OJ women,
were turned loose. Screaming frant'-
cally with terror the maniscs surged
thro rough the corridor. where the air
wss already nlied with smoke. Fame
were visible through IL eli aid the
sight filed the demented creatures
with terror. Some ran like wild ami
mas, trampling heir slower cOmpan.
ions n their mad tffJrts 10 escape.
o hers, parAlyzed with iesr, stood root
ed TO the spot, with eyes s'arIng hor-
ribly into the 70 ring fire. The at
tendsnts performed deeds Of herOism
| in their endeavr r. 10 rescue the help
less. Rushing hither and thitner,
| dragging hesitatiDg ones from the
/ rooms, they drove he insane women
/ into the open air. When lme were
once upon the outside they would
break aud rush for the building again.
/ Sup' rintendent Burr aud assistants on
| he medical staff gave directions for
! the removal Of the inmates and by
/ their excellent aud valiant laboIs all,
. 10 Hg.-g.
/ Nev-rthele--, some -ay several women
| were seen ~ windows after the pa
T ti-nrI were suIpo-ed To- he all out.
They han torn every ve-tige Of clrth-
ing from their persons and were
isughiug in hideous glee ri he ap-
prosch Of the fiime-. Bv 1880 the
entire north wing WIS wrapped IN
/ Il 4me-, attendants had done all in
their power, aud T"Jhing was left but
10 trv and save the r I of the ssylum
from the Il ,mes.
Spectators declare they heard shreIks
of anguish from the awful pyrr, ~ of
demen ef victims yielding their lvtt
to the fiames. hut In the confu,iln it
was impossibis to distinguish the
screams of frightened maEiacs with
out from tie expiring outcry of
strenu, us tff 5rts m ide to convey the
patients 10 cottages for safe KEEP nR,
This was accomplished with the
utmost difficulty. Great fear was felt
| I.gt tho dra ab,uId ,r,as 10 tbs ao,t a.
wing. where nearly 700 men confined
Preparations were Immediately made
10 remove the men If il became nects
sary. Inside the south wing. from the
moment the flames came in sight, the
widest excitement prevailed, The
100 crazy men tore about their room.
yelling like very demons. Hundreds
OF people from Pontiac and vicinity
Joined in the fight with the flames al
this juncture and by the most stub
born resistance the wing was saved
Aside from this everything save the
chapel, hospital and engine house
was destroyed. A number of womeT
who were in the section of buildinI
] first d, stroyed were severely burnec
on being removed, but prompt att, n
iiOn averted serious consequences
James Lyon, Frederick Linton sn'
another attendant whose name coul'
not he learned, bad n narrow escape
While fighting the flames on tn
fourth floor, unknown to them, tn
fire surrounded the spot where the
, were working, and only when the
found every avenue Of escape exceT
one small window closed, did the
think of their safety. When th
flames were Deaiing them a long
de- was secured aud the men rescue
us IS they were on the point of fall
ing back into the raging furnace.
number Of other narrow escapes occur
ed, and but few Of the attendants 2:
eapei without severe burns or oth'
, injuries.
1t is difficult to obtain accurate fiji
ures on the loss. One of tie board
trustees of the asylum estimated IL
not less than $500, 600. Patien
> must Tor several days at least suffi
great hardship. The kitchen
among the destroyed buildings an
some time must elspse before the cul
nary department can be re-e- -tablishe
and The lunaiics properly fed.
80. Go