The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-07-09
C0NVICTS CRUSHED.
Louisiana's Penitentiary at Baton
Rouge Partially Demolished by a
Terrible Cyclone.
Ten Convicts Caught Beneath the Fall
ing Walls and Instantly Crushed
to Death.

BATON ROUGE, La, July IA terrible cy
clone struck this city this morning, passing
from southwest to northeast 1t entered
the city at the Garig brick yard, passed up
through Cathshtown and struck the hill
just to the east of John Johnston's resi-
dence.
Its path continued in northeasterly d.
rection, crossing North Boulevard, hun.
dred yards to the east of the governors
mansion. 1t then went north striking the
penitentiary building. Ten convicts were
killed and thirty-six injured. The follow
ing is a list Of the dead:
Whites--Isaac McClelland OF Calcasiu, J. A,
Waggoner OF Claiborne, Fred Cage of Ouachita,
James Jam Van Meter OF Latehitchez, John Gibson,
William Willow Of Orleans
Colored-Nathan Chancey OF East Feliciana
Henry Calestine OF Orleans, Beauregard Harden
OF Rosser. Edward Buckner OF Caddo.
The list of wounded follows:
From New. Orleans all white: Louis Claire, NJ
J. Fineean. Henry Mckay. James Monde, John
Du9y. John OLeary. Charles Summeriield. L. H.
Durley, James Vallare.
Colored from New Orleans: Jake Jones, Sam
uel Jackson, Major White. William Gibson.
From various other parishes: Joseph Powell
c. NJ. Young ~. B. Stewart, Gus Block, A. T.
Gurnett, D. A. Campbell, j. ?. BoIan, Phelx
Richards Marion Perkins, Walter Douglass
John Foley, Frank Aaron. John Farland. Nellie
SNeai, ALEXANDER ferrel, all WllCe, ana oscar
phillips, William Perry, Henry Dorson. Borie
Peterson, Robert COmeauX, Harrison Allen aid
William Scott colored.
OTHERS NAY DIE.
or the number wounded six are expected
to die, and the recovery of several of the
Others is extremely doubtful. The total
damage to the penitenuary buildings is
estimated at 1000.
There were forty prisoners at work in the
pants factory at tine time Of the crash, aud
of that number six were killed and twenty
two wounded and horribly crushed On
the second story or central floor was the
hospital, where twenty sick prisoners lay
undergoing medical treatment, of which
four were killed and fourteen seriously if
not fatally injured.
The fire alarm was sounded and the en-
tire fire department was summoned to the
scene of the dreadful catastrophe, and, to-
gether with the citizens and prison officials,
aided by the uninjured prisoners, worked
vigorously for the rescue of the unfortunate
souls who lay, some dead and others dying,
confined under the great heap Of debris
that was streWn over every quarter of the
premises.
Scenes of the greatest Imaginable horror
greeted the eyes Of those engaged in the
rescuing work, and the pitiful walls and
death groans from the men buried1out of
sight by massive heaps of brick and mortar
the wreck implorins help, and altogether
the scene was heartrending. The storm
was attended by a most violent rain, in
which the rcscuers worked and tOled for
several hours, or until both the living and
the dead were extricated from the ruins.
SEVERAL CITIZENS INJURED.
The southern portion Of the city, styled
'catlSh town 81 1nsS nd II
age of property. In this section of the city
several persons We're seriously hurt and
bruised by flying tin,bers from falling
houses and fences. )"
The drug store of B. A. Day was COM
pletely demolished and Quilted of it's con-
tents, the loss amounting to 5000. Several
OF the small groceries in this vicinity were
destroyed. The brick yard OF Garry, Red
dy 20: was damaged, but the loss is COW
cred by insurance, which is the only storm
policy held by those damaged
The damage throughout the city cannot
accurately be estimated at this time but it
can be said that it is the greatest loss this
town has ever sustained from cyclone or
from fire. The cyclone did not make
straight sweep through the city, but would
strike the ground and bound fOrward'like
bouncing ball. 1t would pass over several
houses at time; and descending again tear
Its way tor hundreds of feet. The trunks of
large oaks were popped off like pipestems.
In the city fifty houses at least were I'M
rooted or destroyed. J. H. Young and
members OF his family were seriously hurt
by the collapse of their house. Mrs. Cotton,
soh and two daughters, living in brick
house, were injured in the falling of the
building. Mrs. Cotton received danger
Gus blow on the back of the head, and also
internal in urie,, while one OF the girls was
cut on the limb. Mrs. Cotton, it is thought,
will recover.