Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-14
DIED IN THE FLAMES.
Six Inmates Of a Tennessee Insane
Asylum Perish.
Death Of Dr.. Windthorst, the Ger
man Statesman.
Fatal Fire I'm the Central Insane Asyiun
Near Nashville.


the beautiful Central Insane Asylun. situated
seven miles from this city. is almost = mnss of
ruins, and beneath it are the charred
bodies Of half . dozen Of the unfortunate
inmates. In the onthouses near by are hua-
aled the poor demented creatures. Who
had found an asylum in the grand old
structure now laid IN ashes. and on the
lawn the long psrched trees. denuded Of foliage.
stand with gaunt. outstretched arms. mArslng
the spot where stood the massive building sliVe
with human beings, the observed Of all who
passed that way and one Of the most beautiful
and attractive spots in the lovely middle Iea-
nessee.
DTscovNRY or THE FrnE-
At l0I5 last night Natchman Fitzhugh dis
an ugly tongue of fame breaking
through the roof on the western main wing cf
the building. How il caught none could divine.
but II reached from the ground through the
second and tbird stories and cut OF the few
rooms that were beyond it, In . moment
the alarm given and the four
hundred inmates of the institution were
thrown into wild commOtion. CONSERVATION
Was on each face az the gravity Of the situs uon
burst upon them There were twenfy-eight
men In the wing when the fire caught and
twenty-five Of thgm were quickly removed 70
the main hall, the other siN being left % their
fate behind an impossible wall of flames.
The city telephoned TO for aid. but Chief
Carrel of the fire department could not be
found and his subordinatcs refused TO move
without instructions. Finally. after two hour
delay, the chief was found and he. With
two engines, left for the scene Of disaster.
In the meantime the west wing had collapsed.
the IRE had caught and the inmates made
frantic by their danger were beginning 10
break from the guard aud scatter like fright
en- Yer n ~
AWAITING THE ENGINES.
By midnight nothing remained Tor the men,
who had fought SO nobly, to do but TO stand
aside and await the coming Of the engines from
the city. 1t was a heartrending sight TO see
hundreds OF men who had gathered
from the country for miles talking in
groups or gazing helplessly on the WORK
of destruction, while within the hall. only
few steps away, the Wild ewes of mass of
miserable creatures glared about in the un-
earthly light. and the minds behind them were
too weak to know that in short while they
might be out in the cold night Wind with moth
ing but the sky for a covering.
When one of the reporters was about mite
this side of the cOnflagration ON the way ont lac
met a couple OF iunatics in shirt sleeves truds,
ing along the highway with their arms locked
about each others necks. Az they
passed one of them cried out,
''Firel FIRE. Cold, Cold!' On his
turn this same pair were oyertakcn Just
within the corporation line. This time they
were heard to say, I'VE are free. we are FIRE;
but don't you tell, don't you tell. and, turning
around. saw that their arms were well locked
about each Others necks- Hiding IN the
shrubbery Immediately around the road
were many who had escaped when the sudden
exodus made from the west wing Most OF
them were but partially dressed. but almost
without exception their faces were covered sish
smiles, as if the downfall OF their refuge vac .
source of pleasure to them and the biting wind
q thing unfelt
GLARE AND CONFUSION.
The scene within the quadrangle in the rear
of the superintendent's Office was all glare aud
confusion at 1 O'Clock, when an Associated
Press representative arrived. The flames in
the west wing were towering above the wills
and guards were hurrying hither aud
thither. moment later the inner wall OF the
burning building fell in with an awful crash
and clouds Of sparks covered the entire visible
heavens. In another instant a shower OF cln-
ders and charred fragments Of wood fell apon
the roofs Of the remaining buildings and ratified
upon the stone-psyed court
THE uSFoRrUxArEs HuDDLED rooErHKR-
In the hall connecting the east and west
wings. and in the corridors Of the east wing,
the unfortunates were huddled together, men,
women and bed clothes being 90 intermingied
They did not seem TO comprehend the awful
situation and most of them were still undressed
as they were when dragged from the rooms
of the building already in ashes. DIR. Calendar
sat in his Office with an expression OF despair
on hls features and drops of perspiration stood
upon his brow. Crouching in the corners
were the figures of inmates who, perhaps had
a clearer appreciation OF the pending danger
than their companions and had stolen IN, think
ing themselves sale with the superintendent.
WORK OF THE BUCKET BRIGADE.
The fire engines arrived at 2:l5, and in few
moments a fine stream of water was playing ON
the main building. Previously the inmates of
the asvlum, the servants and guards had rem
dered FIRE service with buckets, and succeeded
in holding the fire in check 10 some extent. Had
it not been for their valiant services the entire
structure would have been in flames before the
arrival of the fire department.
The unfortunate inmates were in the west
wing. They ali male and white. Their
names we're: j. S. Johns of Rutherford county,
]. Burt Dexter of Wilson, Blue Preston OF Can
non, John Kelly of Wayne, w. II. Beastry Of
Hickman and L. L. Hollowell Of Davidson.
At BIS the inmates who had been huddled
for several hours in the yard IN front OF the
main building were returned 20 the east wing.
About twenty five had escaped, the majority OF
whom were harmless. AT this moment the
west wing had become entirely demolished
and about one-half OF the main building. The
dangerous lunatics were kept locked all the
time in The east wing and none Of them were
subjected to exposure or danger during the
progress of the flames.
1t was reported at $50 this morning that one
OF the women, an inmate Of the asyiuua, hid
been drowned in the lake on the lawn, but her
name could not be learned.
The fire Was at the same time reported fully
under control and inmates were comfortably
housed and all was quiet II is impossible rs
vet to give any estimate Of the loss, though is
viii be heavy. The building Was fully ~
sured.
THE GOVERNOR GOES TO THE SCENE
patient of the asylum reached the city
about O'Clock and proceeded to the Maxwell
House and aroused Gov. Buchanan. In. gov
er nor hastily sent word to T. b. stasmsn Of the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company,
who reached the american Office just as Gov.
Buchanan got there, and after . hurried
consultation Maj. staslnan sent an order "
the depot and within half hour . painting
steam engine and coach were awaiting the gOy-
ernor, detachment Of the militia and squad
of thirty policemen, and at O'Clock the train
was at last under way. The passengers coasa
20 ON it 10 within half q miie of the asylum.
nm ~UNnTanRST nEAn-