The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1892-01-30
PERISHED IN FLAMES.
HELPLESS CRIPPLES Owe UP
THEIR LIVES BY FIRE.
Nineteen Lives Lost by the Burning of
tho Sanitarium ut Indianapolis
Bodies Charred Boy ond Recog-
nitiOn-Most Pltsous Scenes.

Georgia streets, in which the institute is
located, were in imminent danger of their
lives. Their rescue, the fight with the
flames and the final discovery of the
charrcd remains of the poor, dead children,
wrapped in each others withered arms,
make a terrible story.
1t was almost on the stroke of 12 whom
Janitor Gill gave the alarm. The surgical
institute has been looked upon for years
as II fire trap and this alarm meant no
ordinary danger.
Some of the dead were killed by Jump.
ing, but most of them were sufrocated or
burned TO death. The list of the identified
dead is as follows:
Ira Paine, aged Is, of Dexter, Mo.
Minnie Arnold, aged II, of Lancaster,
Mo.
William Ramstack, aged IL, of Milwau-
kee, Wis.
Mrs. T.. Earl and child.
Mrs. Lazarus of Chicago.
Stella Spisrcle.
G. Nj. Ellis, aged 40.
Kate l.. Straughan of this city.
Mrs. Burns and nephew of ST. Paul.
The missing are:
Mrs. M. Elump.
Arthur BayleSS.
Minnie Mcdonald.
Fred Dackendorf.
The injured are:
Minnie Lazarus aged 7; leg broken and
in u critical condition..
Mrs. II. IL. Idena and son, both severely
injured.
Mrs. Thomas of this city, burned about
the face and body; suffering terrible ag-
ony.
Fannie Breeden of Memphis, Tenn. I;
burned in a dozen different places.
Mrs. j.. K. Guild of Medaryville, Ind. in
ternally injured by q fall from u ladder;
probably fatal.
Mary Stearns of Warren, Ia, terribly
burned about the feet in running out into
the hallway of the third floor.
Clara Morris. hurt in back.
Grant Van Hnesen of Athens, N. Y,
hand and ear burned.
hurt.
William II. Albach of Dunkirk, N. Y,
slightly burned.
Leora Knowles of Independence, Ind,
TACK hurt by jumping out of third story
window.
NJ. ". Wydner of Troy, o., internally
injured by falling out of 4 window while
trying 10 escape.
Will Mansfield of Otsego, N. Y, foot
hurt while jumping from the roof.
Mrs. John s. Stokes of Danville, ILL.,,
sprained ankle.
jumped out of a third story winuJw of the
front part of the building and will die
from her injuries.
Mrs. G.. j. Simpson and little girl, car
ried out by the tiremen; badly burned.
X. ConnOr fell from the second TO the
first floor and received serious, IL not
fatal internal injuries.
w M. Widener of Miami county, Ohio,
terribly crushed and fatally injured.
Roy Harris of New Orleans; not serious.
The Truth Not Known for Two Hours.
BY the time the fire department arrived
poor, helpless cripples were hanging on
the fire escapes ana in every window. The
heart-rending cries of those shut in the
burning building mingled with the shouts
of the iiremen and police. Heroic deeds of
rescue were performed and for two hours
the delusion was entertained that all the
inmates had been saved.
In the Georgia street annex, on the third
floor, the fire ragged f~uriously all this
while. and there was n sickening suspi,
cion on the part of those first at the scene
that in that raging furnace were Gagged
someo of the patients who were cut of by
the flames before help could reach them.
Soon after 2 o'clock this suspicion became
n certainty. the fire having been
then nearly subdued. The police and
building. In one room n mass of roasted
humanity iaJ lhCli
bodies were d~isengaged it was found there
were seven persons in that mass alone,
From tina hour up to noon TO-DAY other
bodies were found, nearly all in the
Georgia street annex.
The list of dead was swollen by four
who died from injuries received in leap
ing from windows. Identification became
4 difficult task. Many of the cad were
charred beyond recognition.
The books of the institution were in the
office, temporarily inaccessible. Seven
ieen dead had been found up to = O'Clock
this morning aud at 9 o'clock q woman and
child wrapped III each others arms were
discovered In the annex. Thus the tota
grew to nineteen.
What started the fire is not certainly
known, but it began in the Office Of thu
secretary about midnight. DIR. Johu Viii
son was called by the Waterman and saw
the blaze. which was a very slight one
After turning in the alarm he was driver
back by the flames. When the inmate
first awakened they saw the dining room
on the third floor of tho annex ablaz'
This must ave been very soon after DR.
Wilson made the discovery. But the FIR
spread with amazing rapidity and 500
involved both buildings.
Terrible Scenes After the Fire.
The scene in Grifith's restaurant wa
awful. Little children, half clothed, cry
ing for their parents, mothers crying 70
their lost children; the prayers of thank
fulness for escapes mingled with the erie
of the injured. Tn same thing was gon
through with at the Grand hotel. whithe
a few were carried. IL was, however
worse in the Weddcll house. The hall
aud rooms were crowded with the suffer
ers, some on the bare floors and sor e o
mattresses, all pleading for help in piteou
tones.