Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-22
I'd EDITION.
UNABLE TO ESCAPE.
Patients at the Indianapolis Surgical
Institute Burned Alive.
THE BUILDING A TRAP OF DEATH.
Many Heartrending Scenes and
Thrilling Rescues.
TIE BUILDING A TRAP OF DEATH.
WORK OF THE BRAVE MEN.
CRIPPLEs BURNED IN THEIR BEDS

Aerrioie scenes mt the Destruction OF the
indianapolis Surgical Institute.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND, Jan. 22.-The Indianapo-
lis Surgical Institute burned las. night the
flames breaking out just before midnight in tn.
old annex. block separated from the main
building by just a narrow space. Before the
fire was discovered the whole interior was
ablaze. Tho institute had about 500 inmates,
most of whom we're helpless crippes. When
the ire department arrived the windows
were fun OF screaming, moaning cripples
and the scene was one of horror be-
yond description. The work of rescue was
begun at once with ladders and the inmates
were removed with great rapidty, but at least
thirty we're injured some terribly In the con-
fusion and excitement it is almost impossible
10 get names, but some of the worst hurt are
Mrs. Gales Of Madison, Ind, fell from ladder
with child In her arms, internally injured;
Kate Elstrang, indianapolis, fatally burned;
Mrs Thomas, Indianap polls. fatally burned:
Fannie Dreden, Memphis, Tenn, badly burned
recovery doubtful.
FIFTEEN REpoRrEp sUrFocArEp
There is a story that fifteen or more invalids
in the annex were suffocated, but this cannot
be either verified or disproved. The patients
were carried to various hospitals and hotels as
fast as rescued and nobody knows who is miss
ing. One girl was seen to come TO a window
and a moment later fall back into the flames
After the fire had been in progress half an hour
twenty women were found standing on a rear
roof just ready to jump. They had escaped
attention in the confusion. though screaming
at the top OF their voices. They were rescued
in safety.
LIST OF THE INJURED.
Tho following is a hist OF the injured SO far
as at present known:
Mary Stoarns, Warren, Iowa, burned about
feet; Clara Morris, address unknown, back in
jured; Grant Van Hoesen. Athena. n Y, hand
and arm burned; Clarence Mead, AtheLs, n
l., leg hurt; William II. Albech, Dunkirk, n.
l., burned; Leora Knowles, Independence,
Ind, back hurt in jumping; W. W. Snyder,
Troy. Ohio. internally injured, falling from
window; Will Mansfield, Othcgo, N Y, foot
hurt In jumping; Mrs. John 5. Stokes, Dan
vile, H., ankle sprsined; Nellie Mason War
story and fatally hurt; Mrs. Lazarus OF Texas.
Jumped from third story, will die; Mrs. j.
simpson and child, seriously burned; X. Con-
nor, fell through hole in floor. fatally hurt;
May ballinger, indianapolis, terribly burned.
DEATH TRAP.
A terrible responsibility rests upon the
owners Of the institute. 1t was a veritabIe fire
trap. The old annex and main building were
nothing more or less than old-fashioned four
story business blocks. the main building at the
corner of Georgia and Illinois streets. and the
annex, immediately east of it. fronting on
Georgia street. The halls we're narrow, as were
also the stairways; there were no proper exits
no conveniences to be used in case of lire.
The fire originated in the second floor Of the
east annex near the east wall and burned that
building, spreading from il to the main build
ing. The patients in the main building were
all gotten out, and amid Undesirable scenes Of
excitement and horror many were rescued
from the annex and it is hoped that all were
taken out
PANDEMoNIUM REIaNEp.
The attendants barely awakened all of the pa
tients, and in the halls and upper rooms pam
demonium reigned Shrek after shrek for
help went up as the inmates realized their ter
rible situation. In few moments white and
thoroughly frightened faces appeared at each
window OF the large building, and the lips could
be seen beseeching succor from those below
yet their voices could not be heard. Prayer
after prayer went up from the unfortunate
creatures, already the victims of cruel circum-
stances, that they might not perish in the
flames.
The police and fremen aud attepdants all
worked diligently and in perfect accord. and
many were the patients taken from the upper
floors by means OF ladders and carried to
places of safety by them. No attempt was
made to save anything but life. The halls and
the stairways, just before the fire had COM
municated to the main building. were filed
with inmates wrapped in bed clothing, who
crawled and helped themselves along from one
floor to the other.
The citizens turned out to help in the work
OF rescue. Cots were hurriedly constructed
from mattresses. and strong armed policemen
picked up the unfortunate ones and carried them
across the street to the new annex recently
purchased by Doctors Allen and Wilson. An
immense crowd gathered about and great anx-
iety was felt for it seemed improbable that
| everybody could have escaped from the burn
ing building alive.
WHERE THE RESCUED WE'RE TAKEN.
At Wedders restaurant, where seventy or
eighty of the patients were carried, the sight
presented, as one entered and looked upon the
indiscrimlnate gathering Of suffering cripples,
| many of them maddened by pain and anxious
for friends was one that almost defied descrip-
ton. Stretched upon the improvised beds,
spread on the tables. we're little children moan
ing, crying and coughing, their faces blanched
with fear, their threats rasped with the pun
gent smoke they had inhaled.
''Oh, mister, please don't touch my leg; it
will almost kill me if You do pleaded a little
girl whose bandaged feet extended over the
edge of u table.
Said William Kimball, a young man with
both legs crippled from the knees down and
his head thrown to one side by distorted
shoulder joint: Il was sleeping on the fourth
floor don't know how 1t was, but l awoke
with a sense OF strangulation. From less than
q foot above my face and up to the ceiling was
q dense mass OF smoke. l Just rolled out of
bed; could not move about with my braces,
SO took them of, lying curled upon my side.
1t was SO hot thought was going to die 1
called as loud as could, Help, help, here, 49,"
Just then there was a crash of the door and q
big colored man fell over me. He picked me
up bodily, dashed through the halls and down
the stairways and brought me here. God
knows am thankful. God in heaven knows
am thankful"
One Of the most pitiful cases was that of little
eighteen-year-old Ethel Platt, daughter of
James NJ. Plat Of Pinckneyville, Ill. Little
Ethel was found in her bed on the third floor
half strangled with smoke and helpless from
spinal trouble. Wrapped in q blanket she was
taken up in the arms of q fireman, carried down
to tho next floor through dense smoke and past
roaring flames through q window aud as the
crowd gathered below and extended their arms
she was thrown out. With broken leg she was
taken across Illinois street, placed on
table and covered with blankets She
suffered desperately and frequently screamed
out from her desperate agony. She was finally
removed from the crowded room and carried
70 the rooms of Mrs. Gilbert, four doors north
of the restaurant A pillow was placed on the
oatvfrstched arms Of gentleman and the
child was placed thereon and moved 70 her
more pleasant Quarters When raised she criod
ont: GOh! Please don't Lift me; you'll kill me.
Oh! NV leg 10 broken. want mamma"
And the cries Of the little sufferer continued to
ring Sat a. she was taken out into the street
and removed to Mrs Gilbsrt's room.
.sMaunrasL -iusf left me last SATURDAY, and venf