Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1892-01-30
TERRIBLE HOLOCAUST.
Cremated Cripples in tho Surgical
Institute at Indianapolis.
Deformed and Helpless Inmates Crowd
to the Windows Crying Piteously for
Aid That Could Not lie Given-Nine-
teen Dead and a Number
Injured.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND, Jan 2S. EARLY
Friday morning fire broke out in the
office of the National Surgical insti-
tute. The fire was burning some timo
before it was discovered by the officers,
and before the engines arrived, the an
mex, containing wards A, B and C, de.
voted to the care of women and dill
dren, was in flames.
They ran Co the windows, but their
escape was stopped by iron bars across
the windows. Some gained the fiie
escape, but they were unable to de
scend on the account of the mass oi
flames issuing from the lower win
dows. .-.~-
The fire department saved number
of people by raising ladders. Ex-Coun-
Gilman Morris Donnelly, rescued three
women from the third floor, carrying
one under each arm and one on his
back. James NJ. Rice, of Cincinnati,
and vice president of the Duckworth
club rendered yeoman service
Unaided he rescued five children and
two women. He caught in his arms one
woman who jumped from window,
and helped to rescue a woman who,
frightened almost to death, refused to
leave the building.
1t is believed that 246 patients were
in the institute, but the books are
locked up in safe that is buried in
the debris, and all the names can not
be had.
At 10 o'clock Friday morning 10 bodies
had been taken from the ruins, II of
which have been identified. A large
number of patients are still reported
missing.
AT Weddel's restaurant where 70 or
so of the patients were carried, tho
sight presented was one that almost de.
fled description. Stretched upon the
improvised beds and spread on the ia.
bles, were little children moaning, cry.
ing and coughing, their faces blanched
with fear, their throats rasped with the
pungent smoke they had inhaled.
From all that can be ascertaned, it is
probable that the fire originated in the
room where the printed matter, circu-
lars, etc, were kept This is on the
ground floor in the rear of the main
building.
Mrs. Copeland, one of the rescued'at.
tendants, said that an hour before the
alarm of fire was turned in the night
watchman came to her room and asked
her if she was burning paper. She told
him she was not, and in a few minutes
he again asked her
This proves that the fire had been
smoldering FOR some time When the
fire department arrived at the burning
building, women clad only in their
night robes filled every window. They
were crying out in horror and despera-
tion at the prospect of death either
from the roaring, cracking flames or
from jump to the ground below.
The scene, as it appeared to those
who first reached the place of destruc-
ton. is one that will never be forgot
the Georgia street annex and grtu dairy
encroacbed on the main building, shed
a lurid light over the surrounding
buildings and cast dark shadow on
the street below.
And above the furious roar of the
flames as they licked up everything in
their pathway, could be heard the awful
screams and agonizing groans of the
poor, tortured women and girls who
clung to the window sills with their
bare fingers.
Martie Dcclyw, years old of Farm.
ham, Neb., died from exposure Friday
afternoon. So far as known all are
now out of the ruins, but final search
is yet to be made. The wounded are
all at hospitals or with relatives. Up
to date seven of seventeen of the killed
have been identified Three are fatal
ly injured and seventeen burned, but
not severely.