The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-09

back to the institution. After the hose
burst and the fire was seen TO be gaining
headwav again Miss Kelly fastened to
the prison department. She told the
women firmly the circumstances. Il
am going 10 open the DOORS" said
the superintendent, land want
you to promise me that you will stand by
me and not attempt to escape" I'm one
voice" said Miss Kelly, in speaking 10 a
reporter, "the women promised not to
escape, and in answer to my request, they
came out OF their apartments and walked
hastily TO the grounds below. Here they
were placed in charge OF few guards"
The attendants of the institution were all
that could be had at that time to guard
the large crowd of convicts and reform
school girls until the local police officers
arrived.
After summonin2 the fire depart
ments it was necessary to unlock
the gates. Several of the girls took
advantage Of this opportunity to escape.
mingling with the crowd and leaving the
grounds under cover of darkness. Until
the officers from the city reached the
place everything was in q chaotic state
The attendants themselves, excited al
most beyond control were unable
TO exercise the restraint necessary
TO hold the prisoners in obedience and
these added to the CONFUSION by running
wildly about Ropes were stretched at
first by the police in front of tho buildings
and extended several hundred feet back.
Everybody but the prisoners were ordered
out. a number OF willing persons took
the desks and Office furniture to place
of safety. A good deal of bed
ding was also saved and the
pchpO1 civic oil
themselves in these in lieu OF cloaks and
shawls. The women, wrapped in the
white spreads, were quite phantom-like,
moving about from place to place. The
confusion was very great and it is sur
prising that no more attempts at escape
were made, as every avenue was open to
this
The managers of the institution, Mrs.
Thomas 4. Hendricks, Mrs. Charles
Walker and Miss Laura Ream, were early
at the scene of the fire. They exercised
great influence over the women and went
among the various groups cautioning them
against attempts at escape and urging them
into calmness. Some little time was used
in giving directions as TO the disposition
to be made of the prisoners, IL being final
ly decided to send the women of the
prison department to the Jail and police
station and the children and girls to the
institute for the deaf and dumb and sur
rounding houses.
The fire was said TO be of incendiarv
origin bat this the officers of the instiGu-
ton were at first slow to believe. Several
inmates set afloat stories that three OF the
girls-Imogene Thompson, Julia Kerr and
Lydia Tinsley-had formed a conspiracy to
fire the buiding. But Nightwatchman
10 rroft eord tho II ~ ,woc tna cailinof
when he first saw il and was OF the opinion
that the cause was an Overheated cOndi-
ton of the room. Miss Keelv, the super
intendent, said the girls were all at supper
just previous to the fire. and the fact
that it had not gained much Roadway
led her to believe the stories OF incendiar-
ism false. Several OF the girls in the pres
ence OF the reporter having stated posi-
lively that thew had heard the girls talk
ing OF setting the building on fire, led Mrs.
keely to remark that a thorough investiga-
ton would be made. The TinSley girl
was one OF the TRUSTEES of the institutiO
and waiter in the officers dining rOom
Miss Kelly said she did not think it posi-
bic she could nave been mixed up in plot
for burning the building.
The superintendent was asked if any of
the inmates had been refractory of late
and after their punishment made threats
10 burn the institution. Mrs. Keey an
swered that no such threats had been made
to her knowledge, as did Miss Johnson.
told of the stories which the girls
were discussing among themselves
and the stories told the police
officers, the superintendent remarked
that the girls were thoroughly
unreliable. While the reporter was talk