The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-10
represent the War Department. and to
decide If necessary to call out the
A Virginia Negro Killed.

t'oopi.
A Virginia Negro Killed.
Those who were early on the scene
found the body OF colored man in the
alley in the rear OF the building, where
John Wilkes Booth had his horse
tethered the night he killed Lincoln.
This was George NJ. Arnold, we'll
known colored clerk, appointed from
Virginia He had been seen at a third
story window. He was warned not to
jump. but he climbed out and lowering
himself from the sill let go. He fell
upon covering at the lower floor aud
slid 1T into the cobblestone alley, strik-
ing his head, instantly killing him.
Many Narrow Escapes.
Running directly through all of the
floors and in the middle of the building
was light wall ten feet or more long
and nearly as many wide. The fatal
area was in front of this. having a space
of six or seven feet in width undis-
turbed on either side. The entire back
part OF the building, containing more
than half Il the floor SIP CO. remained
intact There were many very narrow
escapes from death. A number OF clerks
whose desks rested directly upon the
line where the floors broke away saved
themselves while The desks at which
they sat were precipitated down the
ing across the room, heard the ominous
sound, and stopped just at the very
threshold of death.
Taken to the Emergency hospital.
Those first rescued were taken to the
Emergency Hospital, whose staff was
quickly overtsxed, though shortly re-
cruited by young graduate surgeons and
| older practitioners from all over the
| CitV. As fast 81 G attapdad oaor.s
ing room they were taken upstairs to
more comfortable quarters. The cries
and lamentations of relatives of the
Injured outside the hospital seriously
hampered the operations of the sur.
geons, who had them sent away TO
secure relief. Priests and ministers
soon came and were admitted They
procee ded to administer spiritual con.
ISOLATION to the sufferers.
Several men reached the hospital in a
dying condition, SO badly injured that
they were taken from the dres ling room
and sent to the morgue, where they
shortly expired. Charles s Miller and
d. Il. Rod Jones were among them, while
another was young man of handsome
| appearance and about IS years old The
, first two were horribly mutilated, but
the last ons did not bear an apparent
| trace, even an abrasion.
| AT other hospitals and drug stores
adjacent 10 the scene OF the accident
similar scenes were being enacted. In
the meantime the work of rescue WAS
going bravely on. About half past
eleven o'clock C ompany of the Fourth
United States artillery from Washing
ton barracks arrived to prevent in ser-
| terence with the workmen. Shortly
after the cavalry from Fort Myer, Va
reached the spot and assisted the other
regulars in maintaining order. The
main duty of the soldiers was to guard
the rebellion records stored in the
| building.
Surgeon General Herint erg ven, at
once to scene of disaster upon hearing
The news, as did DR.. Ainsworth, who is
| chief OF the records and pension divis-
ions. One company of troopers was
placed under the direction of Chief of
Polics Moore. The second company
was ordered to assist in the WORK Of
| rescue.
DR.. Shannon. of the personal staff of
the surgeon general. in charge of all
government medical officers, and all
such officers were promptly ordered to
| the scene Of the accident or to various
hospitals. Ambulances of the red cross
series rendered conspicuous service.
Rescuing parties worked inces santly in
| the intense heat.
He Took Drink
Ono man whose face was covered with
olood and who was seemingly dead sud.
| denly raised up in the ambulance in
which he was placed and swallowed
| glass of whiskey. This brought a cheer
from the crowd and thereafter every
rescue was accompanied by applause.
All cats and workmen that could be
secured were pressed into service.
| Workmen shoveled plastered brick
documents and broken furniture into
carts and each load was taken awav to
the dumping grounds near by. There
| was much danger TO rescuing gangs, for
! the edges OF the fallen floors hung
! threateningly downward over the heads
OF the workers
The Ministers Were There
An incident of the day was the mum.
Der OF clergy who, on hearing of dis
aster. flocked to the scene. Utterly re.
gardless OF thei- own safety thew
entered the building, the rear walls Of
which were warningly bulglng out and
ministered to the dying and injured.
| One OF the most thrilling scenes OF
| the whole affair was the sight of a
dozsn men, who were left in the corner
OF the third story, climb down
hose pipe to the ground. The last man
taken out OF the building alive up to
1890 was Capt. Dowd. de was found
near the southwest corner of the build
ing covered TO depth of two or three
feet with brick ard mortar. A falling
beam had lodged near him in such a
position as to break the fall O. the brick
and timbers
Records and papers were scattered
everywhere but as fast as possible thew
were gathered up and saved, many OF
than q ra nit