New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-11
PRICE THREE CENTS.
LUNATICS BURNED ALIVE.
A MAD WOMAN SETS FIRE AT NIGHT TO
AN INSANE ASYLUM.
MORE THAN TwosooRE INMATES LOSE THEIR


MORE THAN TwosCoRE INMATES LOSE THEN
LIvEs-ApPALLING SCENES AT COUNTY
FARM NEAR DOVER. NEw-HAMPsHIRE.
Dover, n. H., Feb l0-A shocking catastrophe
occurred in this vicinity last night, when tho
insane asylum of the Strayord County work.
house, about four miles out of the city, was en-
tirely destroyed by lire and forty-one OF the
inmates were burned to death The building was
two-story wooden affair. i%5 by 35 feet IN
dimensions and burned like tirder. Only four
of the inmates-Rose Sanborn, James Daley,
Frank Dauchime and William 1wombly survive.
In making his rounds shortly after 10 o'clock,
Mr. Chesley, the watchman, discovered the hre.
He at once gave an alarm, and William p Dris-
coll, the keeper, and attendants rushed through
the inmates quarters, which were mainly on the
second floor, and burst the locks TO the cells and
tried TO aprrs the inmates Of their serious danger
The fire gained rapid headway and the majority
of the inmates were so bewidercd and confused
that they retarded the escape VI the others ana
the scene pitiful 10 witness Keeper
Driscoll used every possible effort 10 liberate the
inmates, and remained III the building until ne
obliged to jump from second-story WINDOW
in order to save himself messenger was at
once dispatched TO the city for assistance and
portion of the fire department was sent to the
scene, but before assistance arrived the building
was reduced to ashes and nothing remained bat
the smoudering ruins BY the efforts Of the
iiremen the main building OF the institution was
saved. Those who arrived on the scene early
will never forget the horrible witnessed.
The fire brilliantly Illuminated the country for
miles and the unfortunate victims coul1 be plainly
seen as they writhed and tossed about in the blaz-
ing furnace.
The corrected list of the dead is as follows:
Frank Rowe, Great Falls, aged twenty-four;
Charles Libby, Great Falls, thirty-two; Frank
Page, Rochester, twenty-siX; William Flo, Great
FAILS, tfirty-seven Frank Scriggans, Dover,
thirty-four Henry Kimball, Dover thirty; julia
Rel, Dover, forty-one; Mrs Lizzie Laryin, Sal
mon Falls, siXty-two; Mrs. Mary McClintock,
Dover, thirty seven; Maggie White, Great Falls,
sxty-eight: Ann Carr, RolInsford forty-nine:
Mary Nutter, Harrington, thirty-egkt Mrs. Mary
Nlaloney Dover, fifty; Laura Ellis, Rochester,
seventy; Mary Wilson, Lee, thrty-nine; Nora
Iwinda Milton Mills, ffty-six; Carolina Raft,
Dover, f'Tty Mrs Ann Rothwel, Dover, forty.
three Lizzie Ellis, Great Falls, forty-two; Cath
crime Haley Dover, forty seven Elizab beth Picker
ing, Comic, sixty; Mary Cogley forty; Sarah
Sweet, Rochester, thirty-nine; Sarah Hutchins,
Dover, thrty-nire; Kate Duffee, Dover, thirty.
three Edward Cassidy Dover, twenty five, Fannie
Slattery, Great Falls, sixty-six; Ann McDermot,
forty-two; Addie Otis, Great Falls, forty: Dionne
Magerc, Salmon Falls, fifty-three; Mrs. Mary
LaFontain, Great Falls, forty-four; Frank Nutter,
Rochester, thirty-sx; William Chesley, Durham,
forty-one: Mrs Jane Roberts, Great Falls, sixty
eight; Ulysses Jones, Pennington, twenty-four;
William Twombey, Darlington sixty-four; Owen
Nlalley, Great Falls, twenty-five; Michael Casey,
Dover, forty-eight: Martha Canney, Dover, fifty
Z and Iul Su
The fire was first discovered in a cell occupied
by woman named La Fcntaine and was small,
but the watchmen, Cheslcy, states that II spread
with a rapidty tint was astonishing, and before
he had given the alarm 10 Keeper Drisco it had
gained such hcadway that the only thing left
to be done was 70 attempt 10 rescue the inmates.
The two broke the lccks of the fifty cells. and
then Chesey got out his wifi, and two children.
who lived in Tic building. The fire extended to
the main building of the county farm, which was
occupied by over 100 Of the county's poor.
Superintendent d. f. Merritt at once organized a
fire brigade Of these people. and through their
heroic efforts the fire was subdned. One OF the
female inmates Of the asylum jumped from the
burning building 10 the yard below, but was
unable to escape, owing 10 the high fence that
surrounded that portion Of the building, ana
shared the fate of the Others.
W
ment: Il was making my 10 o'clock round. ]
went into the asylum, smcled smoke AMI saw
! light in cell occupied BY Ms. La tontaine.
I opened the door and lire as big as
bushel basket at the foot of her bed. pulled
| her out of the room and closed the door. called
Mr. Drscoll, the keeper, and his wife lie helped
me break tle locKs he also gave general alarm
TO all the inmates. saw the La Fontaine woman
and Frank Dauchime go out into the yard.
The fire ran rapidly through the building, as If 1t
were saturated with oil. There was no way or
getting the insane people ont. had 10 run
through n sheet CT lame 10 get TO the outside
! door myself. | gave general alarm All thro"'"
the bic anshousc, but could do nothing to save
4 the asylum $500 D.
Keeper Driscol said he lived in the building
,,,;,h his wife and two children lie was called
nv the Waterman and ran out in his night clothes
and did all he possibly could TO get the inmates
ont Ue then went back to his room and f0uni
!, Iocl,ed His hands were badly burned lie
had to break out a double window from the out
side 70 get ont his wife and children. tie says:
All that any of us had on was our night clo'hes'
We lost everything we had. There were forty
six inmates in the cells Only three escaped.
| Carnenters had been doing some work there, but
IL was not known that the La Fontaine woman
cot any of the flakes or shavings. She made her
way bv Some means 10 the yard, which was sur
rounded by high, close fence, 30 she could ho'
get out, and there she was roasted alive Dau'
chc,me also got ont there, but he managed 70
climb the fence and was saved
The superintendent of the farm anu ain'Snouse'
| Charles De Merritt, says: Il was a"akeneu ny
tho watchman. There were ninety OF the county
noor in the big almshouse. Forty of them were
| .men in tIle wing next 10 the asylum go0
,bom all into the other wing. ] got all the men
who could do anything at work TO save the build
inr. had pals to carry water, and they dld the
lat they could and saved the main brick build