The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1894-12-22
THE BURNING OF THE JAIL.

body in our little burg had gone home
after the days toll to spend the even
ing with his family, when all were
making themselves comfortable for the
night, suddenly the fire alarm rang
clear in the night, and CONSERVATION
found It's way iuto every bosom. For
a while 1t was difficult to ascertain
where the fire was, for no glare was
yet 10 be seen aud apparently the
town was asleep; but cries, SCREENINGS
and shriekings in the direction of the
courthouse soon made it evident that
the Jail was on fire. Only one thought
then was in the minds of all, "Whai
would become Of the poor inmates
who were locked up in the jail?"
We were one of the first ones with
Messrs. B. F. Brown and w. N. White
to arrive at the Jail, aud we soon
found out that the fire had broken out
and was raging in the room back of
the jailer's, used as kitchan. The
fire could have been easily put out al
the time we got there, but unfortu-
na,ely we could not even get bucket
wherewith to get water.
ALT Wallace, the negro who
cooks at the Jail is said to have been
the cause of the conflagration, by start
ing a large fire in the kitchen stove
and going to town soon afterwards.
The stove, it appears, stood near the
wood partition aud set it on fire. which
was soon discovered by some women
who were confined in the corporation
cell. They gave the alarm. and one
can scarcely imagine the screams, the
shrieks, the appeals for relief aud the
vociferaiious of the Is persons confined
ia the Jail, most of them in the two
cells made out OF steel, securely fasten-
ed with locks, crossbars and padlocks,
the more so that the fire was making
it's way to them aud the keys were
not TO be found.
Wallace, the negro who had charge
of the Jail, seemed to have lost his
senses for sometime lie did not know
where the keys were. but finally he
recollecled that they must be in
Sheriff Dunn's desk III the sheriff's
Office. The door of it was locked, but
the window was soon broken open,
the desk top smashed in splinters, and
the keys gotten out.
The fire engine, by that time, had
goiton on the ground, but failed to
find water IN the cistern of the court
house and had TO be taken to the
cistern near the Catholic Church but
it had scarcely began pumping, when
the hose burst and the engine was dis
abIed.
Meantime Charles Wilmington, the
man of expedients in every emergency
aud ever at hand when help is needed,
aud DIR. A. Stewart, had both gone in
the corridor between the wall of the
Jail aud that of the cell, aud with the
aid ofaxes brought by Mr.. j. E. Rams
dell. were coon battering the door of
one Of the cells and breaking the bolts
that kept it from opening. BY dint of
hard aud heroic work, they finally sue
ceeded and delivered the prisoners
confined in that cell.
In the meanwhile, Mr.. j. E. Ransdell
had gotten hold of the negro jailcr and
almost forced him to follow he other
corridor and open the door of the
other cell with the keys. The smoke
was intense, the heat unbearable aud
the darkey went almost at the peril Of
his life. Providence directed his hand
TO get hold of the right key, for it
would have been impossible for him TO
remain half minute longer, aud the
prisoners would have been lost.
Already they were sufTocating, aud
having spent themselves in shrieks and
useless appeals, they were moaning.
thinking their last hour had arrived
and they were 10 be burned 10 death.
All Of the prisoners got out safely,
only one had bis clothing scorched, all
were glad to have escaped what seemed
to have beea certain death they
made no attempt 10 escape, but quietly
marched out where The sheriff wanted
them. So qniet aud well behaved
were they that one of them confined to
Jail for murder committed at Friar's
Point, Miss, two years ago, picked up
basket aud walked of, the people
present not snspecting that be was
prisoner, but taking him for rescuer.
| AT $50. the roof OF the jail caved
in. and the Jail being buiIt OF Two inch
boards, dry and seasoned, was in 4
short time mass of ruins.