Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-09-30
JUMPED FOR LIFE.
The Missouri Military Academy
Totally Destroyed by an
Early Morning Fire.

Mexico, Mo-, Sept. 24.-The Missouri
Military academy situated about one
mile southwest of this city, was burned
to the ground at an early hour this morn
ing, causing a loss of $4,000 to the
building and a heavy loss in personal eff
fects. insurance S31 900.
One hundred students were in the
building when the fire broke out, and
while no lives were lost many of them
had narrow escapes and received injuries
more or less serious. The flames broke
out in the east wing of the building
which is Il substantial three-story struc-
ture of stone and brick, and from the
nature of the origin of the fire. it is
thought 10 have been the work of an in
cendiary.
Cadet Clopton son of the United States
district attorney of st. Louis. and Cadet
w. w. Austin of Carrollton, Mo-, proved
themselves heroes and saved several
lives. Capt. Glasscock, military in
structor. and Lieut.. Good, U. S. A, also
did heroic rescue work.
Heroic Acts of Officers.
When Cadet Clopton was awakened
by the smoke he sounded the fire call OH
his bugle and aroused his sleeping COM
rades. With the help of Austin he sue
ened and almost helpless comrades to get
out Of the burning building. Capt. Glass
cock and Lieut.. Good ran from room
to room at the peril of their lives, getting
out the students who had not been aWak-
ened by the bugle call.
Cadet Capt. Rolla Mcintyre was taken
out by Lieut.. Good who was compelled
to jump with him from n third story
window. Both the other officers escaped
without injury.
When the boys sleeping in the second
and third stories of the building real
lied that the structure was on fire, all
escape by way of the stairs was cut off
and they were compelled to jump from
the windows. There was no hesitation
on the part of the older of the boys,
who were almost compelled to force their
younger comrades to make the
leap. Twenty-one were injured, but
none fatally.
Names of the Injured.
Below is given full list of those
whose injuries are at all serious:
H. L. Guernsey, independence, Kan,
whole face, chest and back one solid mass
of burns; also badly bruised.
w. Patier, Cairo H., arm broken.
Walter Wolf, East st. Louis, back broken
and injured internally.
sprained.
Mr.. Halliday St. Louis, leg broken and
back injured
Cyrus Kidd. Hannibal, Mo, back sprained
and injured internally.
Frank Maxwell, Mexico Mo-, burned
about head.
Chester Elliott, Humansville, Mo-, foot
badly injured.
G. II. Sutherland, st. Louis, shoulder dis
located.
John Mcclellan, Enid, o. T.. arm broken.
Capt. Greiner, Ohio. arm broken.
Bruce Christian, Fairfax, Mo-, back and
head injured.
Todd, st. Louis, Mo-. shoulder dis
located.
Capt. Glasscock, Paris, Mo-, side very
badly cut
Robert Judson. Salem. Mo-, back sprained
NJ. G. Dobson, Kansas City, has a sprained
back and knee.
l., Meyer, st. Louis. ankle badly sprained
+. L.. Wheeler, st. Louis, back badly
sprained.
Prosser Ray, st. Louis, chest hurt inter-
nally
The building was soon burned to the
ground and all its contents destroyed.
Nothing was saved by the faculty or
the students, who were compelled to
take shelter in nearby houses in town
and in Mexico hotels.
Col. A. +. Fleet, principal of the
school says his loss will be S75,00O on
which there is $37, 900 insurance
The loss sustained by the students is
not known, but it will be heavy.