Omaha daily bee., 1896-09-25
HAD TO JUMP FOR THElRLIyES
Missouri Military Acaaemy at Mexico is
Destroyed by Fire
MILITARY CADETS HAVE "A CLOSE CALL
One students 700 Escape n
Fiery Death by Springing from
the Second and Third
story Windows.

ST. LOUIS, Sept. pa special to the
Post-Dispatch from Mexico, Mo, says that
the Missouri military academy, situated
about one mile southwest of that city, was
burned to the ground at an early hour this
morning. causing a loss of $4,000 to the
building and a heavy loss in personal effects.
Insurance $S7, 600.
one hundred stindents were in the build
ing when the fire broke out, and, while no
lives we're lost. many had narrow escapes
and received injuries more or less severe,
The flames broke out in the east wing of the
building. which is a substantial three-story
structure of stone and brick. and from the
nature of the origin of the fire 1T is thought
to have been the WORK OF an incendiary.
Cadet Clopton, son of the United States
district attorney of s.. Louis. and Cadet w.
w. Austin of Carrollton, Mo-, proved them
selves heroes and saved several lives. Cap
tain Glassock, military instructor, and
Lieutenant Good, United States army,
also did heroic rescue work.
When Cadet Clopton was awakened by
the smoke he sounded the fire call on his
bugle and aroused his sleeping comrades.
with the help of Austin he succeeded in
helping several of his frightened and almost
helpless comrades to get out OF the burning
building. Captain Glasscock and Lieutenant
Ennl ran from TOOTH u ubl IL llt perm
of their lives, getting out the students who
had not been awakened by the bugle call.
Cadet Captain Rolla Mclntire was taken out
by Lieutenant Good, WHIT was compelled to
iumped with him from a third-story window.
roth of the older officers escaped without
injuries.
when the boys sleeping in the second
and third stories of the building realized
that the structure was on fire, all escape
NV way of the stairs was cut off and they
we're compelled to jump from the windows.
There was no hesitation on the part of the
older of the boys, who were almost COM
pelled to force their younger comrades to
make the leap. Twenty-one were injured,
but none fatally.
The building was soon burned to the
ground and all its contents destroyed. Moth
ing was saved hy the faculty or students,
who were compelled to take shelter in
nearby houses in town and in Mexico hotels.
Below is given a full list of those whose
injuries are at all serious:
II. T. Guernsey, Independence, Kan, whole
face. chest and back are one solid mass OF
burns; is also badly bruised.
w. Patier, Cairo, ILL.,, 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
ana injured mteTHdly. ,
Frank Maxwell, Mexico, Mo- burned about
head. "a
Chester Elliott, Humansviile, Mo-, foot
badly injured. ~.
G.. H.. Sutherland, st. Louis, shoulder dis
located. 81
John McClelland, Enid, Okl., arm broken.
Captain Grenier, Ohio, arm broken.
Bruce Christian, Fairfax, Mo-, back and
head injured.
= Todd, st. Louis, shoulder dislocated.
Captain Glasscock, Paris, Mo-, side very
badly cut.
Robert Judson, Salem, Mo-, back sprained.
NJ. C. Dobson, Kansas City, has a sprained
back and knee.
L. Meyer, st. Louis, ankle badly sprained.
F. L. Wheeler, St. Louis back badly
sprained. r..
Prosser Ray, st. Louis, chest hurt inter-
nally.