Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-01-30
FLAMES And LUNATICS
RAGE ANO RAVE IN THE STATE
CRIMINAL ASYLUM.
A Hard Fight Against Fire Set by a Man
Serving u Life Sentence -subdued In
One Point IL Would he Discov-
cred In Another.

Poughkeepse, N. Y, Jan. 2i.-Superin-
tendent II. Il. Allison of the Mattewan
State asylum for the criminal insane, and
the members of his medical stan were
thrown into the highest pitch of excite
ment about half past four o'clock this af-
ternoon by the sounding of the big bell
In the kitchen, and the cry of fire" ring
ing through the halls of the institution.
Immediately there was a rush for the
north end of the building where the smoke
was seen. Every attendant and officer of
the asylum ran TO the hose tower in the
rear of the building where the hose cart is
kept. All the time these preparations for
fighting the fire were going on. the shrieks
and cries of tho prisoners, especially the
female patients were growing louder ana
more heart rendng.
The flames were finally located in the
cellar of the building under ward three on
the north side. The implements for the
extinguishment of the flames seemed to
te inadequate, and Super intendent Allison
Immediately summoned the firemen of
Fishklll and Mattewan. Two hose com
panies and a hook and ladder company
responded to the call and the iiremen as
sisted by the keepers and officers OF the
institution fought the flames bravely.
The cellar was filled with smoke, which
entered the hot air shaft that led TO the
upper part of the building and dense
clouds of the suffocating material enter
ed nearly every apartment In the building.
The patients could not get out of their
rooms and they were obliged to pull down
the windows and hang their heads out to
escape suffocation.
AS soon as the fire in ward three. had
been extinguished, another one broke out
under the infirmary and dining hail. All
attention was then centred here and by
hard work the flames were subdued. The
cry of fire tlen sounded through the cell
lar again, and another blaze was discover
ed in the kinding wood room under the
store room. Owing to the dense smoke,
the firemen were unable to get at the
flames before they gained considerable
Roadway. Two more lengths Of hose had
to be taken from the hose on the grounds
and after nearly two hours hard fighting
this fire, too. was put out. The steam
pipes in the cellar were rendered useless
BY the fire and much of the electric light
ing apparatus, so that the building was al
one time in total darkness, and the only
light being by lanterns and tallow can
dies.
Two more fires were discovered immedi.
ately after the extinguishing of the on,
under the store room, and at one time II
! looked as If the entire institution woult
be consumed. The flames were extinguish
ed however, by prompt work and the ex
element ceased.
Charles Mitchell, a man so years old
who Is serving n life term In the asylum
for burglary, was responsible for the fires
He had collected bundles of paper, straw
etc, and after saturating them will
grease placed them in different parts o
the building. Then he secured n roll o
paper as torch and set fire to each bun
die, which had been carefully stored undo
the rafters. Some of the grease soake,
paper was discovered by DR. Allison
Mitchell had been allowed to work in tn
yard, the bakery and other departments
He probably procured his matches iron
some teamster. His intentions were un
doubtedly to destroy the entire building
and If this had happened i'm the middle 0
the night his purpose would have un
doubtedy been accomplished.