The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1901-03-07
FORCED OUT N THE COLD.
The Inmates OF the Nebraska Peni-
tentiary Driven From Their
Cells by Fire.
ONLY THE EAST WlaC LEFT STANDING.
The FIr~ started ih the Quarters of
the warden and spread Rapidly
to the other Pnrtia.s of Ih~ Pris-
aa--Tb~ CenSicts. who Behaved
well. Gusrded hy Ntiitia.

lincoln. Nrb.. March =. The Ne.
braska state pcniicntiury Is IN ruinr
and one convict IS dead.
a aIaalHhf Alarm.
A fire, which started OF midnight,
destroyed the cell house aud The en-.
tire main hailhiur. and the loss viii
not I've lrrs Than f2n0,O0n. ard will
probably exceed that amount. The
building was practically new. The
only building saved was the east wihg
occupied by the warden, the chapel
and a small reserve crll rootn. Pre-.
cautions have been taken TO guard he
prisoners, who were removed under
extra guard without difficulty.
The uiario WAS Immediately given.
eonNlcts. guards aud employees aroused
nnd an appeal irlrph1nrd the Lincoln
fire department for help
The nuiidiuEs Destroyed.
"hc main building and wcst cell
house, both of which are thrcr-story
stone sirurturcs, nrc total loss. The
former about ioN,D. and TIA. latter
snNi2o feet in dimensions. The warden
and his immediate aids made quick
work uf removing the books, records
and papers of 'hr institution 10 a
place Of safety. Nothing eIsr ~ value
MS saved from the burning rtruc-
turcs.
Where the Flrr started.
The room whore the Ere originated
was kitchen for tho unrdru'a apart.
mcnts. u waE located In the uupcr
story of the main building. almost
directly over the Office aad near the
cell house. running down from the
west end ~ The yard.
From the kitchen the flames spread
In all directions. gradually eating
their WHY westward, through the new
cell h"us'. and eastward through the
main building.
The Lincoln lire department rc-
Fponded with hose carts md stcam.
ers' aud two streams from the pond
were soon playing ont" the flames.
with the effect, however, uf only tom.
porarily checking their spread
The East wInR saved.
After it was seen that the IN, i,r
portion Of the building was doomed
10 destruction, all efforts were con.
eenirated on the eaJt cpd of the
building, occupied by the deputy
warden, the chuprl, and containing
reserve cell room. The woodwork
In This portion Of The building WIS
thoroughly soaked. und the hrcmen
hnaiiy succeeded in saving II
Militia ON Gunrd.
Company r OF the Nebraska ra,;sp.
al guard, left for the scen- AT o: .U IA
m, under orders from Lirut..t;
Savage, acting governor Ia the ah.
tenrc ~ Gov. Dirtrich.
Warden pavl, took charge uf the In
stiiution February GI, None of the
property was injured.
Ii is believed The east wing. though
badly damaged, can I've used as a
temporary housing place for the ess
con'icts The storkndc walls remain
intact.
The Frisonern behaved Well.
The prisoners were, apparently. the
least concerned of nil the excited men
when the Ere was raging most furi.
ously, and never was body OF sup.
posed lavltsS mon more tractahie aod
orderly whrn the panic wns az its
height. Perfect prisoa discipline WAC
maintained. and not q convict was in
jured
The fire was discovered by Mrz.
Davis, wife of She warden, who die.
tecied the presence cf smoke shortly
before midnight.
Exeifrmcnt in LIaeaIn.
News Of the fire caused great *.
ei'ement in the city. heightened hy
hHSeless reports Of loss of hfc. uutiny
and the escape of many eun,irts. So
far as can he learned etery prisoner
ant prison attachc is accounted for.
The legislature hcing In session. il
is believed early action win I've taken
60 make provision 20 meet the rmcr.
gersy. Licut.-Gov. Savage has notified
by wirr Gov. Dietrich, who e. on his
way to Washington tn attend the In.
augnration.
Ths Dead Cenvlet.
When search was made of lha
ruins of the west cell house, the re-
mains Of George Pf'cuger were dis.
covered In his relI He had been re-
EeasTd with the other consirfa frutn
the building aHd had marched out
with them. but hnd gone bark to get
some personal effects. Two fellow
conricts told Deputy Warden Wclscl
shat ffenger had returned. hni this
proved a mistake. Pileuser was seat
from Cssnn,ing county for life. sis
and half years ago for the murder
af kia wife.
kIsea f.aat ta Fire.
n