Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-06-10


OF the flremen, sprang for net which
some men were holding on the side
walk beneath. He fell partly In 1t
and partly on the sidewalk and sus-
tained injuries which probably viii
cause his DEATH
Kent was left lying on the floor Of
his room and evidently died Of suffoca-
ton. His body was badly burned after
death. Three hours after the outbreak
of the fire the body was found on the
floor OF his room, one leg burned to q
crisp and the head burned OFF. He
was identified by means of his cloth.
ing.
A scene that wrought to the pitch Of
madness the great crowd that had
gathered around the building was en-
acted at fourth story window on the
north side. Across this window was
heavy wire screen and on the outside
OF the screen were iron bars running
parallel to the sill The space between
these bars was too small TO allow the
passage OF even a small boy and be.
hind them was gathered a crowd Of
men whose numbers We're afterwards
found 70 be between 20 and &c.
Escape in other directions was inn
possible, for the fire filled all the halls
and wat steadily eating its way toward
the window at which the men were
standing, The one chance for life for
that crowd OF men lay through that
screened and barred window. The men
closest to the screen tore and tugged
nj II In vain effort to tear It from
it's fastenngs. and the men behind
them fought madly to get close enough
TO the screen to fasten their fingers In
il. So freely did the prisoners pull
at the screen that from the street be-
low We're plainly visible tiny streams
Of blood that trickled from the lacer-
ated fingers and hands and flowed over
the window sill. A slmber OF t. men
al the window were IN straight jackets
and nanacled, and those, not being
able TO help either themselves or others,
We're the Widest OF all in their frantic
efforts To break through the bars
The crowd IN the street watching the
desperate situation Of the men behind
the screen was simply an insane mob.
They shouted all sorts Of commands
and directions at the men and gave
orders TO the firemen, who were doing
all that men could do to get through
the bars from the outside. As the
flames came steadily toward the men,
the people In the street jumped up and
down and screamed In helpless rage.
IL seemed as though nothing could be
done and that oil OF the men would
die within six inches OF freedom. That
any OF the men escaped at all Is owing
to the work OF w. h. Davis Of Cedar
Rapids, Ia. a patient in the institu-
ton. He induced the men TO cease
their disconnected pulling at the screen
and TO unite their efforts. Four men
at first took hold OF the screen and in
almost a minute the crowd behind
pushed them away, and before the four
men could get to the screen again they
were compelled TO fight with their
fists.
Davis managed to get his men TO
the window again and after few
desperate pulls they managed TO tear
down 3 portion Of the screen.
Nerved TO the work by their success.
the bodies Of the men swayed back
and forth as they put all OF their
strength into one last effort. Finally
the screen came down. but the bars
remained, and they were heavy, placed
there for the purpose of outstanding
all the efforts OF insane men. As many
as could place their hands on the lower
bar took hold. II bent almost double
and six men went to the floor with a
crash, holding on to the iron bar which
they had torn from its fastenings. SO
quickly did the men behind them
spring to grasp the second bar that
those who had torn down the first were
badly trampled upon before they could
rise.
Another bar was soon torn away, and
the path TO safety was opened.
The men at the windows fought to
keep their places until the firemen
could raise ladders, and the men in the
rear, some OF whom were already be-
ing reached by the names, fought to
gain the window
The first man through was DR.. c. A.
Anderson OF Chicago. No ladders were
in front Of the window. and Anderson's
one hope was TO reach the platform OF
a fire escape In front Of the window
lust west OF where he was. He hest
tated for an instant. and then sprang
for the fire escape. clutching It. and
was safe. The next man through the
window was G. s. Scott OF Lavergn, III,
Anderson was so much exhausted
that he was not able TO drag Gott after
him. and Colt was so badly burned
that he was unable TO make the leap
himself He crouched on the window
while the men on the inside clam
ored for him TO jump.