Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1902-06-14
TIN PERSONS CRENAIED.
Lose Their Lives in Fire That De-
stroys St. Luke's Society San
itarium in Chicago.
ELEVEN MORE MISSING AND 40 INJURED
Victims Are Penned In Their Rooms
by Iron Bars and Beat He1p1essIy
for Aid-AIderma Kent, Blind and
Bound to His Bed, Among Those
Suffocated.


Bound to His Bed, Among Those
Sufocated.
Chicago, June 1O.-Ten lives were
lost in a fire that swept through the
sanitarium of the st. Luke society, an
institution for the treatment of habit
ual users of drugs and liquors, Wabash
avenue and Twenty-frst street, Mon
day afternoon, among the victims be-
ing Alderman William E. Kent, of the
Fourth ward, known as blind Billy
Kent. Some beat out their strength
against the iron-barred windows and
doubIe-locked doors that cut them Off
from freedom and life on the top floor
of the fve-story building, and others
hurled themselves to death or fatal
injuries on the payements OF the
street. Eleven persons are missing,
some of whom are probably among
bodies which were burned beyond
recognition Over 20 persons wero
injured.
Ten Dead.
Following is the list of the known
dead:
S. j. Newell, 474 Fairfield avenue.
Joseph Harrington, II South Carpenter;
salesman.
Samuel DalzelI, st. Luke's society; paper
hanger.
DR.. J. T. Stanton, 1872 North Curtis street.
J. B. Bishop, st. Louis, Mo.
George A. Ribbeck Hillsdale Mich.
Alderman William Kent, 1904 Princeton
avenue.
John B Knapman, 1O49 Fiftyfourth street.
Mrs. M. Baumann, Florence CrlttenCen
Anchorage 1349 Wabash avenue.
Dr. j. H. Boyd, 1922 Calumet avenue; died
at Mercy hospital.
Jumped from Windows.
The cry of fire was sounded through
the building. Patients sprang from
their beds, and before they could be
restrained, jumped from the win
dows Some were shackled to their
beds and left to suffocate. Attend
ants helped their patients until forced
to abandon them. Wild excitement
followed. The fire department then ap-
peared on the scene. Following a
marshaPs arrival Ali alarm was
turned in and all the officials at the
head Of the fire department hurried to
the scene. Ladders were hoisted up
and men and women were carried out.
Alderman Loses HIS Life.
On the third floor in the rear, behind
a wall that was said to be fire proof,
was the violent ward. Here were many
patients in delirium. Others were un-
able to walk. Some were shackled be-
cause of their violence. Among these
it is said was Alderman William Kent.
Three hours later a body was
found by Capt. White, of truck
2. It was by the doorway of
his room, huddled in heap. The hands
were held close to the stomach and
the head was burned into "a unrecog-
nizab BILE mass. This, the authorities of
the hospital said, was the remains of
the blind alderman.
Another man, a saloon-keeper named
Newell, held fast in strait jacket and
with his hands cuffed across his breast,
lay helpless in his place, unmindful of
the bolts and locks that hemmed him
in because of the fever of delirium
which possessed him. He was found
where he had been left by his attend
ants, burned almost to a crisp.
A woman maddened with the frenzy
of fear, locked herself in closet on
the fourth floor and met death there
while rescuers thronged the Railways
all about her searching for whom they
might carry beyond the reach Of the
greedy fire.
The Burned Building.
The burned building originally cost
100000. 1t was erected nearly 80
years ago, being one of the Oldest in
the vicinity. Samuel K. Markham, 134
Monroe street, who is attorney for the
society, said: 81. A. Brophy, of 70
Dearborn street, holds a mortgage on
the building of $40, 900 and 81, 900 on the
personal effects. The building was in
.sured for $42 900, and contents for 49,
ro0O Think s25, 900 will cover the entire
loss"
Fix the Blame.
Chicago, June 11.-As the frstresult
of the police Investigation of the burn
ing of the ST. Luke society's santa
rum, in which ten persons lost their
lives, O. E. Miller, president of the
society, has been held on the charge of
manslaughter With the head of the
institution are ten of its otTicials and
employees, charged as accessories be-