Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-10

fear and was shouting like an insane per-
son. He had CROPPED his way to the door
and by the time his attendant had reached
him had fallen to the floor. overcome with
smoke. Wattles seized him and tried TO
drag him down the hall to a place Of safety
but Kent had become so erazed that 1t was
almost impossible to do anything with him.
Has 10 Run for Life.
wattles was finally compelled to run for
his life, as the flames were already scorch-
ing his clothing. He ran TO a window on
the south side OF the building, across which
we're iron bars. Wattles managed to tear
two or three Of these from their fastenings
and, with two other men. who had followed
him, climbed out on the sill. They were
seen by the hremen, who called to them to
remain where they were and they would
save them. A ladder was run up as high as
possible and the two men who we're with
Wattles were taken down. He became
crazed with excitement. and not waiting
for the return Of the 1remeni sprang for a
net which some men we're holding on the
sidewalk beneath. He fell partly in It and
partly on the sidewalk and sustained In
juries which probably will cause his death
IN q short time.
Kent was left lying on the floor Of his
room and evidently died Of suffocation.
His body was badly burned after death.
Three hours after the outbreak Of the FIRE
he was found on the floor OF his room.
one leg being burned to a crisp and the
head burned of. He was Identified by
means Of his clothing.
Has Marvellous Escape.
In a room on the second floor was DR..
William Runker Of Chicago, who some
time ago lost one Of his legs in an acct
dent. He was in bed when the FIRE broke
out and on going to the door Of his
room fonud escape in that direction cut of.
Hobbling to the window he climbed out on
the window sill. He was without clothing
and when he saw the great crowd below
he crawled back into the room and came
out again wrapped in his clothing. He
was soon taken down by the nremen and
when being carried away in an ambulance
said that he would rather have been in
jured than. have come out through that
window undressed. Later his wooden leg
was found and restored to him. He es-
capped without injury Of any sort.
A scene that wrought to the pitch OF
madness the great crowd that had gathered
around the building was enacted at a
fourth story window on the north side.
Across this window was a heavy wire
screen and on the outside Of the screen
were iron bars running parallel to the
gill. TIL space between these bars was
too small to allow the passage OF even a
small boy and behind them were gathered
. crowd Of men, whose numbers were after
ward found to between twenty-five and
thirty.
Only Way to Get Out.
Escape in other directions was impossi-
BILE, for fire filled all the halls and was
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 at 1t in a vain effort to tear 1t
from its Hastenings and the men behind
them fought madly to get close enough to
the screen to fasten their fingers In 1t. Sc
fercely did the prisoners tug at the screen
that from the street below streams Of blood
could be seen trickling from lacerated
hands and flowed over the window sill.
A number OF the men at the window were
In straight jackets and manacles and those,
not being able to help 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 scene was
simply an insane mob. They shouted all
sorts Of commands and directions at the
naen and gave orders to the fremen, who
were doing all that ymen could do to get
through the bars from the outside.
In Helpless Rage.
AZ the flames came steadily toward the
men the people in the street jumped up
and down and screamed In helpless rage.
It seemed as though nothing could be done,
md that all the men would die within six
inches OF freedom.
That any Of the men escaped is owing to
the work of w. E.. Davis of Cedar Rapids,
Ia, a patient in the institution. He induced
The men to cease their disconnected pull
ing at the screen and to unite their efforts.
Four men at first took hold Of the screen
ana In almost a minute the crowd behind
them pushed them way and before the
tour men could get to the screen again they
we're compelled to fight with their fists.
Davis managed to get his men to the window
again and after a few desperate pulls they
maAaged to tear down a portion Of the
screen.
Nerved to the work, the bodies of the men
swAyed back and forth as they put all OF
their strength into one last effort. Tht
kands Of one OF the men were covered witt
blood, but he hung on and pulled as best
he could mad he and all with him were tc
live not ten minutes longer, unless tina
screen came down.
screen Comes Down.
And finally down it came, in their des.
perAtion pulling with 1t large pieces Of the
mortar In which its sides. had been en-.
cAsod. The screen was gone, but the bar:
remained and they we're heavy, placed Their,
for the purpose OF withstanding all the eff.
forts Of insane men. As many men as coult
place their hands on the lower bar tool
hold. 1t bent almost double and six mel
went to the floor with a crash, holdlnl
onto the iron bar which they had torn iron
it's ~fastenings. So quickly did the men be
hind them spring to grasp the second ba.
tina those who had torn down the first wer,
badly tramped on before they could rise.
Another bar was soon torn away and tn
path to safety was opened. Then a new
danger assailed the prisoners. The crow
behind, hearing that at last the way wa
open, pushed forward with such haste tina
those nearest the window were nearl,
forced through to meet death on the side
walk four stories below. The men at tn
windows fought to keep their places unit
the hremeh could raise ladders and tn
men in the rear, some OF whom were al