The professional world. (Columbia, Mo.) 1901-192?, 1902-06-13

SOCleIy. Inc DulluluS IOTIneTlN was Iue
Hotel Woodruff. The greater portion of
the patients were those seeking a cure
from the drink and drug habits. When
the fire broke out, there were on the
fifth floor a number of patients suffer-
ing from delirium tremens and some
were deranged by drugs. Several of
these were strapped to beds and it was
found impossible to save them, so rap
idly did the fire spread.
The list as far as known is as fol-
lows, although it is possible it will be
increased later:
S. J. NEWELL.
CARL A. CARLSON.
JOSEPH HARRINGTON.
SAMUEL DALAELL.
DIR. J. T. STANTON.
GEORGE A. RIBBECK, Hillsdale,
WILLIAM KENT, Alderman of the
Fourth ward, Chicago.
JOHN B. KNAPMAN.
MRS. NJ. BEAMAN.
B. H. Boyd, rs years of age, and a
member of the medical staff of the in
suLution.
The fire originated in the basement
and spread to tie upper stories through
the elevator shaft. The fire was discov-
cred soon after it started, but had
reached the roof before those who rush
ed in to alarm the patients got beyond
the first floor.
The cry of fire rang through the
building and before it could be prevent
ed several patients jumped from the
windows. When the department arriv-
ed the windows were filled with people
shrieking for help. Firemen devoted
their first efforts to save lives and al
lowed the fire to burn. A large number
of people were carried down ladders by
the firemen. The fire in the meantime
gained such Roadway there was almost
no chance of those on the upper floors
for escaping, but such of them as We're
not %suffocated were killed or badly in
jured by leaping from the windows.
Alderman Kent was in his room on
the fifth floor with an attendant, \. W.
Wattles. The alderman has been total
ly blind for many years and was in a
STRAIGHTFORWARD, his hands manacled to
his belt. When the alarm sounded Wat
ties ran to investigate. He found the ell
evator shaft a mass Of flames and ran
back to help the alderman, who, blind
ana unable to do anything with his
hands, was almost mad with fear and
shouting like an insane person. He had
CROPPED his way to the door and by the
time the attendant reached him he had
fallen to the floor, overcome with
smoke. Wattles tried to drag him to a
place of safety, but Kent had become
so crazed it was almost impossible to
do anything. Wattles finally was COM
PEELED to run for his life, as the flames
were already scorching his clothing. He
ran to a window across which were
iron bars. He managed to tear two from
their f~astenings and with two other
men who followed him. he climbed out
on the sill. The firemen ran q ladder as
high as possible and two men with
Wattles were taken down. He became
crazed with eXcitment and sprang for a
net held on the sidewalk beneath. He
sustained injuries which probably will
cause his death. Kent evidently DIED of
suffOcation. Three hours after the out
break of the fire, his body was found
on the floor of his room. one leg burned
to a crisp, and his head burned off.
DR.. Bunker who recently lost a leg in
an accident, was in bed naked at the
time and climbed to a window sill, but
seeing the crowd went back into the
smoke, He reappeared wrapped in a
blanket and was rescued by the firemen.
He said later he would rather be hurt
than face the crowd undressed. The
scene that wrought the great crowd to
a pitch of madness was enacted at a
fourth story window. Across this WIN
dow was a heavy wire screen ana out
side were iron bars. Behind the bars
were gathered about 80 men. Escape in
other directions was Impossible, for the
fire filled all the halls and was steadily
eating its way toward the window. The
one chance for life for these men lay
through the screened and barred win
dow. Men closest to the screen tore and
tugged in a vain effort to tear it from
it's f~astenings and men behind fought
madly to get close enough to the screen
to fasten their fingers in it. So fiercely
did the prisoners pun at the screen
that from the street below were plain
ly visible the tiny streams of blood
that trickled from the lacerated fingers
ana hands and flowed over the window
sill. A number of the men at the win
dow were in straight jackets and man
acled, and those not being able to help
themselves or others were tie widest
of all in their frantic efforts to break
through. AS the flames came steadily
toward the men, people in the street
jumped up and down and screamed in
helpless rage. IL Seelltu db IlDuSH
nothing could be done, and that all the
men would die within six inches of
freedom.
That any of the mer, escaped at all
is owing to the work OF w. e. Davis Of
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a patient of the in
stitution. He induced the men to cease
their disconnected pulling at the screen
and unite their efforts. Four men took
holo but were forced away, but after a
fist fight Davis managed to get his men
to the window egain. and they man.
aged to tear down portions of the
screen. Putting all of their strength in
to one last effort the screen was
wrenched away. AS many as could lay
HANDS on the bars pulled at them and
finally with 4 crash n was torn from
it's ~fastenines, and the men went tum-
bling to the floor. Others in their Gag
erness tranpled over them and seized
another Der and it gave way. The crowd
behind them almost forced those in
front through the opening to the side
walk below. Those at the window
fought desperately.