The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-10
VICTIMS OF FIRES.

CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGE)
burn. While this was the means of saw
ing a large number of people, who were
carried down the ladders by the fremen,
ii gave the fire such Roadway that there
was almost no chance for those on the up
per floors of the building to make their es-
cape. and such of them as were not suf-
located were killed or badly injured by
ieaping from the windows.
BLIND AND MANACLED.
Alderman Kent was in a room on the
fifth floor with his attendant, A. w. Wat
ties. The alderman. who has been totally
blind for many years, was in a straight
jacket and his hands were manaced to
belt that passed around his waist. When
the alarm of fire was sounded Wattles ran
TO investigate He found the elevator shaft
a mass of flames and back to help the
alderman. who, blind and unable to do any
thing with his hands, was almost mad with
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 place of safe
ty, but Kent had become crazed that ii
was almost impossible TO do anything with
him.
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
were iron bars. Wattles managed to tear
two of these from their fastenings, and
with two other men who had followed him.
climbed out on the sill. They were seen by
the firemen, who called to them TO remain
where they were and they whould save
then. A ladder was run up as high as pos
sibIe AID the two men with Wattles were
taken down. He became crazed with ex-
element and not waiting for the return OF
the firemen, sprang for a net which some
men were holding on the sidewalk beneath.
He fell partly in it and partly on the side
walk, and sustained injuries which prob
ably will cause his death in a 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
it was found on the floor of his room, one
leg burned 10 crisp and the head burned
off. He was identified by means of his
clothing.
CRITICAL MOMENTS.
In a room on the second floor was Dr.
William Bunker, of Chicago, who some
time ago lost one of his legs in an accident.
He was in bed when the fire broke out, and
on going TO the door of his room found es-
cape in that direction cut off. 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 smoke and came out again
wrapped in blanket. He was soon taken
down by the flremen, and when being car
ried away in an ambulance said that he
would rather have been injured than have
come out through that window undressed.
Later his wooden leg was found and re-
stored TO him. He escaped 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
side.
Across this window was a 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 behind them were gathered
crowd of men whose numbers were after
ward found to be between twenty-five and
thirty. Escape in other directions was i'm
possible, for the fire filed all the halls and
was steadily eating its way toward the
window at which the men were standing
The one chance of life for that crowd of
men lay through that screened and barred
window. The men closest TO the screene
tore and tugged at IL in a vain effort to
tear Ii from its fastenngs and the men be-
hind them fought madly 10 get close
enough to the screen to fasten their fingers
in 1t. So fiercely did the prisoners pull at
the screen that from the street below were
plainly visible many tiny streams of blood
that trickled from lacerated fingers and
hands and flowed over the window sill. A
number of these men at the window were
in straight Jackets and manacles, and
those not being able TO help themselves or
others were the widest of all in their fran
tic EFFORTS to break through the bars.
COOL HEADED PATIENT.
The crowd in the street watching the des-
perate situation of the men behind the
screen was simply an insane mob. They
shouted all sorts of commands and direc-
lions at the men and gave orders to the
firemen who were doing all that men could
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 I'm helples rage. 1t
seemed as though nothing could be done
and that all 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
f. Davis OF Cedar Rapids, Iowa. patient
in the institution. He induced the men to
cease their disconnected pulling at the