Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1904-04-20
AND PANIC N HOSPITAL
ST. VINcENT's HOSPITAL At IN.
pIANAPoLls.
Harriet Leahy Jumped From Window
and Was instantly klIIed-sevsral
Patients and Nurses lnJured-Panle
Ragged on Sd and 4th Floors-Flames
Started From 4 Pile Of Rags.

Indianapolis, Ind, April 18.-While
the city fire department, reinforced BY
companies from the suburbs. was be-
ing taxed to its utmost fighting the
Occidental hotel fire Sunday morning
an alarm was turned In from St. Vim.
cents hospital When the first fire
company arrived one life had been
iost and several were seriously in.
jured in the panic that followed.
The Dead.
Harriet Leahy, jumped from the
fourth floor and was instantly killed.
The Injured.
Miss Kate Beach, believed to be "a
tally injured by falling from the third
door while trying to escape by means
Of rope made Of bed clothes.
Sister Superior Stella. seriously in.
iured by shock, following q surgical
operation.
Sister Nordica. seriously injured by
shock.
William Schneider, a patient. who at
he time Of the fire was undergoing an
operation.
Henry Nichols of Connorsville, Just
operated upon for appendicitis, ran
Town stairs.
Several other nurses and attendants
we're more or less bruised in their en-.
leavor to escape from what they
thought was instant death.
For time it seemed that the flames,
which started in a pile of rags under
he east stairway, would find their way
10 the upper floors. resulting in a
frightful holocaust.
Panic Stricken.
At every window on the third anu
fourth floors were crowded with men
md women screaming for help.
The panic that ragged on the third
md fourth floors continued until long
after the fire had been extinguished.
Patients who had just undergone sur.
5ical operations rushed from their
beds to the windows and attempted
to throw themselves to the ground.
In the rear men and women were
making ropes Of bed clothing by which
hey escaped to the ground below.
Kate Beach, less fortunate than the
est, lost her hold and fell from the
third floor and is now in critical con-
lition from internal injuries sustained.
An unsual number Of surgical opera
tons were performed in the hospital
On Saturday. Many of the patients
carried from their beds by the rescuers
were in a critical condition. and the
physicians in charge fear that many
fatalities may result. The patients
were carried to the male ward, which
is on the first floor, and was not seri.
ously affected by the panic which
ragged on the upper floors.
ImprOvised cots and mattresses were
brought into use and a general call
for medical assistance sent throughout
the city. Within short time about
hundred physicians arrived and the
patients were cared for.
Harry Nichols, who underwent an
operation for appendicitis a few hours
before the outbreak Of the fire, jumped
from his bed and ran down four flights
Of stairs into the street. His condition
Is critical.
Heroic Work by Patient.
James Dawson, an emaciated pa
-ient. worked heroically among the
panic stricken men and women on the
third floor. One after another he pull
ed away from the windows those who
were preparing to jump to the street
below, and piloted them through the
smoke to places Of safety on the first
floor After saving 81 nurses and pa
tients from possible injury in this man
ner, he lost consciousness and was car.
ried into the male ward, where medical
attention was given him. For a time 1t
was thought he could not undergo the
terrible strain to which he had been
subjected.
Owing to the freproof construction.
the actual loss to the building will not
exceed $4,000