Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1912-03-09
Monk Breaks Vow and Shouts
Alarm to Save the
Students.
Heroic Efforts of Young Men to Save
Institution From De-
struction.
ASH HEAP ALL THAT REMAINS

Last Friday afternoon angry
flames devoured the college con-
nected with the Gethsemani Abbey
in Nelson county, and all that re-
mains of the once handsome build
ing is an ash heap. Fortunate 1t was
that the fire did not take place at
night, which might have caused loss
Of life and limb. The fire was
first discovered by Brother Hubert,
who made frantic but futile efforts
to warn students and instructors
when flames broke out in the kit
chen, and was finally compelled 70
break his solemn vow of silence to
shout his warning. After he hai
sounded the warning, which was
carried through the dormitories and
study and music rooms, the seventy
students enrolled at the institution
and the monks formed a bucket
brigade to fight the flames, which
destroyed the college building, with
a loss estimated at $4,000. The
students at Gethsemani were at once
scattered to the four corners, the
majority of them coming to Louis
Vile to seek shelter until the coll
lege authorities make some arrange
ments for caring for them. Four Of
the students, Wayland Lloyd and
John Glass, of New York, and two
brothers named Hill, of Vicksbnrg.
remained at Gethsemani and were
given quarters in the monastery.
Thrilling stories were told by the
boys who came to Louisville In
search of quarters, pending resump-
tion of their school work. Smoke
begrimed and with their shoes and
trousers mud-bespattered, they ac-
cepted their misfortune with good
grace and apparently gave little heed
70 4Ae-faes that their -oiotfffng aud ali
of their personal possessions had
been consumed by the flames. The
fact that everybody was warned of
the danger in time to get out of the
building, thereby preventing any loss
of life, appeared to be the thought
uppermost in the minds Of the yodng
men, who themselves had Joined in
the effort to save the institution
from destruction.
Brother Hubert, realizing the dan
ger to the students, who were in the
different parts of the four-story
structure, yet fearing to break his
VOW of silence, ran to te yard ad-
joining the college building and
picking up a lump of coal hurled II
through a window in the music
room. w. C. Hayden, of Owensboro
was in the room at the time. When
the coal crashed through the window
ne ran to ascertain the cause and
saw Brother Hubert standing below
gesticulating wildly. Despite the
did not grasp the meaning of his
gestures and started to turn from
the window. Fear for the occupants
then overcame Brother Hubert. He
made one last effort to make Hay.
den understand him, then, realizing
his failure, cried. ''The house is on
fire, get out quick" Hayden ran
through the building. spreading the
alarm and monks and students
rushed to the yard and formed 9
bucket brigade.
| a IAOulbNlliS
boy, grabbed an ak and clambere6
to the roof, in the hope OF cutting ar
opening that would enable the brig
ade to get. at the fire from thai
vantage point. The roaring flames
made quick work of the structure
however, and at the command OF hill
instructors Cummins made his wal
to the ground only few mintues be
fore roof and walls fell in a heap
John Smith, of Owensboro, ant
Richard and William Callahan, O
indianapolis, who were in the base
ment at the time the fire started
worked hard in an effort to checl
the flames. but were unsuccessful
When the fire reached the dining
room they realized that further ef
forts from the inside to prevent thi
flames spreading were futile, an'
they Joined the bucket brigade oil
the outside.
The monks lined up with tn
students In their efforts to overcom
the flames, their faces tense ant
drawn and their mouths close
tight, while the students all abou
tuCiu were NolSihS luclI icdio II
shrieks, furnishing a picturesqu
setting for the flames. Standing a
though rooted TO the ground, the
passed bucket after bucket along tn
line to the men In fighting distanc
OF the fire. but It was as though oi
we're poured on the blaze. Tn
flames ate steadily into the structur
and In few hours an ash heap wa
all that remained OF the building.
Gethsemani College was situate
on the Louisville & Nashville raj
road. forty-nine miles east of Louis
Vile, In Nelson county. The colleg
and monastery are located at TraI
| pist Station. a mile north OF Gett
; semani Station. The fact that n
provision for fighting fire had bee
made and the further fact that IN
only ladder about the college wa
hardly longer than an ordinary steI
II L. = I.