New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-23
Work Side by Side with VOIun-
teerS from 0SSining When
Flames Destroy Three
Prison Buildings.
NONE ATTEMPTS ESCAPE
Blaze Starts in Pile of Oily Rope
in Mattress Factory-Miss-
ing Prisoner May Have
Lost Life Hiding in
Lumber Yard.

| three large shop buildings and the lum-
Der yard 10 a mass of smoulderng
ruins. The damage was about 100000.
Although the confusion that came rs
a result Of the conhagration might
have been taken as signal for a gen
eral Jail delivery by the fifteen hundred
inmates of the prison. not a single
effort was made 10y any to take adj
vantage Of it.
Under the leadership Of several II
their own number those in the fire
zone worked side by side with the Os-
shining hremen, while those in other
PARTS of the prison remained quietly
at work until ordered to their cells.
The only demonstration was when the
fir, was out in the form of yells and
songs. directed at the townsfolk gath
cred m The roadway outside the prison
walls 10 watch the blaze.
Escaped" Prisoner May Be Victim.
With the exception Of TWO men who
received minor injuries. no one was
hurt, although ii was thought that
Kurt SchOcnherr, Who escaped Satur-
day night. and who was supposed To be
hiding I'm the lumber yard, might have
met death As he vas the only one
not accounted for when "A final count
OF the prisoners was made last night,
search Of the ruins was ordered.
The fire started In pile Of oil
soaked rope on the second floor of the
mattress shop. Two minutes before it
was discovered DR.. Farr the prison
surgeon. passed the spot but noticed
nothing wrong. and moment later
Keeper Connaughton passed the same
place. but Il there was any fire there
he did not see II. lie had hardly
turned his back. however and was not
more than twenty teet away when
smoke was seen coming from the pile
by convict. who at once gave the
alarm.
The prison whistle WAS set footing In
short. quick blasts. summOniug thc
eight volunteer fire companies u the
Village 10 the prison. Meanwhile forty
second term men. employed on the Sec
md floor OF the mattress 'hop. Jumped
TO the fire hose and began hghtng the
Ilazc-eyery man for himself, there
being not enough guards on hand TO
organize them.
Despite their efforts the fire spread
rapidly, the flames soon enyclopng the
whole building and leaplng to the paint
and wagon shops and lumber yard. As
the flames spread. famed by strong
southcrly wind. the men played the
hose on them. but without staying
their progress. Their work was soon
augmented BY the Ossining fire com
panies. which brought in fifteen lines
Of hose. but the flames did not stop
until there was nothing left but black
cned walls. The newest Of the burned
buildings was built in 1880.
The wind carried the sparks to the
freight gate, which was nurned, leav-
ing "A wide exit If the prisoners had
been inclined 10 make 4 break. the
armed guards stationed there being
forced back by the heat.
Hartiqan Does Good Work.
The sparks few on the wind over the
town. setting fire TO the barn OF Isaac
Washburn, an eighth of a mile away.
II WAS DESTROYED. A lumber shed near
the railroad station was ignited, but
the fire was extinguished before much
damage was done.
Prominent among the convict fire
fighters was John Hartigdn, the former
policeman, who refused to betray the
system" in the New York police graft
exposures. and is doing term for per
Jury. He worked side 10y side with
Father William Cashin. the prison
chaplain. who took command OF a squad
of prisoners, who fought from the 1901
Of the old power house.
In the paint shop. where the names
burned with the greatest fury. were
two 25-gallon tanks Of bcnzlne ana
tank Of gasolene OF the same capacity.
Under the leadership Of William Green
nf Osslning. who is serving hfteen
years for burglary. and who led jail
delivery several years ago. squad o.
prisoners dragged these tanks 10 safe
place.
As darkness deepened Warden clancy
ordered the prisoners To their cells
Tired unfed and soaked with water,
they were inclined at first TO be sulky'
until Father Cashin assured them thelr
wants would be attended 20. This was
promptly done by order Of the warden.
This fire is a blessing Clancy SAID
1T will be necessary now to rebuild
Sing Sing. but II is pretty tough on
me. Soon after took charge ten days
ago a prisoner escaped. and now comes
this fire. | shall see that every prison
or who did good work to-day Is re
varded by the remission of whatever
demerits there may be against him
The two men hurt were Joseph Gar
roll. member OF one of the town nre
companies. who was overcome Dy
smoke. and Joseph Taylor, an instruc-
tor in the mattress shop, and also
Continued on second page. fourth column.