The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1913-07-25
BLAME FOR FIRE
WILL Be FIXED
INVESTIGATION TO BE MADE INTO
OAKLEY FARM DISASTER.
IS BODIES ARE RECOVERED
Accidental or Incendiary Blaze Causes
Sickening Loss Of Life at State
Prison Farm-Flames Beyond
Control When Seen.

ia oN
tion will be made into the fire at Oak
ley prison farm Monday night is GER
tain. Two theories are entertained as
to the origin OF the blaze which cost
the lives of IS negro eonvicts; one that
the fire was accidents, the other that
is was of incendiary origin.
The Anticipated cage in which the
convicts were caught and the lack OF
proper fire protection will be among
the features to be investigated.
Eighteen charred bodies of convicts
were removed from the ruins Of the
Oakley state convict prison fire, in
which q total OF IS convicts, all NE
groes. persisted. The bodies were found
huddled together in the corner iarthest
from where the fire started.
When the alarm was given all posi-
bic means OF escape Tor the imprisoned
men had been cut off by the flames, but
prisoners in another pen were formed
in a relief squad and worked desperate
~ to fight back the fire. The IS pris-
oners had persisted in less thar an hour
after the fire started.
Sergeant John Doods, in charge oisthe
farm. said it was his opinion that the
fire was caused by spontaneous com,
bustion among a lot OF hay, molasscs
and other farm products under a stair
way. 1t was the burning of this stan
way that prevented the escape Of the
prisoners. a can OF gasoline was also
on the same flo-r with the stores. 1t
IL believed the combustion WAS aided
by water dripping from the cells above,
where the prisoners bathed.
Twenty minutes before the fire was
discovered a Waterman had made his
rounds and announced all well. Twenty
minutes later another Waterman discov'
cred the entire building in flames, the
stairway aflame and the prisoners were
trapped.
Coroner J.. ". Beal, after an inquest
announced the following verdict:
I'VE. the jury, find that the 35 pris
oners came to their death by an un
avoidable accident. 5. P. Byrd, hospita
sergeant in charge, is completely exon
Grated
j. c. Gathings, penitentiary supesin
tendent, went to Oakley to make
thorough investigation OF the eircum
stances surrounding the tragedy an
report his findings to the board Of pris
on trustees.
Most OF the convicts burned to dealt
were serving lie sentences. and anon
them were noted negro criminals.
Trapped by flames in the second stor.
of an antiquated convict cage, the firs
floor Of which was used to store hay
grain and molasses. 35 negro prisoner
we're roasted alive at the Oakley convic
farm. 20 miles from here, late Monda
night.
When the flames rapidly eating ava
the only stairway leading to the seeon
floor. the entrapped prisoners f%rantica
|, I've tore at the heavy bars that covere
the windows. but to no avail. The
&. screams brought the two night guard
TO the scene before they had seen I'll
flames and -oon other prison attaehf
l hurried TO the cage Their effort
we're futile. however. as the flames drov
them back each time they attempted
hberate the men.
= At last they stood aghast when sloy
: " the frantic screams OF the burnir
conyict- died away a. one after a
other suecumbed to the flames. FINAL
all was quiet, and the smell OF burnt
! human fle-h permeated tine air as Il