The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-08-06
MAN DROPPED DEAD
DURING ASYLUM FIRE
John 0'Neil, Aged As, Victim of Heart
Failure, as Flames Menaced New
Hampshire State Hospital.

Concord, n. H., Aug. 6.--During S5,-
900 fire in the Industrial building, situ-
ated near the violent wards of the state
hospital, last night, over 1000 inmates
were thrown into an uproar, and John
lO'Neil, 45, of Exeter, once leading New
Hampshire lawyer, dropped dead from
heart failure, precipitated by excite
ment.
The fire was spectacular. The indus
trial building, center OF various actlvl-
| ties, storehouse, and electrical plant, and
| itself condemned as a fire menace, Of
fered many opportunities for enormous
loss, and the presence of hundreds of
insane, bordering on disastrous panic,
and eliminating in the death of ONeil,
made the situation for several hours
highly fraught with dangerous Possi-
bilities.
The absence of wind and the brick
walls and slate roof OF the burning build
ing aided the firemen, but only after two
hours of desperate fighting were the
flames subdued and the danger of their
spreading past.
The fire, which is supposed to have
started in q pile of lumber, in the drying
room on the second floor of the building,
from spontaneous combustion, broke out
at about 7 O'Clock last night, when the
alarm was at once sounded. While the
department was making the run, the
hospital apparatus was put into service.
Upon arrival the fremen discovered
the blaze to be confined TO the second
floor, where inmates of the institution
worked at carpentering. The inside of
the building, including floors, is OF wood,
although the walls are of brick and the
roof of slate. This combination kept the
flames largely inclosed, and the fire was
an unusually hot one TO handle.
Because of the wooden flooring, 1t was
feared that the heavy machinery on the
second floor would break through. This
would have caused considerable damage,
as on the first floor were stored barrels
of flour, other supplies, and the electrical
plant Of the large institution is also To-
Gated there. II this had been put out of
commission, the entire estate would have
been plunged into darkness, causing un-
told dangers among the hundreds OF
wards. filled with excited insane persons.
But luckily, the flooring held and the
fremen after fully two hours Of battling
were able to conhne and extinguish the
blaze.
The proximity Of the burning building
20 the violent wards offered exceedingly
dangerous possibilities, and although the
situation was tense for a period, il is
said that the guards were able after
much endeayor 20 corral and quiet the
excited inmates.
The industrial building is situated
within a U-shaped enclosure Of buildings
On either side are the Kent and Peaslee
buildings. These are large brick struc-
lures. the Peaslee containing the worst
male patients aud the Kent the women
who are more violent than the others
The worst wards in the entire institu-
ton Of ] .265 patients are in the Peaslee
and Kent buildings, many being in soli-
tayr confinement. The hospital build
ings. where invalids and those having
mtlder forms of insanity are kept. are
some distance removed from these strne-
lures and toward the city proper.
AZ the flames broke out Of the burning
building, they shot upward - or 81 feets
directly in sight Of the inmates Of the
peaslee and Kent buildings. screams
and nerve-racking medley of noises
rent the night air as the frightened IN
fortuuates ran about the corridors. rooms
and oells Al was uprosr, and panic
Of alarming proportions seemed immi-
nent.
Guards and sttendsuts worked swiftly
and With knowledge and soon with shades
drawn q hide ths siElt ~ the farnss
and keep the smoke from entsriuE. theif
charges were gathered IN several rouus,
ard. although net quiste8, ksrt from
danger
Nyhru the ere wss discovered ~ thf
irrusfss one of The first a. rush dsv.n
ths corridors vas Hutn OAeh ~ ENsteFs
ara suddenly hs fsH Hs did trurnsti-
stslr. ss,d 4 - understood that hssrt
frurfas sausra Ne asath. the sreitsruent
ef ths nsausert hnrrying the end-