Evening star., 1923-02-19
Is PERISH IN fire.;
SPR0BES BEGUN
Twenty-Five Patients and 3
Guards at New York Asylum
for Insane Victims.
19 BODIES RECOVERED
Deaths at Other Blazes in or Near
City Bring Toll for
Day to 81.
By the Associated Press.

I
| NEW YORK, February 1q-EIeht
inquiries were under way today into
the tragedy on Wards Island, a little
jutting rock In the swirling waters
iof He'll Gate, where yesterday fire
swept ward Of the Manhattan State
Hospital for the Insane, killing twen-
ty-two patients and three male at
! tendants.
! Nineteen bodies had been recovered
| before dusk and removed to the city
morgue, but six more remained in the
ice-covered ruins. These, it was
reared. had been cremated, and Supt.
Marcus B. Heyman expressed doubt
whether more than charred bones
ever would be recovered.
| The blaze was believed to have been
started ~ a terrific blast in He'll
Gate which broke the insulation on
electric wiring, causing a short cir
cult.
! -.. Calm After Fire.
A curious hush pervaded the island
during the night. Tho bedlam of cries
and rawlings which ordinarily might
have been expected was entirely lack
ing. The whole population of the
states asylum presented a phlegmatic
calm after the day Of sorrow. a day
on which the insane acted most
sanely.
The one unit Of the seventy-five on
the island that was attacked by
flames housed the most violently in
sane-men Of homicidal tendency,
who might at any moment have leapt
at the throats Of their rescuers.
But leap they did not. A few strug-
gled as guards tried to push their way
to safety through the smoke and
an attendant was reported.
Investigations Begun.
The fire marshars Office was the
scene Of today's first investigation.
Summoned there at 9 o'clock were the
three attendants whose effective
work was chiefly responsible for the
rescues-James Hills. the attendant
In charge of the ward; Michael Camp
bell and John Curry.
Later these men were ordered to
report at the office Of Medical Exam
iner Norris.
Meanwhile the state architect, with
a force Of men. was aiding in probing
the debris while C. Floyd Haviland.
chairman of the state hospital COM
mission, was making further exam
ination of the ruins before submit
Tho possibility that the district at
torney's office might launch fifth In
vestigation also loomed.
The sixth investigation was being
directed by the hospitals board OF
managers.
short-Cfrcuit Blamed.
A seventh investigation, concluded
last night by city detectives, resulted
In a report to Detective Capt Carey
that the fire In all probability had
been caused by a short circuit caused
by the He'll Cato blasting.
Brig. Gen. Edward Burr, in charge
for the War Department Of the
dredging Of He'll Gate, declined to
comment on the theory that blasting
by the dredges was the original cause
Of the fire. He said II this theory
was advanced seriously he would in
augurate an investigation also.
DR.. Havtland supported DR.. Heyman
In his contention that the burned
building was greatly overcrowded.
For this reason ITS patients were
tions since January I. but this only
partly relieved the congestion.
War Veteran q Victim.
A funeral barge moved down the
East river shortly before midnight
carrying to Bellevue morgue tho
nineteen bodies that had been re.
covered. In only FIVE cases were
Identification possible Iansa %
Hines, one Of the patients who per-
ished, was a. veteran of the world
war. His wife said he had returned
from France with his mind greatly
impaired. Mrs. Hines said that her
husband had escaped from the island
two weeks ago by hiding in q boat.
Stopping at his fathers house, he OBJ
tained some fresh clothing and then
IContinued on PaGa q. Column u