A TERRIBLE SCENE.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 6, Issue 303, 2 November 1883, Page 5

A TERRIBLE SCENE.

[From the ' N.Z. Times' ' London Correspondent.] The heroes are not ]all dead yet, though some people seem to imagine that deeds of dariag belong to the tented field, and must bs of necessity banished the more wars and fightings become memories of the past. Peace, however, has its victories as well as war, and the little village of Southall, near London, has lately been the scene of one of them. Not far from the "old Uxbridge read there stands, or rather stood a few days ago, a fine old mansion of the Queen Anne style, built by the famous Sarah Jennings, wife of the great Duke of Marlborough. After passing through various vicissitudes, it finally became a private lunatic asylum, managed and owned by Dr Boyd. This gentleman was formerly superintendent of the Somersetshire County Asylum, and was an eminent authority on the subject of insanity. On the night of the 14th August, the cook was aroused by a smell of fire, and she at once called her master and his family. The flames, however, soon burst forth in all directions, the old wooden panelling of the walls, staircases, etc., feeding the fire in a fearful manner. The entire village was soon 1 aroused, but, owing to the absence of water and engines, nothing could be done to subdue the rage of the devouring element. A terrible scene, of course, ensued. The unhappy patients, belonging to some ©f the oldeßt families in England, rushed to the windows babbling helplessly, and in some cases positively resisting the efforts made for their escape. Personal violence had to be used in several cases, and one old woman persisted in clambering in at the window, even after she had been once jot out. Fortunately another asylum stands near at hand, and here most of the inmates were finally taken. Meanwhile, however, the doctor, who was a fine old gentleman of 70 re-entered the buring mansion with his son, a young man of 25, with a view it is supposed of seeing whether every one had been get out; certain it is, however that they were never seen again, and so fierce was the conflagration that five persons in all were killed. No definite remains have yet been recovered from the ruins. Miss Boyd and her cousin jumped on to a conservatory, and received severe injuries, though they are happily recovering. Whilsb these things wer« going on a thrilling scene was enacting at a high tower which flanked the corner of [ the building, and I cannot do better than extract the graphic description given in the Standard, of which the heroes were William Webber, of the North Road Farm, and a policeman named Doughton : — •' High up, and on the very top of the western tower, two women could be distinguished in the fitful light of the flame», which were making greedy passages toward them. Their doom appealed certain. From the windows below them the fire bleched forth smoke, curled up at their rery feet, and a light east wind fanned the blaze that was gliding along the roof, Beneath them every avenue of escape was out; off, and there they stood on a piece

of masonry, the supports of which they could see were being consumed. The situation seemed hopeless. The firemen had not then arrived ; there was not to hand the apparatus for saving life ; the daly thing available was a ladder; and that only reached to the height of the lower wing. The girls ware forty or fifty feet in the air. They bid escaped through a skylight, and ascended to the giddy altitude to preserve life as long as possible. The men below hailed them with words of encouragement and hope ; they replied by imploring help in tones that could ba heard aboy« the raging noise of the conflagration. Women wept, and men ran aimlessly hither and thither in their distraction. A bright glare from th« ignited roof of the main building told th it aid must be on the instant if at all. The hapless girls in their position of mortal peril, clung together, and turned to look aghast'at their approaching fate. From the obscurity of the surrounding fields they couid be seen from afar, outlined, in their white clothing and dishevelled hair against the sky. They flung forth their arms and asked, in wild and hysterical tones for mercy. Aid was at hand. Webber and Doughton volunteered to atcend the tower, and they did so in the only way that was open to them. They got on the roof, the lower wings of vrhich happily still held good, and drawing the ladder up afrer them, with the exercise of great personal strength, they placed it PSfiiust the tower, resting the bottom of the uprights in the le.<ds, so that there might be oar more chaneo f.>r them should the roof beneath give way. So exciting was the moment, that the spectator* of the daring act held their breath. Only the roar of the fire disturbed the silence oE the night. Through the black and eddying smoke, Webber, with Doughton, made his way, now lost to the sight and anon disclosed to it by a burst of light. At length the top was reached, and . sinewy brown, arms were seen to encircle one of the girls and place her on the ladder. She desceaded two or three steps, and whether slie was stifled by the smoke or whether her i nerves failed her is not known, but she 10.-t ■ her bold, and fell with a crash on the roof bolow. A sickening sensation pervaded the , crowd, as they heard her wail out ' I'm dy- i ing !' The second aivl was got down in i sufety ; the ladder was lowered, and in the next minute both were handed down to solid earth amid heartfelt cheers." Some substantial recognition of snch a gallant act as : that of these two men will I hope be forth- ; coming, and doubtless the Queen will confer on them a medal, for bravery, a special order ■ for civilians having been instituted many | years ago. I regret to say the girl Howe is dead. All the victims perished f-o entirely in the flames that no recognisable traces sufficient for purposes of a coroner's inquest ! have been discovered. '