FEARFUL SCENE AT A FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8962, 28 January 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

FEARFUL SCENE AT A FIRE.

A ttorible scene occurred at Webberville, Michigan, a few days »go. Shortly before midnight the cry of " Fire !" was heard, and almost immediately after it was discovered that the town lock up was in flames. It was a one-storey wooden structure standing alone in an open square. Above the crackling of the flames cries were heard from an inmate of one of the cells. When the citizens arrived the doomed man was seen frantically beating the bars of his cell and crying for help. The people were powerless to rescue him, and in the presence ot the crowd ho slowly roasted to death. Some of the crowd made ineffectual efforts to rescue him, but were driven away by the heat. Little by little the doomed man was forced back, but only when the bars became red hot did he abandon all hope of escape. The horror of the situation proved such a frightful mental strain on the prisoner tbat he became insane. Tearing his scorched clothing off, he dashed himself against the bars, and grabbed the red-hot Irons in the vain effort to escape. An odour of burned flesh pervaded the air. Frantically cursing the crowd for not helping him, the roasting man rushed madly around the narrow enclosure, while the spectators stood rooted by horror to the spot. Gradually his cries grew weaker, and he was seen to sink to the floor, and soon all was over. The prisoner was Newhall Tyler, 3S years old. He had been imprisoned for striking a boy on the head.