The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-28
TERRIBLE FIRE IN BROADWAY.

hant which have not found ruyers ior the reasons
above mentioned.
TERRIBLE FIRE IN BROADWAY.
->~~~o~~oo-~~~~~o~~~~
Three Men Burned 70 Death -Coroner's In
gueet upon the Bodies Of the VIctias.
4 Shortly before one o'clock yesterday morning hre
broke out in the attic floor OF the two story house No
eSs Broadway occupied by Messrs John harrington,
butchers Tie IRE spread with astonishing rapdty totne
roof and the whole upper story WAS enveioped In
flames
In ono Of the front attic bedrooms three
sleeping. Their names John Riley, Hugh oBrien
and Michael Madden; the latter person between sixty
and seventy years OF age In the adjoining attic slept the
servant girl Mary Spelman. The first alarm seems,
was given from the street, the police and Mr.. Hoghtn
having discovered the smoke and fire gushing through
the roof The inmates aroused quickly as posi-
BILE. Mr. Harrington hurried TO the garret and sndeAvor
ed to exrcate Of the deceased but the unfortunate
far stupened from the effects of the smoke
tina. WAS found impossible get him out and Mr. Far
nngton was driven back by the fire. The servant girl
made her escape to the roof, from which she was
taken down by OF the policemen. Tho three men
pershed the flames and after the nra was sufficiently
subdued the bodies OF the deceased found burnt and
charred in manner terrible TO look upon.
Assistant Engineer CornweI directed sheets TO be
brought and Fire Marshal Baker with the remen assist
ed removing the bodies from under the burnt rubbish
Each body enveopea in sheet and conveyed TO the
Fifteenth ward station house. The smallest bo which
said be that Hugh oBren, found its back,
In the open garrett barrel of -four He lay on hs
back with bis and legs contracted, caused by the
of the Ere. John Riley found also in the open
garrett, in kind OF Citing position, with his head
resting against the partition, between the servant
| girls bedroom and the they occupied. The
| ID hodv poeed IN ba Nald
| was found s back by the door leading
to the stairs This the body doubt taken hold of by
Mr.. harrington, who compelled 10 abandon il 10
cape burning himself.
rhe deceased parties were the employ of Mr. Far.
rington, and thought well OF by their employer.
| They had been with him for several years.
The gaets and roof Of the buildings No $40, 63s and
$50 pretty much destroyed.
Mr. Harrington occupied the whole of the nrs floor Of
Nos 6Ss and 64o for his market, and the whole Of the
second sory of $40 and the garet OF $685. door Of
muDcation being on the Rarret story Ar. Harrington
! and family had . Eayrow escape
No. 63s second Goor front room occupied by Henry d.
Backwood, optcen Damage 10 sock, &C.. about 500.
same floor " liam Iapgrebe tailor Damaged by wa.
ter about Sloo Said 70 be insured.
NO S3e, first floor occupied by Henry Gertska tailor
Stock damaged by water probably TO the amount of $500
Insured for - coo the Relief and Broadway Insurance
BACK room, same aoor, occupied1y Victor Couraz,
| tailor. Damaged about $lb0 No insurance
Second hoor-Occuped by Mr.. Overon and family fur
nitre, &C. damaged by water TO the amount OF about
L
Basomen,-Occup.sd by Louis saatz, dealer in rurni
ure Damaged by water about 500 Insured for q 200
| in the Williamsburg CIT. and Hamilton Insurance Com
Mr. Harrington insured for $500 on his stock of mel,s
&C. in the Market Insurance Company, and $500 his
household furniture In the Bowcry Company
| His damage viii amount about $500 The buildng
damaged 70 the amount Of about 81 600 The loss
covered by They belong the Mason estate
The origin of the FIRE under Investigation by the Fire
Marshal.
| coRoNERs INQUEST.
EQFDh dl( thA pa0la exxlx
| early hour, and at proceeded 10 the
Of the disaster for the purpose of holding inquest
upon the bodies OF the victims who had pershed the
flames. jury empannelled who after visiting the
repair the eenh precinct station house
the evidence OF the witnesses who had been subpoenaed
the occasion During the progress Of the inquest the sta
ton house visited by thousands OF citizens who
anxious 70 behold the ohared remains Of the unfortunate
victims Tho friends and relatives Of the deceased
also ocked To the spot where the shocking spectacle
presented and not few tears shed the fate OF
thoee who few hours previously were full OF e hope
and happiness but who then nought but horrible
looking Of backened dcsh. The proceedings before
the Coroner, including the testimony OF surviving oc
cupans OF the house wherein the re took place will 10
found interesting The following Is report OF the pro
Bridget McXenna being sworn says.-I IDENTITY one of
the bodies in the fifteenth precinct station house 10 be
my brother, Hugh oBren, who worked for Mr.. Earring
ton the butcher VI broadway and Beecker street.
a whose place fire occurred this morning. deceased has
been IN the business about nine years him alive
| Wednesday night; he boarded and slept at Mr.. Far.
ring,ons
jobn A. Harrington, residing at No. $40 Broadway, de.
posed that no Kept the City Market At said place Hugh
| OBrien, John Riley and Michael Madden, ali now lying
dead In the Fifteenth precinct station worked for
him them all Friday evening about o'clock they
all slept n the garrett bedroom fronting Broadway
about II O'Clock yesterday morning witness awoke
/ by crying "hre" he jumped out OF bed and
found the house wa on IRE two Of his children slept an
| adjoining room; be went in and 20, them out aud
down stairs, opened the door and let two officers
heard bis brother and some others crying out up stairs
went stairs and the servant girl had got the
roof Of the billiard abe had her clothes her hsnd
though, then thai all the inmates Of the house had got
out but Afterwards discovered that the three already
referred TO In the ruins the old Madden
10 bed about O'Clock do no; know when the other two
retired Am Of the opinion that the fire commenced IN
garrcs the bodies Of the deceased we're ali found n
the garret hallway near their bedroom.
william Mcdonnell, Of the Fneenth precinct police, de-
posed that be duty Broadway about II O'Clock
yesterday morning; passed the City Market ~ l2s
O'Clock there sign Of nre then went far as
Fourteenth street. and returned down, when saw smoke
and Hames burst out OF the bouse OF Blocker
street and broadway came 70 The station house
and gave the alarm, and then returned 10 the
fire: went M stairs INTO Mr. Farrington's house
and brought out two ofthe children the rst appeared
N The ga,,e nere ws Ss a. up mere
hre there no fire on the opposite side OF the
ret after the Gre was put out saw the bodies Of the de-
George W Dks Inspector of the Fifteenth precinct de-
posed that he AZ the FIRE while there he found
cion OF arson but there why he should
be detained he discharged made inquiry into the
origin Of the Ere and believe resulted from the care
lessness OF the men who we're burned.
Jonas Harrington, sworn, said the brother Of
fohn A. Farr ngton, proprieto< OF the City Msrka
home la hight about i've minutes before twelve O'Clock,
went " bed the earret oor smelled Ere AZ the
time but not thinking anything about 20 bed and got
sleep, when one my nephews ssys house
was on fire. rushed out Of my room and saw that the
room occupied by the deceased all In flames one OF
thc lay the Aor groaning there possibility OF
getting near them the Gre originated on The froni floor
all the men were IN before came home, for bolted the
hail door as came in and put out the gss light.
Philip o. Hanlon, Jr., NJ D., beng duly sworn deposed
thai he examined The bodies OF the deceased they were
reduced almost ts cinder by burns the legs and
we're burned OF.
The matter was then given 10 the Jury, who after due
deliberati0n, rendered verdict Of "Death by being
burned At the Gre in the City Market Of Broadway
and Beecker street, February "a, 1858"
OBrien was twenty FIVE years Of age and a native
Of fiireisnd. Riley was twenty six years DID, and
native Of Ireland. Madden also nerve Of Ireland
and wes seventy years old.