The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-02-22

rible catastrophics which has, probably
occurred in this city since the burning
Of the Richmond Theatre (somc forty
years pasD. took place about l O'clock
yesterday morning. At that hour, th>
thrcc-storv brick building on Main street
between Thirteenth and Fourteenth, oc
cupied Jointly as store and dwelling by
Mcssrs. Marcuse & Hutzlcr, and Mr.
Joseph Stebbins and family, was dis
covered to be on fire; and so rapidly die
the flames spread, that the occupants Of
the third story, consisting of Mr.. Steh-
bins, his wife, and three children,
persisted in the building.
In order that the particulars of the
affair may be fully understood, it is re-
quisite to state that the tenement in
which this distressing calamity occurred
fronts on Main street three stories, and
runs back with an end of the same
height, the whole forming an ell. The
sleeping apartments of tic inmates were
in the rear end; Mr.. IIutzler's family
using the second story and Mr.. Steb-
bins's the third. The fire was first dis
covered by member Of Mr.. Hutzlcr's
family. who was awakened by the crack
ling blaze which proceeded from the en-,
closed porch above, used by Mr.. Steb>
bins as an Office and drying-room, he
being engaged in the dyeing business.
In an incredibly short time the names
envcloped the outside wooden structure,
and running along, soon Tapped up the
stairway, which forms the only commu:
nication from the building to the yard
below. Fortunately the occupants of
the first and second stories succeeded in
escaping in their night clothes ere this
avenue Of egress was cut Oft, or else
they, too, would have fallen victims to
the devourirg element.
AS nothing was positively known of
the fate of Mr.. Stebbins and his family,
strong hopes were entertained during the
earlier part of the day yesterday that
they had, in the excitement and contu-
sion consequent upon the earlier stages
of the conflagration, passed ouI of the
alley leading to the street unooserved,
and were quartered at the house Of his
brother, Mr.. Charles Stebbins, in the
upper part Of the city, or had taken re-
fuge with some other of their friends and
acquaintances. Parties were sent in diff
ferent directions to search for them, the
crowd behind, in the meantime, peering
and peeping about among the shoulder
ing ruins in order to settle the doubt
which still existed in the minds of some
that human life had been sacrificed
About half past II o'clock, the last mes
senger returned, bringing no tidings,
when it was determined to ascend the
third story, which had not yet
been explored. Accordingly, the Hook
AID Ladder Company brought down
one of their ladders, which was
placed on the outside of the building
from Main street, by which means &C
cess could be bad to the highest point !;
and one of the members was first sent
TN to ascertain the situation of affairs
Near the street window were the bodies
Of Mr. and Mrs, Stcbbins, where they
had fallen with their faces downwards,
as if in the act of rushing back to the
assistance of their children, while, in the
other part of the room, the chayrcd and
almost limbless trunks of the three chill
dren. consisting of their daughter,
Laura, a beautiful young girl, nineteen
wears of age, and two little sons, named
Henry, aged ten years, and Arthur, aged
eight, were lying with their faces leading
to the street, as if endeavoring to follow
their parents. The three children were
lying together, the two youngest being
in the embrace of their sister, as if she
were trying to carry them to place OF
safety. The bodies of neither Of them
could be recognized by their features
and the only means by which they could
be identified was their respective sizes
About IL o'clock the unfortunate victim.
of this horrible occurrence were put into
separate collins, lowered to the ground
from the front windows, and all place.
together in an ambulance in waiting
outside. They were then taken to thu
Broad Street Methodist Church, where
an inquest was held by Coroner Little
= before whom the following testimony
was elected:
William II. Hayward testifed-A few
minutes after l o'clock l arrived at The
scene of contlagratiop. did not see
any of Mr.. Stebbins's family, but dis
tinctly heard, before | got to the house
Mr.. Stebbins crying for help; also, q
female voice crying for help. When
arrived there, there were only few per
sons present. made an effort to pass
through the store to the staircase be
hind, which found enveloped in flames
passed through the store and through
the back door to the platform outside
!: Inc :. doors were all open. | asked lady
y. II. ,stebbins's family had escaped
s s.'S .olo me she thought they had.
nnQ no reason To hol;a,. A..