Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-02-26

I
ly consisted of Henry Hanna his WIFE Julia Hanna,
| little daughter about 16 months old (their only
| child, Alexander Hanna, and two sisters of Mrs.
| Hanna, aged respectively about and II years.
| Shortly before o'clock two gentlemen, named Deal
and Tudor, discovered smoke issuing from that part
| of the house in which Mr.. Hannas family resided
and proceeded Immediately to notify the occupants of
| the lower portion Of the house, a German fam
| lily, John Bonner and wife, who replied that
| there fire up there, and also. that no per-
son lived in that part of the house; and insisting
that the house not on fire. refused any one ad-
mittance. The gentlemen finding their efforts to gain
admission unavailing, then left and in few minutes
again called to the house by two boys By this
time the upper portion Of the house was in full blaze
Forcing their stairs they beheld the bodies of
hVe OF the occupants lying upon the floor dead, and
! the other, Henry Hanna, in an almost lifeless
! condition. An alarm of fire was at once sounded
through box S3 but before the llremon reached the
scene, three ofthe bodies had been removed The de-
partment Immediately set to work to eXtinCuish the
flames and to remove the other bodies. The fire was
put out after having burned the entire upper story to-
geher with most ofthe furniture therein Sergt Kau
| man procured a conveyance and removed the bodies
to the eastern station house. Dr. Dwinelle was i'm
| medlately summoned TO attend the only surviving
member of the family, but pronounced his case hone
less being injured in such manner as to preclude
the possibility of recovery. Coroner Sparklin in the
meantimew was made cognizant of the sad occurrence
| and summoned jury of inquest. of which John W.
Nash was foreman. After careful Investigation of
the affair, and the examination of the witnesses pro-
duced Cwho were but few in number, as scarcely any
| one seemed to know anything of the occurrence
save what was evidenced by the sad spectacle }
| the jury rendered the following verdict THAT
the deceased came to their death from the ignit-
ing of a certain quantity Of eombustble matter or
fireworks in the house in which they lived and that
we, the jury, believe that John Bohner and wife who
reside in the lower portion of the house. ought to be
held amena5e for the death Of the parties on
OF negligence and refusing to give that information
which might otherwise have resulted in saving the
| lives of the deceased"
The reason assigned by Bonner and his wife for
giving the information they did that they thought
the persons who desired to gain information wanted
to rob the house; but as they spoke in German and
IN such an excited manner but little could be ascer
tanned from them to how the affair occurred After
the rendition of the verdict, Coroner Sparklin di-
rected Captain Lynch to take Bonner and wife into
| custody, who were held to answer the charge
alleged against them. As will be by the verdict
the origin of the fire is attributed to the gniting of
some combustible material used in the manufacture
| of fireworks, which it appears had been brought
home by young Mr. Hanna, Nyho was employed in
| the establishment of Vim. Bond, pyrotechnist, on
| Wolf street, between Baltimore and Fayette
streets y for the purpose it is supposed of manu-
featuring it in his dwelling at night but in what man
| ner fire was communicated to the cOmbuStibes re-
mains in mystery, though twas stated that the stove
in the room which contained the agtcles was yet hot
| when the room entered and it is supposed that
| fire was in that way communicated. Tbe@cene at
the station house presented u sight indescribable.
The bodies appeared if only wrapped in sleep.
seeming to have been suocated (as was the impres-
sion of many the faces showed but little marks of
the fire. and were but slightly disfgured, though
other parts Of the bodies were considerably scar
| red. They supposed to have been burned
| after they were sufocated, no cries were
| heard Truly, the scene was a most pitiable one,
| and could but move the hearts of even the most
stoical, as they viewed-lying in a row-the three
sisters, all Of whom appeared to have been in the
bloom of health, while together lay tbs grandfather
and the little grandson-the latter at tie feet of its
unconscious mother. The face of the little child was
| particularly interesting and drew forth many COM
ments from those who visited the scene, the little
plump face being but slightly disGgured, and the
curly auburn locks scarcely singed. To make the
scene yet more distressing, if possible in another
apartment lay the dying father, unconscious of the
| fate of his wife and only child.
The pavement in front of the station house was
crowded with eager faces anxious to learn the par
ticulars of the unfortunate occurrence and so sad
fate had really befallen family who the night pre-
vious had retired in the enjoyment of good health.
! The spontaneous declaration was, Truly in the
| midst of life in DEATH"
The house belonged to B0hner and was damaged
| to the amount of between two and three hundred
| dollars.
Since the above was in type. the following addi-
tional particulars have been received. Young Hanna
survived until about haIfpast two o'clock on Sunday
morning, when death relieved him of his suffcrngs
During Saturday afternoon he rallied So as to be able
| to converse with several who visited him. amonn
| whom We're number Of his friends. Il stated that
he got up IN the morning. and after kinaiing fire
went dcT7n TO the establishment in which he was en-
! pioyed. Upon returning he found keg containing
| some combustlble matter fire, and kicking ont
the window, picked up the keg in order to throw
| it into tho street, when it exploded That was
| the last knowledge he had of the occurrence
until ne found himself situated as he then was He
knew nothing Of the fate of his family and asked for
his Tte, but, some hopes were entertained of his
recovery, 1t was thought prudent not to inform him
then OF her sad fate, or that of any member of the
family, as it might be too severa & shock for him in
his weak condition. During the afternoon two of the
sisters OF Mrs t"nna, who married and reside in
thI city, visited the station house to see the remains
OF the deceased and the scene which followed beggers
description. The girls, Anna and Lima uyIand whose
parents reside II Erosthurg, Maryland, were on a
visit w their sister at the time of the sad occurrence
The bodies Of the deceased were taken in CHARGE NV
their friends and deposited in vault in Ioudon Park
cemetery. The parents Of the gr}s were notified of
the mmentabie occurrence by telegraph, and were
expected to arrive n this city some time during
terday. Considerable credit is due Cant Lynch ond
Lieuts. Love and Waltham as well as tbe o+bags of
hcerS Of the police force. who rendered sccA efficient
ald IN caring for those who had net with such an un
| timely end.
4 r--V
sold on Saturday last, at the Exchange salesrOoms
an annuity of 1922 issuing out of lot the south
east corner of German and Sharp streets, improved
by st. Peters Protestant Episcopal Church, to j. H.
Caughey, for f6025. Also, one of 24 on lot on the
southeast of German street and German alley
25 by . feet improved by portion of the warehouse
/ occupied by Turnbull, Riach & Murdoch to Samuel
| Wyman for $3.50 One of the same amount, on a lot
of the same dimensions on the east tide of German
alley, improved by portion of the warehouse occu-
/ pied by John S. Barry j. Co., to J. H. Caughey for
SiSO. Ono OF the same amount lot adjoining the
| last described, of same dimensions, improved by a
| portion of the warehouse occupied by Austin Dali &
! Co.. to the same party for $3.50. One of a similar
| amount on lot adjoining the last named. improved
/ by portion of the warehouse occupied by Ross
Campbell 4 Co.. to the same party for $3.50 Another
of the amount, a lot on the east side of Ger
alley. improved by factory in the rear of No.
| % Hanover street, to Geo. Huppman for S4S0
| SUNDAY SCHOOL ANNIvERsARY.-Ths anniversary
of the Sabbath school cause in tue I'd Presbyterian
Church. of which Rev. George P. Hays is pastor was
held yesterday G.ternOon There are three different
schools in connection with the church and its care
! The school meeting at the church. of which Mr. ].
Henry GieSe is superintendent, has 81 teachers and
officers and 25t children tho roll. The Breckin-
| ridge Mission school, of which Mr. George Carey is
superintendent, has % teachers and 1914 scholars
The Sewing school, which meets on Satuarday after
noon, of which Mrs. E. S. Haynes is superintendent,
| has y teachers and over 300 children All these
schools were present. seated in the seats and aisIes
while every spot not filed with children was crowded
with tho audience, and yet many could not get in
Interesting and very encouraging reports were read
showing that all the schools were in very prosper
GUS condition. Very excellent and appropriate ad-
dresses were delivered by A. Stirling Jr. ESQ., and
| DR.. II. S. Hunt. The children sang many beautiful
| hymns in which they were led by DR.. j. R. Kerr and
| II. Longcope. Upon the whole, it was most pleas
ant and profitable service.
CONFIDENCE swIND.. D..E-Riohard Thackeray, of
| Nortn East .ecil county, was vctimized on Friday
evening last, by pair of confidence swiudlers. II.
met one of them, who gave the name of y. How
ard took walk. met fictitious creditor Of Hovord,
who presented bill. Mr.. Thackeray was called upor
for loan, gave his companion all the money he bot
S59-and soon afterwards found himself alone. II,
~ Ind hn AIn- HI