The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-28
A BROOKLYN HORROR.
Drunken Family Roasted AEiVe--Eh,
Phenomena of ImbibHti0n.


The New York EueR,ng Te egrdn, OF yest !rday
says:-
Coroner Jones was notified yesterday to hold
an inquest over the body OF Mrs. Ellen W1aeD,
at the Brooklyn City Hospital. The deceased
IL will be remem bered, was the wlte of jeremiah
Whalen, and resided with him in the frame
tenement house in the rear OF No. POS Sands
street. On Sunday last they had been drinking
very freely together, until they finally became
grossly intoxicated, and then retired to their
bed, leaving n talow candle burning on a
washstand near by. When the candle blrued
down 1t set fire TO the stand, and the
flames communicated to the Oed.clothng, and
envtloped the unfortunate occupants, who,
when discovered, presented a most shocking
sight, their faces and bodies being terribly
charred, and the hair burned entirely from
their heads. They were removed to the City
Hospital, where everything possible to allie.
viate the euferings of the wretched people
was done. The woman sank rapidly, no Uever,
and breathed her last a. all early hour yesterday
morning. the condition of the husband of the
deceased was very precariOus at late holr last
evening. Coroner Jones proceeded to empanel
a jury, and held an inquest into the Circum-
stances attending the affair yesterday after
noon, when the following testimony was eli
cited
officer Claup, of the Forty-second precinct,
was the first witness Gale J. He testided that
as he was passing through Sands street, between
2 and O'Clock on sunday morning, he heard
the voice of a woman crying fire" in a lane
leading to the rear of No. 205; he went TO the
place as soon rs possible and found smoke
issuing from a frame building occupied by some
balf-dozen families; he raped upon the door,
but receiving no answer, he took an axe and
broke open one OF the windows; on entering the
first room he found Michael Murphy lying upon
n lounge quite UNCONSCIOUS OF the fire; after
pulling him out he went 10 the inside room
and found two persons lying en- the floor, one
man and the other a woman; he caught hold
of the woman for the purpose OF pulling her
out, but she was burned in such terrible
manner that the skin stripped from her arms;
after removing the he turned and
carried out the man; after eXJinguishing the
fire he examined the place, and found that
candle which had been left lighted upon
washstand had fallen upon the floor and set
fire to some skirts, dresses, etc, and the fire had
communicated from them to the bedding. This
was the origin of the fire. When the alarm was
given 1t was twenty minutes OF 8 O'Clock in the
morning.
Mary Smoke testified that she was q relative
of the deceased, and was at the house on Sunday
evening; went there about O'Clock, but lett
about halt-past eight; her mother, husband,
Murphy, and another man were also present;
they were not drunk, bat Mr.. and Mrs. Whalen
were both under the influence OF liquor, and
drank liquor frequently while witness was
present; Murphy was also drunk; the Wnalens
were IN the habit OF drinking.
Michael Murphy testified as folio Ts:-I was
at Mr. Wbaleu's on Sunday last; went there
about or 2 o'clock; / was not sober at the
time; drank n number of times during the
afternoon and evening-oue or two quarts of
ale and six glasses of Bourbon whisky, each
glass being about half full; the more drank
the more sober | got.
Coroner Jones could hardly understand this,
and asked the witness if he understood the
nature of an oath. He replied he did "Do you
believe" said the Coroner, chat a man who is
not Christian. who lies and steals, will be pun
shed hereafter?" He said he did.
Corouer-And now do you mean to tell me
that, alter drinking two quarts of ale and six
glasses OF whisky-each glass half full-that
you were not drunk?
Witpess-I do; ! was under the influence of
LIQUOR but had NV senses; Mrs. Whaen put out
q kerosene lamp, lit candle, and went into the
bedI oom; I then laid down on lounge; when
/ was awakened by the officer and went out
saw Mr.. and Mrs. Whalen outside the door;
they were both burned; then left the house
and went to the residence of my sister, about
two blocks off; had nothing on but my
drawers.
The Jury. after listening to the evidence,
returned the following verdict
"We find that Ellen Whaleu came 10 her
death by being burned, at her residence, No.
2O6 Sands street, the fire having been caused by
tie upsettiug OF candle, which had been left
unOn the Washstand.p