The New York herald., 1871-11-25
BURNED TO A CRISP.
A Little Child Burned to Death While Iu Mother
Was at Church-A Message to Her An
uounccd by the Priest-The Sad
Story Of the Tragedy.

After the solemnities OF the mass on Thursday
morning, while Father Caughly was preaching IN
the pulpit OF the Church OF St. John the Evangelist,
he was interrupted by messenger from tne
sacrsty, who handed him small slip OF paper.
After long pause he again spoke 10 the
| people, asking II there was woman present
| named Curtis, and II there were such,
| requesting her 10 go into the vestry
| as some one wished to see her. woman, whose
Curtin, and passed out during the hush
that followed. She soon returned, however. and 1t
| was again announced that some one had come In
| haste 10 nnd Mrs. Curtis. When no one came for
| ward the priest explained the reason OF the inter-
| rupuon-that child whose mother was woman
named Curtis, had been
BURNED TO DEATH
while the latter was absent at church, and 1t was
supposed at the Churcn OF ST. John. This produced
| o deep sensation in the assemblage; women wrung
their hands and uttered under their breath exclama-
nations OF pity to one another Many surmised that
the real Mrs. Curtis was one residing at No. 2l0
East Fifty.iourth street, and so fastened 10 sug-
,gest 1t to the priest; but no woman answered
second time to the announcement 1t was only a
few hours afterwards that these trends OF Mrs. Cur
tbs learned the vercat0n or their sickening Fears
Meanwhile the priest continued his sermon, and
closed by referring touching terms to the terrible
accident which had occurred. The people then dis
persed.
reporter yesterday proceeded to No. 21o East
Fify-rourth street and entering the narrow. b&re
and dirty hail. mounted up rckety flight OF stairs
to the second story, where he knocked at the first
door to which he came muied voice from
within cried out "Come I'M" and, turning the knob,
he entered a small uncarpeted room, III which the
only apparent comforts OF lille were several rude
chairs and benches and bare table. The lndica-
tions OF pltable poverty were numerous, ana wo-
man with
sHRIvELLED FACE,
was laboring at q washtub IN the middle or cloud
OF steam, out OF which she peered at the stranger
tnquirlngly. A young woman sat at the window.
Very readily both fell into the recital oil the
death OF The Child the parents O. whom lived at the
other end OF the gloomy hail. The latter had gone
to bury the blackened body OF their dead daring
UNDER THE SOD or CALVARY CEMETERY,
but the three little brothers were at home and were
called III by tile women, and helped III telling the
The name OF the unfortunate little girl was Annie
Curtis, aged iOur years anu six months On Thurs
day morning the mother went 70 church, leaving
her at home. Inc child called In playmate, the
daughter OF woman VINO lives In narrow room
on the same floor with her honest-iaced husband.
some splinters OF wood ami amused herself
by lighting them at the nre. This Tor some time
was only interrupted once, and then by her gong
to the door, locking y, wrapping The key in IN old
apron and nlling II between char and rnc wall.
After this she returned 10 the sticks and stood
lighting at the door OF the slove wi;e her play
mate was similarly engaged, when her pianOiOre
suddenly Caught the flames and
BLAzED UP WITH FRIGHTFUL RAPIDiTy.
the other little girl, VINO Is but two years old,
stool by and saw her agony.
The woman at the washtub thus continued the
story
my little girl was playing In the hall and seen
the light through the little glass over the door and
she screamed, "Oh! the house Is aire." She run
UP stairs then and tod the lady UP stairs that
the house was afre and that she could not open the
door then she ran down stairs, and the an what
lives next door, he came up ana broke open the
door. And woman that was passing-a Mrs.
was, and she rushed up stairs Just the door was
burst open, ana there stood that poor child all
ablaZe and
JUST BURNED TO CRISP.
She dragged her out aud wrapped her shawl
about her. linen we put her under the hydrant III
the han and put the ilre out. The mother got tho
word which was sent TO the church just as she
reached the door OF her home. My cnid was
| ryin' ut the door and her child was
| A SCREAMIN' WITH THE PAIN,
1t happened at ten O'CLOCK and sue died at three
| In the afternoon. She was burnt black all over.
| stomach across-I seed her when she was stripped
! oh awful. And whie she was aburnln', SAID the
| boy, she called Daddy, just when her clos was
! commencing 10 light And after she was burned
she spoke to the lather, Just before she died, and
| told him where the key wasn
BY this time 1t was dark, and the reporter could
hardly see the BARD lined lace OF the old woman and
the iresher ones Of the young woman and the chi
dren In the dim light "lGis Is the skin child In
Calvary, and only the three BOYS LEFT. Oh It's hard
| on the poor ather and mother OF her. It's awful
| hard"
| Before the burial yesterday an Inquest was held
| by Coroner Herman on the body oil the Child.