The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-02-05
Il Fea7,fi:j F2te.
A MOTHER AND HER EIGHT CHILDREN
BURNED TO DEATH IN THEIR HOME
NARROW ESCAPE OF THE FATHER.

NARROW ESCAPE OF THE FATHER.
1t was sad sight that yesterday met the
| gaze of those who, after plodding through
/ the snow from Louis Racicot's residence,
stood around the smoking ruins of what
was on Sunday night the home of Pierre
DuIude and his family of nine. The dwell
ing, which stood on the second concession
back OF Boucherville, was about thirty
years old, of wood set on a solid stone foun-
dation, and exposed to the full sweep OF
winds from all points CT the compass-tbat
district having been at one time burned
over clear of timber, and hence named
"Pays Brule." Nothing remarkable was
to be seen in the pile of stone, mortar, and
burned debris of the dwelling but little
to the southwest, in the carriage house, was
one of the most horrid sights that ever met
human gaze. There on two boards, about
three feet wide and six feet long, lay four
teen pieces of what was simply roast flesh,
all that could be recovered of the remains
of Mrs. Dulude and her eight children. An
oder of the kitchen pervaded the gloomy
shed, and despite the knowledge that those
pieces of ciude- were human, it was bard
to realize the fact. Most of the remains
were of nondescript shape, curled, twisted
and bound up in black Jumps or balls. The
mothers remains were barely recognizable.
The remains of one of the younger boys Gt
arms and head are wanting. The remains
will be placed in one coffin and buried to-
morrow. The names of the victims are
follows Philomene DesmaTteau, thirty
five, mother /; Marie Dulude, thirteen
Joseph Dulude, eleven Ernest Dulude,
eight Floriri, seven; Anna, SIX !; AL
phonse, five; Telesphore, four and Hor~
ace, the baby, one. Portions of the re-
mains are still buried in the ruins of the
oil, II tla,
was destroyed. Pierre Dulude, the father,
the last to retire, went to bed on Sunday
night about II O'Clock, leaving a good fire
burning in the large sitting room stove.
RE was awakened shortly before A. NJ. by
smoke, and hastily getting up, rushed
down stairs to find the carpet {thickly lined
with straw on fire near the stove door
holder" or cloth to handle the latch of
the stove door, was in n blaze, and is bes
lieved to have caught fire from spark falls
ing through the damper.
Dulude threw the only pail of water in
the house on the burning carpet, and then
rushed up stairs shouting, "Fire is in the
house get up quick ~ " hen he got down
stairs again, he was met by the fire, which
had made great headway on all sides, and
was fearfully burned on the thighs, back,
face, head, and arms in rushing to the
door; whether his wife attempted to fol-
lives near by, says Dulude, after he came
to his house, said his wifo followed him
down stairs with the two youngest children
in her arms, but turned back on hearing
the others screaming and crying, saying
IN die with my children, and she did.
Dulude, after leaving the burning house,
shouted, "wait little, I'll get a ladder"
He ran to the barn, five hundred yards
away, and through the drifting snow, with
nothing on him but his shirt, and brought
back ladder, but, alas too late, as he
raised it up to the chamber windows, and
broke the glass over his head. the flames
were roaring inside. The agonized father
aud husband then ran to his nearest neighs
Dor, Louis Racicot' :, aroused the latter, and
as he entered fell on the floor, exclaimng,
My wife and children a-e burning save
them ~ His shirt, which was on FIRE, was
torn from him. aud he, bloody, scorchcd,
and half frozen, was put in bed, willie
Racicot ran TO the burning house. He call
ed loudly, but the roar of tho flames alone
answered. He, with some neighbors that
collected, then waited till 3 A. NJ, when the
house had burned into the cellar. The
tragedy was over. After daylight the
search for the remains was prosecuted
and about l O'Clock Mr.. Dulude was care
fully wrapped up aud carried into Bouch-
erville to his mothers hcmse-MontreaI
Witness, Jan. 26.