The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-03-02
Heart-Rendlng Story.
IphiIadei phia Item.l


Horrors upon horrors seem to accumu.
late, yet the published details appear to
have little or no effect upon certain
class of people. The melancholy mishap
that has to be chronicled is one of those
sickening horrors brought about by the
carelessness or negligence of parents, who
seem to forget that their darling little
babes have not that perception and dis
cretion of which the older ones of the
family seem so sadly deficient.
1t appears that about one o'clock yes
terday afternoon, Mrs. Margaret Bore
man, residing at No. 8 Lindel Place, a
small court running south from Kater
street, between Eighteenth and Nine
teenth streets, left her home for the pur-
pose of doing some shopping. Her hus-
band, William Boreman was at his work
that of brass founder. Mrs. Bore
man left in her house her two little
daughters, Annie, aged three years, and
Ellie, aged five years. Their name was
Dunn, this being the name of Mrs. BIS
first husband. Mrs. Boreman locked her
front and back door, and placed the two
children in the reom of the second story.
The house has three stories-one room
in each story. The mother left her two
children in the second story, where, she
alleges, there was no fire or matches.
About half past two o'clock, Mr.. John
McGrath, residing at No. Lindel Place
(next door to the scene of the calamity
observed smoke issuing from the win
dows Of the house. He tried the door
and called to those inside. No answer
came. He broke open the door. What
Mortified sight met his gaze can be bet
ter imagined than described. Upon the
top of the landing of the second story lay
the body of the eldest girl. Her clothes
were all burned off of her, while her
hair and flesh were on fire.
Mr.. McGrath rushed up, and was but
few moments in extingnishing the de-
vouring element, but nothing was left
but the charred body of the poor little
darling, who but few hours before was
in all the rosy hue of beautiful child
hoods health and spirits. By this time
Mr.. McGrath was Joined by a number of
others, among them Mr.. Collahan and
Mr. Brown. The house was in a blaze,
and its entire destruction seemed inevita-
BILE. The men entered the second story
room, and found the furniture and bed
ding all ablaze.
By dint of hard work they succeeded
in getting the fire out, when, to their in
expressible horror, they found lying in
one corner of the room what was left OF
little Annie. Her clothing had been COM
pletely burned of, her little face was a
blackened, shapeless mass; her pretty
brown hair was gone, and her body was
like a living coal of fire.
Strange to say, upon one of her tiny
feet was the shoe and stocking, untouched
by the damning fire fiend, and upon the
other stocking was but partly burnt.
The stout hearts of those brave men
almost quailed within them as they stood
by and gazed in silence on the shapeless
remains of the two sisters, whose souls
were already among the angels in Heaven.
Policeman Ross, who had also made his
appearance and rendered good service,
proposed that the bodies be removed
to the First District Station-house. A
wagon was procured, and the remains
removed as stated. In hemeantime the
mother could not be found, and no one
seemed to know where the step-father Of
the children was engaged at work. The
police instituted thorough search of the
seeond-story room, but could find no
matches or any place where the matches
were kept. The fire was burning in the
stove on the first floor, and no indica-
tions were visible of either of the chill
dren having been on that floor. On the
second or third floor there was no stove.
The theory was that the Oldest girl had
gone down stairs and procured matches.
and, returning up stairs again, COM
menced to play with them, in company
with her little sister, and the consequence
was that she set herself and sister on fire,
and then attempted to get down stairs
again, and hence the reason that her body
was found on the landing of the stairs.
In the meantime the youngest child,
while burning to death in the room, set
fire to the bedding and to the furniture.
At four o'clock the mother was met re-
turning to her home, with bundle OF
shopping in her arms, which she had been
purchasing, for her darling little babes
She was, of course, informed of the ca.
lamity by half a dozen people in dozen
different ways. She uttered soul-pielc-
ing scream, and tainted. After she was
1 resuscitated and composed, the policeman
closely questioned her, but she persisted
in declaring that there were no matches
about either of the rooms. This makes
the case more incomprehensible thar
ever. The mother, against all persuasion
repaired to the police station, and there
insisted on viewing the remains of hel
darling babes. With much reluctance
the kind-hearted Lieutenant granted he
request, and the result was scene 81
heart-rending and terrible that the cur
tain of sympathy must be drawn.
The step-father, Mr.. VIM. Boreman
returned from his work at six o'clocl
last evening to find his pleasant ittl,
home almost entirely destroyed by fire
and the two little girls whom he hat
learned to love as his own, gone-beyont
life, beyond death, to that heaven of tn
life hereafter, to dwell always with Go,
and his angels.
Gentle reader, that is sad household
to-day, and the good and charitable Q
our ever good and charitable city shoul
see to it that proper interment is give
to the bodies of the burned babes. Th
parents are very poor, and this is prope
subject for instant charity. To-da
!. Coroner Goddard will hold an inques
over the remains of the little Innocent
and then they will be conveyed to th
home of the distressed parents. What
multitue of miseries little caution an
care will obviate and prevent!