New-York tribune., 1876-03-08
SEARCHING FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE

SEARCHING FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE.
FIRE MARSHAL KFtDY's INyEsTIGAuoS-AS IN
MATE THINKS IT CAUGHT ~ THE SMOKING
ROolI-THE FIRE MARsHu's OPINION
Fire Marshal Ready was promptly on the
spot and Immediately BEGAN investigation into the
origin Of the ire The first witness Matilda Lasne
SISTER Mary Of the Aposilcsl the Assistant Mother In
charge OF the Home
She said that at the time Of the nro there were So in
mates 10 sisters and postulans In the institution sup
ported entirely by charity the building is heated by fur
races and Baltimore heater; about $3.50 a. ycst"r-
d., she discovered fire IA the rast wing on the mems
side OF the building brick structure three stories hig
Il contained 73 old and n0Hn under tho charge of
two Sisters. The witness first discovered the
flames Issuing from the window on the south
side of the building She was IN her room
IA the south wing Of the building at the time fire
broke out sisters Augustine Joseph and Columbian we're
in charge OF the mems department on Monday night.
The building closed when the inmates retire at p
The fires were unusually large last evening Tho
wing was erected four yea ago aud cost $4,000, TO
gether with Tie chapel The witness said there was
cearunder the basement, whero The coal was kept The
kitchen vas above the cellar The ashes were Lcp; out
side she did not think they caused The fire. The old
men smoked In small the dining in cold
weather, and outside in warm weather. She saw them
smoking outside on the gallery on Monday.
Wilhelmina Bentz Sister Ma1caudc), one OF The Little
Sisters Of the Poor testified that hewas In charge OF tho
Old Mems Department she went through 1t at D. N. on
Monday aud saw that all the men were In bed; she
locked all the doors except one there was heater IN
the stin.-roon and another In the small slccpnSroom
adjoining IL on the front basement; the kitchen
fro was out there only these two fires in that wng
Of the building; she did not know where the fire orig
mated; the sleeping room doors were unfastencd but
the main doors the building locked no one could
have got n from tho outside.
Joseph Multhaup testified That he was In the Home OF
the Little Sisters Of the Poor Monday ght, and arose
about a. IN. yesterday. lie opened the door OF the
bedroom and snct smoke; hc immediately went down
etaiue ard discovered fire the left corner, under the
stairs back OF the kitchen The witness ran to the
smoking room door; it was locked and heated This
room was over the kitchen Then he went into the hall
aud shouted fire. The witness then tried TO es-
cape from the building hut the smoke was
too dense He then forced the door 10 the main
passage At that time the fire seemed to be confined
under the stairs The origin of the fire he could not tell
There was nothing kept under the stairs The witness
thought that the fire originated In the snolngroom be-
cause be found the door hot. He went TO the sick
room and called up all the inmates. The witness says he
s satisfied that the hro originated In the smokngr0Om
There had oeen no fire there Monday yesterday.
The examination was then adjourned until today Inc
Fire Marshal said that would make an exhaustive eK-
animation into the cause the fire. but, without making
premature Judgment IA Of the opinion at present that
the fire originated from the heating apparatus.