, 1877-12-23
Killed by Conl-Gas.

/ Ecsf6H 90HT11l, Dfc. &c.
| A melancholy accident occurred In Randolph
] on Tuesday night, resulting in the death from
the ELECTS Of coat gas OF fire promising children,
three bows and two girls, aud the probable
| death Of the mother Of four OF the children.
| The srcre Of the tragedy was small dwelling
| Lafayette street, in tic outskirts Of the town,
| and about one mile FROM the post-otlice. Iii
! this humble tenement lived Mrs Catherine
Ryan, widow OF Dennis Ryan, bootmakcr, who
| died four years as3O last August, and her four
| children, james, aged -; John, aged 10 years
| aud 10 months; Joanna, years OF age and Den
mis-, aged years aud months. Mrs. Ryan had
been i'll for several days, but was conyalesecnt
and yet not sufficiently recovered to be left
solely in care OF her young children.
On Tuesday night Mary Ellen Barry, niece
Of Mrs. Kyan, Is years old, daughter OF William
c. Barry, stopped with Mrs. Ryan, and WAS
among the victims Of the calamity. Mrs.
Honora Barry, neighbor OF Mrs. Ryan, dropped
iu to see her on Tuesday evening, and when she
left the house at 10 o'clock the sick woman and
all the children were in bed. The sleeping
apartments were A1 the attic, which contained
turce rooms, the front room being sitting
room aud the two rooms in the rear containing
each bed Doors communicated with the scy-
eral rooms, and portion Of the partition be-
tween the two bedrooms was removed. These
rooms were warmed by means of q "P: P.
Stewart /" coa-buruer No. 2, the pipe Of which,
connecting with the chimney, was smaller than
is usually seen. a damper IN the funnel was
closed very tight, aud in this condition it was
found yesterday morning. The door OF the
stove was found open aud d bright fire burning.
Mrs. Ryan, her little boy Dennis, aud Mary
Ellen Barry occupied tile same ncd in ono
chamber, the two boys, james and John, slept
10 the bedroom IN the opposite sdc OF the
broken partition, while Joanna, the only daugl1-
ter Of Mrs. Ryan, slept on lounge in the front
room.
About z o'clock yesterday morning Kdtic
Mnnning, an intelligent young woman, who had
rendered assistance to 4Nrs- Ryan during her ill
ness. went to tic house, aud failing to gain ad-
tile front windows and crawled in. All was still
as death above, but this fact docs not appear to
baye alarmed Miss Manning, who proceeded to
kindle fire in the kitchen-stoVc. This done,
to her horrorshc discovered the two boys James
and John, cold III the embrace Of death. Enter
ing Mrs. Ryan's bedroom the two children,
Dennis and Mary Ellen, beside her were dead
and culd and Mrs. Ryan was groanihg in the
agonies of. death. Joanna had rolled and (4lleu
from the lounge, and was stretched upon the
floor, with one arm under her body. She was
breathing when discovered, but died before |
medical aid was summoned.
The neighbors we're Immediately alnrmed and ]
messengers dispatched to the village for assist
auce. DR.. Rabbitt, who had been in attendance !!
upon the sick woman, together with Drs, Chase |
and Farnhau, repaired to the scene OF the |
tragedy, and put forth their beat efforts to re- |
19aetatC tHo N't1tatciI, out III VAN, nnu Mrs.
Ryan, who at last accounts was still aliye and
hopes arc entertained OF her recovery. Her !
chances arc, however, very small, as at o'clock
breathing was difficult. When found, the
mouths and nostrils Of the unfortunate ones
were covered with froth and blood
Medieal Examiner Morrison, of Quincy, was
sun summoned, and after examining the dead bodies
ana the situation generally, decided that m in
quest l.a was unnecessary, Us the cause OF their
1eath was apparent. The door leading from tbe
sntrE to the sitting-room was partially open, as 4
bedrooms, ~A No'A' W 'ne