Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-20
Tho Seoond Chnnter,

mo ScCOnO CNuDtcT.
Above is the first chapter Of tragedy
that for blood curdling horror is almost un
explained in the history of the country.
All day yesterday Montgomery lay in his
room, seemingly in stupor, scarce needing
what was going on about him, and rarely
speaking to those who came to perform what
ever kindly Offices lay in their power. He
partook sparingly of nourishment, and &C.
casionally tossed about uneasiIy, yet did not
seem to suffer greatly from pain. Towards
evening he seemed to
BRIGHTEN UP LITTLE,
and when his younger son Eddie, a lad of
16 to II years, came to see him appeared
more cheerful.
About $50 o'clock last evening Officer
Kencally, on duty near the Seven corners,
saw the glare of fire in the second story of
the house where the old man lay, and quick
ly turning in the alarm, rushed to render
whatever assistance was in his power. Co.
ing to the rear of the building he was hor-
nied to see human being rush down the
back stairs
ENvELopED IN FLAMFs
and run frantically towards the front of the
building, the lurid fire rising four or five
feet above his head. The officer seized the
flying person, and Fireman Murnane COM
ing up stripped off his coat and wrapping
the victim in it's thick folds, succeed
ed in smotbering the flames. The
two then stripped the burned fragments Of
clothing from the shreking victim, and
found that ne was Eddie Montgomery, the
son of the man who in the morning had at
tempted to bore hole in his brain. They
conveyed him to a safe resting place, sum-
moned physicians and returned to the scene
of the fire.
In the meantime engines had arrived on
the scene,
A LINE OF HOSE
had been run up the front stairs, and the
rooms where the fire was raging were soon
deluged with water. 1t proved that the fire,
originating in Montgomery's room, had
spread to the one adjoining, and both were
pretty we'll Quilted. AS soon as the smoke,
which hung in dense masses about the house,
had been cleared away, torches were brought
and an entrance into Montgomery's rom
effected. Here
A HORRIBLE SIGHT
met the gaze of the firemen. The charred
and blackened remains of tho mornings
suicide lay before them ON the half-burned
mattress, the limbs distorted, the counte-
nance, even in its CHASTITY blackuess, giving
signs OF the most excruciating agony. All
signs of life had departed, and the flesh
dropped from the bones when the effort to re-
10
est nerve
sERANK AWAY IN HORROR AT THE SIGHT.
At first it was thought that the fire which
thus trae ically ended the old mans life had
been accidental. This was confirmed by tho
statement of his injured son, who when first
asked how the fire had originated, stated that
he had kerosene lamp in his hand near the
bed when he tainted and fell, the lamp
breaking and exploding. He afterwards
said, however, that his father took the lamp
from his hand and broke it over the bed and
floor, and
LAY DOWN IN HIS OWN FUNERAL pYRE.
This was undoubtedly the truth. Mont
gomery had become tired of life Possibly
he was suffering from an attack of delerium
tremens. At any rate he was determined to
fly from poverty, squalor, vice and all the
ills he had, to others that he knew not of.
He had perhaps dreamed that there was
something beyond this life better-perhaps
rest. He had failed in his first attempt to
escape from the evils that surrounded him,
and had lain all day
MooD1LY BRooDINa OVER HIS FATE,
and perhaps devising means by which he
could carry out his purpose. When his son
approached his bed he was probably seized
with sudden impulse, and grasping the ia
tai lamp from his hand had dashed it to
piec: in an insane frenzy.
In perpetrating the deed Montgomery had
probably but one idea-that of ending his
own life. He succeeded in his purpose, and
probably succeeded also in effecting
THE DEATH OF Els SON.
Tho young man is horribly
burned about the face and shoulders,
while lis intestines are almost
laid bare by terrible burns on his abdomen.
The physicians who attend him-Drs.
Wheaton, Mattocks, and Davenport, are also
of the opinion that he inhaled considerable
flame. If this proves to be the case, he will
inevitably die, though his external injuries
are not thought to be sufficiently severe to
cause death.
THE BUILDING, al
which is owned by Mrs. John Wallace. was
damaged to the extent of about $3.50. The
furniture of the two rooms where the fire
ragged was pretty we'll ruined and the walls
charred somewhat. The loss is fully COW
cred bv insurance.