, 1879-08-17
Four Persons Burned to Death in
the Locust Grove, l.. l.,
Hotel.
Much Money Belonging to Guests
Destroyed by the Con-
fiagration.
Eighty Thousand Barrels Of Oil Burned
by the Parker's Landing
Blaze.

npec7dt Ua5pd3ch 10 1hd 1T7on1&.
NEW YORK, Aug. 16.--The burning OF the
Locust Grove Hotel and pavilion last evening
has gained tragic interest from the discovery to-
Gay Of the charred and blackened remains of
four bodies Last night it was thought
but one person, Joseph ". Pierce, OF
Rochester, manager OF the hotel had
perished. But at daylight, when search was
begun, other remains were soon found. The
first body found vas that of q very large per-
son, and, as Mr.. Pierce weighed about $50
pounds, aud the spot was almost directly
beneath the room he occupied in the upper
story Of the pavilion, thera was no
doubt his remains had been found Corrobor-
ative evidence WAS furnished BY the discovery in
the same heap OF a watch. 3 piece Of gold chain,
loeket an ambrotype~case, and other articles
known to belong to Pierce. The ambrotype had
contained the picture of Mr. Pierce's invalid wife,
who, with their onlv son, is now living in
Rochester. Friday Dir. Pierce scttied his ac-
counts as manager for John Walker, the lessee
OF the hotel and pavilion, and to-day had In
tended to join bis family.
When the ruins in the vicinity OF the oil-room
we're examined the charred trunk wa5 found OF
William Schuhardt, night watchman. Schu-
hardt vent on duty at 6 o'clock Friday
night and an hour and three-uuarters later
accompanied the two employees of the Bath
Hotel, who came to borrow some oil, to the OIL
room. There the oil ignitcd from the lamp
which they carried, and the fire that burned the
hotel originated. Schuhardt ran into the open
air, then returned to the room, ono por~
tion Of which was set apart for
billiard-tables and shooting gallery, and
h,,4,r rnf3 I'm Tn hon xrhf, c$r fofa
the door, then rushed again into the room,
where he was overpowered, and the boy waited
In vain for him to reappear.
Schuhardt was shoemaker in Bath, and By
bis death four young children are left unpro-
yidcd for,
The bodies Of Louise Kitchen and servant,
Kate Rafter, the cook, were discovered together.
Rafter had been employed since June, having
previously lived with sister In Princeton,
Ind, to whose support she contributed and to
whom she intended to forward to-day the in-
terest money she kept in Der trunk. She was 65
years Of age. A telegram has been sent to her
relatives.
4 maid and two children are reported miss
ing, and the search for remains will be con-
tinued as rapidly as possible
The fire was one Of the swiftesr known, the
entire structure falling into ashes within twenty
minutes. A lady and gentlemen sitting on the
piazza barely had time to euter a room near at
hand and rescue their sleeping children. before
the walls fell in. The pavement was Of the
very ltghtest construction, aud filled with sea-
soned pine. -
The view of the fire from the adjoining neigh
borhood was grand. It burned with q clear,
white flame that LOOKED like large gas Jet,
mud gave out bright and intense light.
The suddenness OF the fire was start
ling. Persons sitting on the porch OF
house at Bath noticed what appeared to be
ball OF fire shoot ort into the bay, and five
minutes later the eutire hotel was In flames.
The light dimmed eyen the brightness OF the
electric light on ConeY Island, and vast
clouds. OF smoke y4arase in the air
and driftedf scawa1d. Had the wind
been in different direction, there is no doubt
the flames would have dcstroyed manr houses
along the shore, as they arc built close together
and Bath is thicklY settled.
. The pavilion and hotel were constructed
in 1875, and up to this year
were under the supervision of ez-Mayor
Gunther the owner. This season he leased the
hotel to John Walker. Gunther retained rooms
for himself and wife, and in these stored much
valuable property.
Z he guests were all .Well-to-do, and had
much jewelrv and money with them. A Cuban
guest Is said to have lost 5000, and New
York merchant $1,000, which were in their
rooms.