Daily Republican., 1880-05-03
SECOND EDITION.
BURNED ALIVE.


A Terrible Fire nt UIaymOnt-Its
Disastrous Copsequences - One
Woman burned TO Death and
Another4Hurti In MRhing LeaB
for Life:
About two o'clock yesterday morning
the frame cottage, bara and ice'house u
George W. Bsrnadou, of Stevenson
Bernadou & Co.. general commission
merchants, No. 1873 South Front street
on Maple avenue, Claymcnt, on the P
w. x B. Railroad, was discovered to b.
on fire, and in about an hour thereafter
was entirely consumed, nothing being
left to mark the site but the foundations
and mass Of smeuldering ruins.
At the time Of the fire there were In
the house Mr.. Beruadou's two children
Helen and Cora, aged respectively nine
and seven years, and their nurse,
French woman named Jeannette Stene
all OF whom were sleeping in the SEQ
ond-story front rsom Mary Hall, aged
%, and Maggie Mcnamara, servants,
occupying the third floor, and Edward
Reardon, eeachman, sleeping on base
ment floor. The nurse was awakened
by one of the children calling. and get
ting up to see what was wanted, heard
the cracking of the flames in the back
part of the house and discovered the
smoke. She called the two girls and
told them Of their danger, and ther
seizing the two children, ran down the
front stairs across the road to the resi-
dence of Mr.. +. o. c. barley, where
they were given shelter and were kind
ly treated.
The eoachman meantime heard the
outcry up stairs, aLd going to the back
stairway, opened the door leading to
the second floor, when he was driven
back by the flames, after attempting for
. moment to stay them by dashing a
bucket of water upon them. The ser
wants on the third floor ran to the back
stairway to make their escape, but find
ing them in fla mes and the house rap
idly filing with smoke, became fright
ened and hardly knew what to do.
Mary Wall threw mattress from the
window, and telling Maggie to follow
her, jumped out. This the latter was
afraid to do, and she perished in the
flames, a portion Of her lif5less remains,
almost impossible to indentify, being
found among the ruins. Mary Hall re-
eeived o number of severe bruises, but
at the Pennsylvania Hospital, where
she was taken yesterday morning, her
injuries were found not to be serious.
Mr.. and Nrs. Bernadou were absent
from home at the time, having left on
Friday to visit q son at the Naval
Academy at Annapolis, intending to re.
turn to-day. The house was substan.
tial two-and-a-half frame structure, oi
Gothic design, built about twenty years
ago, but nine years since was complete.
" rsmodelled by Mr.. Bernadou, and was
elegantly furnished throughout. II
stood in the centre of o handsomely
laid ont park, had piazzas on the front
and sides. and contained about sixteen
rooms.
The icehouse and stable were close
in the rear Of the burned building and
shared the same fate. The origin Of
the fire is unknown, but it is supposed
to have resulted from defective fue,
a. the flames we're first seen on that
side of the house in which the heater
is situated. The loss is estimated at
about $40, 900, which is believed to be
covered by insurance. The flakes from
the burning building were carried a
considerable distance by the wind, and
caused fears for a time for the safety Of
property in the vicinity.
Coroner Butz proceeded to the place
yesterday and held an inquest upon
the remains OF Mary McNamara. M.
J. Addisks acted as foreman, and rem
dsrsd the coroner aid which was very
valuable.