Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-08-20
HEROIC CONDUCT.
Brave Work by Brave Man. Christian
Charity by

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[San Francisco Bulletin, August lsthl
The recent holocaust in Oak land brought
to light at least one brave spirit and an
death to rescue the inmates of the burning
house and the other-a woman of the town
binding the wounds of one of the burned
women, while her strong sisters shrank
from the performance of that Christian and
humane duty, overcome by the horrible
sight and frightful sufferings of the unfor.
tunate. The heroic and humane perform.
ances of these two persons have escaped
the notice of the observant newspaper re-
porter, and have thus far gone unrecorded
As an act of common justice, both are
worthy of an honorable place in the galaxy
of local heroes. The former is German
named B. Bennett. He is a junk dealer
by occupation, dealing in such commercial
triHes as bottles, rags, sacks, etc., and re-
sides with his family on the corner of Jack
son and Second streets, Oakland. He was
one Of the first to reach the scene of the
fire after the alarm was given, and hearing
the cries and screams of human beings in
side the burning shanty he broke in TO res
cue them. When he entered the Kalaher
house tongues of living flame stretched all
over the room, licking up everything COM
bustible within their reach, and in one cor
ner, screaming and jumping about. were
two children. Mr. Bennett at once took
one child under each arm and rushed out.
One of the two was the surviving child
and was unhurt. The other child died
from the effects of its burns the day after
the fire. Leaving the children in the street
and without a thought of the consequences
to himself, the brave man rushed again
into the burning building The room was
then surrounded with fame, and the door
closing behind him. The dense smoke al
most suffocated him. He was compelled
to open the door and 60 outside before at,
tempting to rescue any of the other in
mates of the building. After getting
mouthful of fresh air he again entered the
burning house, and this time succeeded in
dragging Mrs. Kalaher toward the door,
While thus engaged, gentleman named
Mitchell came to his assistance, and be-
tween the two the woman was dragged out
Believing that all the inmates of the Kala-
her shauty had been rescued, Bennett and
Mitchell turned their attention to the
Green house adjoining, which had also
taken fire. They first carried out the four
children and then pulled out the drunken
parents. None of the members of this
family were hurt and the house was saved.
During the various times he entered the
Kalaher house, Bennett was unconscious
OF the fact that he was himself in imminent
danger. 1t was not until after he came out
the last time that he found that he had not
escaped unscathed. But the action of the
cold night air soon told upon his wounds
After the fire was over and the attention of
those present was directed to the sufferers,
it was found that Bennett was badly
burned about the head, and his neck, face
and lips were badly scorched. His hands
and arms were also badly burned. He is
now confined to his bed, and, it is repre-
sented, is not likely to recover for several
weeks. Neither Bennett nor Mitchell knew
that there were two other children in the
Kalaher house. II either of the women
rescued had been in condition to tell
them in time, the unfortunate little ones
might have been saved. Mrs. Fenton, who,
although frightfully burned, is still living
and in fair way of recovery, was carried
into stable adjacent to the burning build
ing. This stable contained three stalls, one
was occupied by goat, the other by a
horse, and the middle one vacant. In the
latter the woman was placed. The fire had
burned what little clothes she had on. Her
limbs were burned and blackened. Her
hands and arms were scarcely in better
condition. From cut across her breast,
caused probably by broken glass, the blood
flowed freely, covering her body. The
suffering woman writhed in pain and raved
under its influence and the strong drink
which she so freely INDUCED in during the
day. 1t was a loathsome sight, and the
women of the neighborhood who had focked
to the scene to render what assistance the
circumstances seemed to require, shrank
from such a shocking and unsightly object.
No medical assistance had yet arrived.
The crowd of men present were at loss
what to do, and looked on helpless. All
appeals to the women who passed in and
out to assist the sufferer were unheeded.
Finally, one gentleman went to grocery
store in the vicinity and procured several
bottles of olive oil and quantity OF linen,
and he and another gentleman from the
crowd proceeded to wrap the woman's
limbs with oil soaked bandages. During
the time these simple remedies were being
procured, some misguided person poured
quantity of mustang liniment ON the wo-
mans wounds.
While the tive men were engaged In
their merciful work, an elegantly dressed
woman worked her way through the crowd
to their side She was recognized by those
present as frail and unfortunate woman
of the town. What her stronger sisters
had shrank from performing she at once
proceeded quietly to do. She at once
cleared the building of the gaping crowd
of men who were looking at the miserable
woman in the stall and depriving her of
the fresh air she needed. She then took
off her gloves, rolled up her sleeves, and
kneeling on the dirty straw by the suffer-
ing woman's side, went heroically to work
to help the two mentioned to anoint and
bandage, remaining at her post until a ply
sician reached the place. Such deed of
Christian charity ought to cover many
sins.
Young man, be careful what yor do or
say. Keep your record clean. You my
ret n chance To RIM for President GONE