The daily gazette., 1881-01-05
BURNED TO DEATH.
TEN LIVES LOST By A FIRE IN
NEW YORK.

NEW YORK, Jan. A fire oc-
cured this morning in the rear of
No. IS Madison street, a four-story
tenement house.
Ten lives we're lost. The victims
are ELLEN Sheridan, aged forty
three; Katie Sheridan, aged four
teen Maggie Sheridan, aged FIVE
Martin Sheridan, aged three John
Walsh, aged thirteen Thomas
Cassidy, aged six; Charles Cassidy,
aged eight babe of Mrs. Cassidy,
girl named Egan, aged two, and
Mrs. Sheridan, age unknown. Sew
eral persons were injured, among
them James Cassidy, Mary Egan,
and Charles Walsh.
The FIRE started at the bottom of
the stairs that furnished the only
mode of exit for the tenants of q
nve-story building, barring the out
side fire-escape, and in less than five
minutes swept through the stairway
TO the roof, cutting off the escape Of
score of persons.
The suddenly ly-imperilled tenants
made q rush for the roof, but the
scuttle was firmly hooked and would
not yield.
The ascending flames drove them
back in their rooms, and a scene of
wild confusion ensued.
Men and women threw their chill
dren from the windows and Jumped
after them through the flames that
swept across the yard ana caught
their clothing.
When the fremen mastered the
raging element the dead bodies of
ten persons who had been burned
were taken out.
Several were injured in making
their escape, and were sent 10 the
Chambers street Hospital.
JUMPING FROM THE WINDOWS.
A number of women and children
escaped by jumping from the win
dows. The McKenna children
James, aged nine, Hugh, aged four
and the body were. thrown through
the window by Charles, their eldest
brother, lad of fifteen. The moth
er, McKenna, was sweeping in the
yard when the fire broke out. She
rushed to the stairs, but was met by
a solid sheet of flame, and realizing
the danger Of her children, reused
them by shouting before they knew
of the deadly visitor.
slump, Charles; throw them down."
the agonized mother cried and stretched
| out her arms to receive them, ,as the three
| little heads looked over the sill beside
their brother. The lad measured the
| distance with his eyes. 1t was more
than 90 feet, and he shrank from the
venture with the dread of instant death.
But the smoke was already filling the
room and pouring through the window,
the children now cried and stretched
hands towards their mother. The baby's
| call "Mamma! mammal" was heard
ebove the roar Of the fire and the clamor
in the street. The mother cried,
"Charlie, for Gods sake, jumpl" and
the boy flung the bay into her arms.
The other children followed, himself
leaping last. All reached the ground in
safety.
THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE.
Plumbers were busy at the foot of
the stairs thawing out frozen pipes,
and for this purpose used a gasoline
apparatus. 1t was upset, and the in
dammable material ran our. There
was binding fash, as of an explo-
sion, that blew in the door of the sa-
loon, and in an instant a black smoke
welled up tho long stairway, impelled
by draught setting toward The open
windows in the top story.
Timothy Harrington, one of the
plumbers to whose carelessness it is
charged the fire had its origin, when
questioned by Coroner Herman ex-
planned that he was using the gaso-
line lamp to thaw out pipes. With
him was boy named McGloan, a
''green" hand, who had worked for
him only since the previous day. He
held the lamp, the contents of which
were very infiammable. He had been
warned several times, but heedlessly
tipped the lamp, and some of the oil
ran out. 1t flashed at once. In his
fight Harrington's hands were burn
ed. The boy disappeared. The po-
lice are looking for him.