The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1882-09-22

| LITE Boy BURNED TO DEATH AND HOUSE
AND CONTENTS DEsTRoYED.--Last Sunday
night, at o'clock, the dwelling house of f. j.
Osterkamp, situated on the road leading from
Doxen's Corner to the Churchville road, three
miles from Bel Air, was entirely destroyed by
fire, and Mr. Osterkamp's little sou, aged eight
| years, persisted In the flames. The house, which
fronts G6 feet along the road. side, had recently
been rebuilt. MIR. and Mrs. Osterkamp occupied
n room on the lower floor and their six chill
dren slept up stairs. Mr.. Osterkamp was awak.
encd in the night, and looking out saw bright
| light. lie ran out of doors and found that
flames were issuing from the roof on the eastern
end of his house. His first impulse was to get
bucket of water and try to extnguish the
| flames. His efforts were useless and he called
| to his wife to aid him in getting the children
out. Five of them were gotten out safely The
sixth, his little son Jacob, slept in room in the
end of the house where the fire was discovered.
The room contained two beds. The father CROP
ed his way through the smoke to save his boy,
followed by his eldest daughter, girl of sixteen
He did not find the boy in his accustomed place,
and thinking he had escaped started down stairs.
The daughter, however, went to the other
bed, and found the boy almost sutfocated
with smoke. She dragged him out and while
cropping in the darkness for the stairway the
flames burst into the room and her clothing
caught fire. In her excitement she loosened her
hold of the boy, who was SO bewildered that he
started back, and to save herself she rushed
through the flames and reaching the stairway got
out of the burning building Her life was
saved but she was severely burned. Notwith-
standing her own injuries and the danger to
be incurred she franticaly persisted in her eff.
forts to reener the house to save her brother and
had to be restrained by force. Every one of
the family was more or less burned. The neigh
bors saw the light and hastened to the spot, but
the fire had gained such Roadway that no assist
ancc could be rendered, and the house and all it
contained, including the clothing of the inmates,
and forty or fifty dollars In money, were entirely
destroyed. A little dog also persisted in the
house with his young master.
The next morning the ruins were searched for
the remains of the unfortunate boy, but only
some small pieces of bones could be found
States Attorney Maynadier investigated the case
on the spot and decided that an inquest was I'M
necessary.
The origin of the fire is unknown. Mr. Oster-
kamp says that when he went to bed, at 1917
o'clock there was no fire anywhere about the
premises. The house was insured for 81 900 and
its contents for $400 in the Baltimore company.
Mr.. Osterkamp is employed at F. Stauf's tailor
Ing establishment, No. u North Charles street,
Baltimore.
The family escaped with only the clothing
they had on at the Time and subscription be.
ing started by States Attorney Maynadier and
Deputy Sheriff Carman, a sum Of money was
raised in Bel Air on Monday to provide clothing
for their immediate necessities.