New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-05
4 CoLORED. BOY SMOTHERED.
A FIRE IN A CHLDREN's NURSERY IN MoRRIsANIA,
PROBABLY CAUSED BY FIRECRAcKERs.

A FIRE IN A CHLDREN's NURSERY IN M0RmsANIA,
PROBABLY CAUSED BY FIREcRAcKERs.
The st. Vincent De Paurs School and Nur-
sery for Children at Onehundred-and sixtyfourthst
and Brookave in Morrsania took fire early yesterday
morning and was badly damaged. All the inmates ex-
cept Il coored boy, who was smothered, escaped Win
little or no injury Frecrackers the probable cause
Of the fire The building ia two-story and attic frame
structure with one-story extension. In January
laat Joseph H. Ward and his wife, Mary j. Ward both
colored opened the house nursery for the children
Of colored women at service and OF others VINO might
wish to place them there. On Monday nght
there were nine persons, all colored, in tho
house, besides Mr. and Mrs. Ward On the
attic floor were Mrs. Augusta Hawkins and
her SON. Joseph age eleven In the back room on the
second Mrs Mary Simpson slept with her three
ycarod child while her baby, eight days Old lay In the
front room on the floor Mr.. and Mrs Ward were
on the first floor and had in their four small chill
dren ages two months two three and four years re-
spectiyely Mrs Ward up with the children part
of the night, and at had lain down TO rest' wheh
she thought she heard a noise somewhere upstairs
She rose and . went up as iaf as MARY
smpson's ROOM As she opened the door Mary rushed
toward her with the cry my God, the house Is
o6rer Mrs Ward hastened into the front and saw
that the front window abaze. She seized pitcher
of water and threw upon the fire, with no effect, ana
then taking the babe that was asleep in the room, she
hastened back Mary Simpson and her other cmid had
already made their escape. The cries OF hre had
wakened Mrs Hawkins on tho floor above. She escaped
with difficulty down the stairs, the passage was OBJ
sructed by furniture which she had thrown down In en-
deavOrs to aave 1t.
Mrs Ward had meantime reused the neighbors by her
cries and a son of william Bogart, e1 fireman living
next door and had alarm sent out BY TINS tune
the flames which came from the front Of the building
had gained considerable headway and had filed the at
tic with smoke. The boy Hawkins was overcome by H.
and his mother in vain tried to make her way DaoK
TO him She herself had been nearly eunocsted
the children and other occupants or the mouse got
out i'll safety through the aid of neighbors or ne OWL
exertiOns. The burning furniture and Deddlng were
thrown out and the flames in them extingulShed En-
gines No Al and 80 arrived in about twenty minutes
alter the alarm was given by Mrs. Ward and they
soon put out the flames, which nad not spreau
beyond the front OF the house and the aitc Lne 4ody
of the boy Joseph Haw Gins was found to be Only s3n
burned, and he had evidently died from suuocatIon'
The body taken to the Thlrty-hird ire9nSt & ota
ton and after permit for removal ana burial nau oee
given by Herman later IN the day. 1t was taken
back to the house OF the Wards A., g. oa
erday There was no fire in the stove and none could
have come from any other source inside Mlinah
Bogart said IL undoubtedly due to trecracKers hs
stated that on the evening before number OF boys had
been going through the street. throwing the e1pos.e
inIo Yard and open versndas Mr. Bogart drove the
boys away several times When he reached the house
in the morning he found the flames rising from INC op
of the veranda and spreading over t1e & rHn % r D a
caused by frecracker which had been thrown on tno
veranda late at night by tue boys Mr ana MIS- @
The building, owned by Eli Bennett. was eainagea
81 900 The furniture was badly Injured ana Was not
Insured The house adjoining, occupied by the Rev I'd
ward Franklin cOOred damaged S1,O0c. Ihe
Wards home had woe-begone air yesterday beur,
chairs tables and babies were lying together III
CONFUSION In the back ROOM Two babies and sick girl
were slowed away behind screen, and two or three
children just old enough to walk were wa'cnns terv
kept nursery for five years at NO 20 west tortynts
ST. She leading member oI ~ & woman
She aud her husband are Roman Catholics