The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-08-27
FATAL FIRE.
-Four Persons Smothered in Bos
ton Tenement House.
The Sad Result of Drunken Debauch.

BOSTON, Aug. 26.-An alarm was rung in
TINS morning for a fire iD the two story tene-
ment honse No. 6 Thatchers Court. The
house is owned by the heirs of Dennis Dolan
and occupied by eight families. The fire
spread with frightful rapidity and before the
inmates could be taken out four were smother
ed and one fatally injured by jumping from
the top of building. The killed are George
and Thomas Mclaughlin, IA and II years,
respectively, Mrs. Fred Savage, aged 40 Katie
and Mamie Savage thirteen and one and one
half years. The cries for help from persons
imprisoned amid the flames wereEheartrending,
but the people on the street could do nothing
toward saving them. The fire de-
partment labored hard to save the lives which
were imperilled and to extinguish the fire.
The flames were subdued in less than half an
hour, and the promptness nd vigor of the fire.
men saved the neighboring houses which were
mostly Of wood. The locality of the fire was
bad one surrounded by cheap wooden and
Dfiek tenements occupied by poor classes.
John Mclaughlin who had wife and six
children occupied front tenement and attic
and Fred Savage, his wife and two girls one
of the rear tenements. Four of McLaughlin's
children were asleep in the at tic at the time of
the fire. Himself, wife and two girls were
down stairs on the second floor, and Savsee's
wife and two children in ano her attic room
opposite TO that in which the Mclaughlin
children were reposing. John Savage was
first to discover the fire, and alter giving the
alarm by yelling, sprang from the window, 80
feet, escaping with badly injured leg. Nc
Laughlin was awakened by cries; saved his
wife and girls and succeeded in bringing down
his two boys, Willie and James. Ia the second
attempt TO return he was driven back by the
flames. Little George Mclaughlin was arous-
ed by the flames or cries OF the occupants and
succeeded in reaching the roof. A canvas was
spread in the street below and was told byhis
father to jump into his arms. The boy brave
ly jumped, missed the canvas and was fatally
injured. His mother crazed with anguish, at
tempted three times to enter the burning build
ing to save her other boy, Thomas, and receiv
ed such injuries before she could be secured
that she is not expected to live. Mrs: Fred
Savage and her children Katie and Mamie
were suffocated and the bodies found where
they had been sleeping.
The fire undoubtedly started in Savage's ap-
partments and is believed now TO have been
caused by kerosene lamp which evidence at
present 0btainable indicates was thrown by
either John Savage who had been boarding
with his brother lat Fred, or bv the latter at
John. It is thought also that John McMcIn-
tosh who has previously had trouble with the
Savage brothers may have had hand in caus-
ing the fire. as 1t is known he visited Savage's
during the night. Mcintosh however denies
he was there at all. John Flynn who slept in
the room near that occupied by the Savages
states that just before the fire broke out he
heard some one cry "For Gods sake don't
throw that lamp. Mcintosh and the two
Savages were arrested this afternoon and held
to await developments. The three arrested
men tell contradictory stories, but there is lit
tie doubt in the minds Of the police that all
the men were intoxicated and engaged in
row when the fire caught, and that one of
them is responsible for it.