The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-04-14
WESTMINSTER.
THE DISASTROUS FIRE OF MONDAY
NIGHT,


THE DISASTROUS FIRE OF MONDAY
NIGHT.
Narrow Escape from Horrible Death-Verdict Of
the Coroner's Jury.
That city had not heard a fire alarm
since the burning of the Jail on the 18th
of May, 1882, until Monday night. About
11.30 O'Clock the fire bell sounded the
alarm. and the department, Fastening to
the scene, found Jacob Thompson livery
stable on fire.
The fire spread rapidly, and in few
moments Main and CHEESEMAN'S cabinet
making establishment and Herr Brothers
coach factory were in flames. The wind
was blowing strongly from the southeast
and carrying the sparks and flames to
the adjacent buildings.
NO WATER AT HAND
Westminster has no water supply ex-
cept from private wells and ciSterns, and
was in no wise prepared to meet con-
flagration such as occurred there last
Me lday night.
The Westminster Fire Department has
no apparatus except Holloway chemical
engine and hook and ladder truck, and
though its members worked nobly, it was
soon seen that. i'll the unequal battle with
the fire, the department, aided by large
numbers of citizens. must be worsted.
SENDING FOR HELL.
w. l.. Seahreok, president of the de-
partment, at once teleeraphed to Fire
Marshal Heiskell and to Chief Holloway
of Baltimore for men and chemical en-
gines. The fire spread rapidly up Main
street to the west, destroying, in it's
course, seven frame and brick dive Ilings.
The Fire Department got in front of the
course of the flames and. by almost SUI
perhnman efforts, assisted by the citizens
saved number of buildings and, in a
measure, checked the fire. Nearly all
the personal property was removed from
the various buildings before they were
destroyed. The buildings on the south
side of the street opposite the fire were
with greatest difficulty saved from burn
ing. The adjacent streets were lined
with furniture, over which the houseless
and homeless people were keeping guard
The fire had its origin in Mr.. Thomp-
sons livery stable. Some colored men
aroused Messrs. Harry Thompson and
Ousler. sleeping in the Office of the stable
and they awakened Bob Thompson and
Aaron Shaeffer.
NARROW ESCAPE.
Messrs. Harry Thompson and Oursler
at once set about saving the horses, but
seeing that the roof was caving in, they
were compelled to abandon the horses to
their fate, and barely escaped with their
own lives. Nothing was afterwards seen
of Messrs. Bob Thompson and Aaron
S,haeffer, and it was feared that they
had persisted in the flames. Rumors
were circulated that they had been seen
in the crowd and intense excitement pre-
vailed, but they did not make their ap-
pearance, and nsthing definite We S know n
until 40 o'clock this morning, when n
char.ed and blackened mass was discov
cred in the rear of the debris of the
stable. This was recognized as the re-
mains of a human body, and was identi
fed by bunch of keys as that of Mr.
Shaeifer. Soon after. near the office,
was found the body of Mr.. Thompson
There was nothing to identify this ex-
cept a suspender buckle.
ARRIVAL OF HELP.
The night was cloudy and many hoped
and prayed for rain, and between $50
and ) o'clock the welcome shower came
At $40 O'Clock the special train from
Baltimore arrived with two chemical en-
gines, a steamer and hose carriage, ac-
companied by Fire Marshal Heiskel, Mr..
c. I. Holloway, Chief of the Baltimore
County Department; Mr.. George Ellen
der, Assistant Chief Engineer of the
Baltimore City Department. members of
No. S, of Baltimore; of the Salvage
Corps, of the Baltimore county company.
reporters and others. The force of the
conflagration was by that time checked
and the apparatus was not unloaded from
the train.
THE WESTMINSTER BOYS COMMENDED.
The tiremen from the city gave the
greatest praise to the home company,
saying that if they had been present in
time they could have done nothing more
than was done. That the saved build
ings would be a standing monument to
the skill of any set of men.
1t is supposed that the fire was of in
cendiary origin, and four colored men
were accused of the crime, arrested and
quietly taken before Justice.
THREATS.
Threats of lynching were freely in
dulged i'll against the negroes arrested,
and at one time it was thought they
would be carried out, especially after the
rendering of the verdict by the Coroner
Jury. They were. however, committee,
and are now in Jail. The Coroner held
an inquest upon the remains found and
rendered the following verdict:
VERDICT OF THE JURY.
SP. M.-The coroner's jury, after ex-
aiming fifteen witnesses, found their
verdict: That Robert Thompson came to
his death, on the 9th of April, 1888, by
being burned to death in the stable of
Jacob Thompson, and the said death was
caused by the gross negligence and reck-
less disregard of life and property and
carelessness on the part of Harrison
Dorsey, Robert Goodwin, John Clark and
Charles Wartield in producing or causing
the fire in said stable, which produced
said death, and that the parties were
trespassers, and were unlawfully on the
premises Of Jacob Thompson at the time
they caused said fire The Jury rend-
cred similar verdict over the body of
Aaron Shaeffer.
Sixteen buildings were destroyed,
including the Lutheran Church. Loss.
$40, 900. The fire cleared the whole
block from Bond to Carroll street on
Main street and up Carroll street. Two
chemical and steam engines arrived at
3. 40 clock from Baltimore, but the fire
was under control aud they were not
used. The fire started at 11.30 o'clock
at night and was under control at
3 o'clock the next morning. Rain set in
at o'clock.