Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-02-27

cred TO be In iames, with every avenue
of escape cut off except by the windows.
All the members of the household were
either killed or injured. Those who lost
their lives were Mr.. King; Miss Jennie
Hamilton, II sister of Mrs. King, ~
wears Of age; Mr.. Kings 7-year-old-son,
Charles; Catharine Berry, servant, IL
yeas of age, and Leonore Grobis, nurse
20 years old. Those injured ut the fire
we're Mrs. King, Nora King, four years
of age, and Mary Burns, servant. The
fire first broke out shortly after four
O'Clock in the cellar, and was occasioned
by some hot Goals falling from the FUR
mace among some barrels Of rubbish.
Mr.. King awoke and summoned police
man, by whose aid and that OF the ser
wants the fire in the barrels was rxtin-
puished. Just before leaving the police
man noticed a spark smOlderlng In one
of the ratters, and after throwing
bucket of water on ii he told Mr.. King
that they had better wet all the upper
woodwork. Mr.. King said that that
was unnecessary and told the servants
RI 90 back To bed. Just then Mr.. Ed
ward P. Warrington, who lives next
door, came in and said his cellar was full
of smoke, but the cause being explained,
he went away. Mr.. VIM. Ingham, whose
residence adjoins Mr.. Kings, states that
some time after Mr.. King said the nre
was entirely out he WAS alarmed at the
increasing body Of smoke and a low
cracking sound, and he again aroused
Mr.. King, who seemed indignant at
being disturbed and insisted that the fire
was completely subdued. Mr.. Warning
ton also paid second visit, but Mr..
King received his suggestion that they
should again examine the cellar In the
same way he had received that of Mr.
Ingham.
Dir. King made fatal mistake. While
the inmates slept the fire was working
its way through the splendid dwelling.
The fire burned Its way from the cellar
to the first story. The parlor, drawing
room and dining-room were swallowed
ND by the flames, and still Mr.. King
and his family slept. Mr.. King and his
family awoke about O'Clock to find
their dwelling a seething furnace, with
all means of escape cut of. He and his
wife occupied the front room on the
second story. His children were In the
room overhead, and Miss Hamilton
slept on the same floor. On the fourth
door were the servants. Awakened by
the cracking flames, Mr.. King and his
wife rushed TO their children's room.
There was no time to dress. They then
ran ND to the fourth floor. They were
driven up stairs by the advancing
flames. Neighbors had been aroused,
and collected on the pavements with
passers-by Every engine in the city
was mile and s-half away at a fire on
Market street, and there could be no
help from the fremen. Suddenly the
spectators were startled to see some
forms in white appear ut window on
the fourth floor.
mattresses Bring mattresses !"
shouted some one at the window, and
blankets and mattresses were quickly
obtained. willing hands held mat
tress under the window. Samuel God
win, who lives across the street, heard
Mrs. King cry out:
"Oh, God, help me! Save my chill
dren ~
Then she told the little boy to jump.
He did so, and struck the mattress fairly.
1t slipped through the mems hands.
The boy was picked up and carried
away. His skull was fractured and he
died i'm few minutes. Then Mrs. King
dropped the little girl. She was badly
bruised and shaken up.
Coolly as if jumping from Car, Mrs.
King embraced her husband and took
the perilous leap. In an unconscious
condition she was removed to a drug
store and subsequently, to relatives
house. A hundred voices called for
Mr.. King to jump. He stepped upon
the window sill, paused and turned
back. He had forgotten his sister-in-
Law. The flames baffled his efforts to
find her, and in moment or two he re-
turned. But those moments were fatal.
As he again mounted the sill smoke and
flames burst out and around him, and
he fell back corpse.
Meanwhile there were the most ago.
nizing scenes in the rear. The three
servant girls, driven to window as
heir only escape, jumped in terror to
the hard bricks below. Two were taken
up for dead. Mary Burns fell upon
pile of snow, which partially broke the
terrible jump. An ambulance bore her
to the hospital, where her condition Is
critical.
But the most terrible Of all was the
death OF Miss Hamilton. Awakened by
the cries of Fire." from Mr.. King,
she was driven to the fourth story, and
ran into the back room. There was no
one to aid her. Through the binding
smoke she CROPPED her way to the win
dow aud looked out. She low cred her.
self from the window sill, as II wishing
to make the distance less, and there she
hung. The few people who saw her say
they will never forget the sight. Far
above their heads dangled figure clad
in white. 1t swayed and twisted and
struggled, but the hand feared to let 60.
Even when the flames leapeC from the
window below and the window above,
the form still hung there. There the