The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-05-06
GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.
Nine Persons suFocated in a Tenement
House Fire in First Avenue,
New York City.
Fifteen Injured by Jumping from tho Win
dows and Taken to the Hospital
Believed That the Building was
Fired for the Insurance.
LIST OF THE DEAD AND INJURED.

/
the east side of the city, and all day long
the scene of the disaster was visited by
thousands of people. The building in which
the fire occurred is five-story double-tene-
ment and had only recently been built.
| There were ten families In the building at
| the time of the outbreak and unfortunately
there were no fire escapes in the front of the
building, the only escape being In the real,
and the inmates residing in front were on
account of the flames and smoke unable to
reach them.
| The following is list of the dead and
injured-The dead: Mrs. Minnie Krotch-
| ner, age "a; Richard Krotchner, IL; Will
lam Hurley, 20; Elizabeth Hurley, 23; Chris
tian Kener, 4S; Joseph Humphrey, 81;
Henry Humphrey, four months, and sery-
ant girl named Mary.
The injured: Mrs. Kate hamburger, aged
%, and daughter, aged g. Mrs. Ida Enrich,
40; George Hurley 40; Elizabeth Hurley, 55;
| Albert Kerner, IA; Christina Kemer, 23;
Kate Keraner, 90; William Flanagan, 16;
Kate Sampuhl, Z, and Sophia Kerner, II.
Coroner Martin has taken charge of the
case and will commence an investigation
early in the week.
Fourteen men, women and children have
oeen conveyed to Bellevue Hospital, and
many of them will die. Three alarms were
sounded, bringing a large number of engines
| 10 the fire.
The fire broke out between twelve and
one o'clock, in the rear of John Humphreys
liquor store No. 672 First Avenue, situated
In five-story building occupied as tene-
ment. The flames spread quickly in the in
fammable material which filed the room
where the fire originated. The Railways Of
the building soon filed with smoke, and
when the inmates were aroused they found
escape difficult, and became panic-stricken.
Many despalred OF reaching the stairways
and jumped from the windows. John
Humphrey, his wife, their babe and serv-
ant girl were suffocated 10 death. Mrs
| Kretchener, widow, and Elizabeth Cheve.
ley, aged thlrty-two, jumped from third
story windows and were killed.
The injured at the hospital are three
women suffering from bruises and one Of
them with broken knee, four men, two
| boys, three young women and girl, some
| of them will probably die from the effects
| of suffocation. When the firemen arrived
every window was filled with frantic men,
women and children slmieking wildly for
help. Before ladders could be raised Mrs.
| Humphreys, wife Of the saloon keeper
leaped from third-story window and was
instantly killed. Both her legs were shat
tered. The other members of the Humph-
rey's family were, as previously reported,
suffocated. They were found lying on the
floor of their rooms. Several persons fol-
lowed Mrs Humphreys example and Jumped
to the pavement They were terriblyman-
| gled. ....
BY this time the life-saving corps had run
up their scaling ladders and began the work
| Of rescue When the iremen succeeded In
reaching the upper stories, fearful dis
covery was made. On every floor dead and
| dying people were heaped. Body after body
was hurriedly dragged to the street and some
of them recovered upon reaching the open
air, but many were carried unconscious 10
| the hospital. Seven dead bodies were seen
| lying side by side. II cannot yet be stated
| how many of the wounded will die. Mrs.
| Kretchner was found suffocated to death In
her room on the ffth-noor and did not perish
by jumping as first reported. Her son
| Albert, who leaped from window, will
| probably die Of his injuries. II Is thought
that but few bodies were burned. The loss
| of life might have been ayerted but for the
| delay Of the steamers on account Of their
being busy at fire at the house Of @. p.
Huntington, at Park Avenue and Thirty
eighth Street.
The damage TO HuntingtOn's house was
about $1,000. When the firemen arrived in
First Avenue they soon quenched the flames
In the tenement house, and the loss TO the
building will probably not exceed $4,000.
They were too late, however, 10 prevent
the loss Of life. After the fire was put out
the ruins were searched for bodies till late
hour. At three a. m. two more deaths had
occurred In the hospital, making total Of
nine deaths. Twelve remain seriously in
jured. II is uimored that Humphrey set
fire TO the building In order TO secure the in
surance on his stock of goods. The posi-
tion Of his body, when found, indicates that
he had been up before the rest of the fami-
ly. The policy Of insurance was In his
pocket and he was dressed. The building
Is owned by David Jones, of Newark, N. j.
Mr.. Roelich, who with his wife and three
children, occupied the top-ho0r, was. the
only tenant who escaped without loss. I'm
medlately after the fire was discovered he
closed his doors and windows TO keep out
the smoke He then took his wife and chill
dren TO the front window and passed them
| One ny Oilc uOMH tilc ltuuCIb ClCCVcu Wy tho
firemen.
Mr. Roellch said last night: 'The fire
cut of all egress by the stairs and the fire.
escapes. The wood noolings Of the latter
and the boxes and washtubs stored thereon
burnt like tinder and made the iron work Of
the fire-escape 80 hot that 1t was impossible
10 get down, and II the people had only shut
their doors and gone TO the top of the build
Ing. none would have been killed. / saw
Mrs. Humphrey in the hospital yesterday
morning and she said that Humphrey set the
place ON fire"
The fire did not get beyond the fourth
floor, except in the Railways, where the
doors and wanscoting were charred
The fire broke out In the kitchen Of
Humphreys restaurant. The police think
II was due TO carelessness on Humphreys
part, who often closed his saloon and left a
hot FIRE In his range. Mrs. Burge, whose
saloon adjoined Humphreys, said she had
often spoken 10 him about the careless man.
ner in which he left his fire, but he only
laughed and said: 1T is all right Pm IN,
,ured."
| ~