The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-05-23
THE BOY AND THE BENZINE
CA USE oFTHE CINCINNATI FIRE.
The Boy erviewed-Agehizlng Scenes
at the Morgue--Statement of Persons
Present-Singular Suicide In
Brenham-Cyclone, Etc.
MIR. nRnwN,s srArRMrNr.

CINCINNATI, May &c. Brown, who
had charge Of the paper cutting ms
chine in the building located on the
second floor, has made the following
statement about yesterdays fire:
| was working Mt my machine whom
the fire started. 1t broke out at point
below the dry rack, where the freshly
! printed sheets are hung to dry on tho
second floor. When l saw the blaze |
ran up the stairs aB high as the fourth
floor, whore The flames were 30 hot
they drove me back, but not before l
yelled TO the girls not to Jump out of the
window. When got down to the
pavement, however, 1 saw the flames
and smoke rushing out OF the windows
and the girls trying to make their es-
cape.
Mrs. Bell, Dollio and Mary Handel
jumped and caught them as well as
could, injuring myself in so doing. The
Two girls were killed outright and Mrs.
Bell was dreadfully injured; she died
at the hospital.
Josie Hawkes., who was saved
by the rope, was badly burn
ed on the face and arms
and by fall, just before she reached
the sidewalk, broke her leg,
Miss Shepherd jumped, apparently
safely to tarpaulln held out 10 catch
her, but she was sfterward found to be
injured.
MR.. HARDING's STATEMENT.
Theodore Harding, an employee, said;
was on the second floor, when | Jaw
Miss Shepherd run past with her
clothes on fire. | rushed up, but could
not reach the girls. l cried "Firel Firew
loudly. / saw at once that the girls
would be cut Off.
THEIR CRIES WERE TERRIBLE.
And the boys feelings overcame him
50 lie could not proceed.
Mrs, Leaban, who lost three daugh-
ters, appeared at the mOrgue TO identity
them. Her features were stained with
grief, but with some CLEAN of hope she
passed body after body, until a sharp
cry and tho words, "My Godl here's
Mafyp showed that hope haS fed. In
moment her bewildered eyes found
Katie and then Della, and the poor
woman's grief was so touching that
spectator kindly led her to the
office, where hor disconsoate
meanings could be heard far into the
street.
The brother of Fannie Jones recognize
cd his sister by two tinger rings. at
will kill mother, too" he cried, a. the
tears ran down mis- checks, and he too
was led away from the CHASTITY sight.
THERE WAS NO FIRE ESCAPE.
Mr.. n. Caldwell, the fire escape in
spector, says when he inspected the
building more than year ago it was
not occupied rs factory above the sec
| ond floor, and hence no could not re-
quire tire escape attached TO the build.
ing. lie had never been no titled of the
change In the manner Of the occupancy
oftho building, hence there had been no
Tire escape ordered.
The Sullivans were quite young prin-
ters, beginning short time ago with al
most no capital, They had ueed econ
omy, and being well trained In the art,
| mad increased their business until they
occupied nearly the entire hui ding.
A BENzINE AND GAS EXPLOSION,
Last night boy who could give an
authentic account OF the origin OF the
Sullivan fire yesterday was found by
the cOroner's clerk at his homo in the
extreme eastern portion of the city.
The boy, whose name is John Meyers,
II appears, ran from the building at the
very beginning OF the fire and went to a
drug store, where his wounds wore
dressed, and he then went home.
lie says he was sont down to the trst
| floor yesterday afternoon to get two
gallon can OF benzlne. He got it from
Orth i W.ssou, who keep dye house
on the first floor. Going up to the Sec
ond floor, he was passing along a mar
row passage beside tho presses In the
direction OF the elevator shaft, When
In the dark he stumbled, struck the can
against press and broke the glass. The
benzine flowed out, and as the press
man had n gas light burning, the gas
almost instantly exploded. Movers
fell, saturated with benzine, which took
fire, and he ran toward tho stairs,where
he eXtingui5hod the fire on mis- person
and ran down to the drug store, as DO.
fore stated. The coroner win begin an
! inquest tomorrow.