The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-06-08

cape-viewing the Dead Bodies at the
Morgue.
CHICAGO, June Son marble slabs at the
morgue, Monday morning, were the charred
remains OF two whole families, save hus
band who was out of the city and q child
too young to know tho perils 1t had mar
rowly escaped The father OF another family
was also among the dead. In all eight per
SONS were roasten or amothered in their
beds. They were the victims of a fire that
broke out at l3l and 133 South Canal street
early Monday morning, and that spread
with such amazing rapidity that all means
OF escape were cut Off before the danger of
their situation was realized by the inmates.
At o'clock Monday morning flames
were discovered bursting upward IRON the
cellar OF the frame building 7SS Canal street
The watchmsn in a brewery near by first
saw tho blaze. He ran to tie house to
arouse ths occupants and turn in an alarm
Meanwhile the flames shot up through the
ground floor with the rapidity OF lightning.
In II minute more the next floor was ablaze,
and a little later the wooden walls OF the
basement gave way and the fire was cont
muuicated To the house at 49,, which was
soon developed Both house were filled
with sitting smoke and beyond the help OF
the fire department before any of the in
mates were aroused.
John Raleigh, Jr and his family, living
on the lower floor of i35, were the first to
awake and realize the awful situation
Hastily grasping such few garments as they
could lind in the sitting smoke, Mr.. and
Mrs Raleigh threw open the front windows
and escaped through them, but not without
a terrible scorching. Mrs Raleighs night
dress caught fire, but with remarkable pres
ence of mind she extinguished the blaze and
Joined her husband in efforts to save the
lives of their two small children. This they
succeeded in doing. The second floor of the
building was occupied by Michael Murphy
and family and Ms Mary Durkin and
family. Mrs. Mary Durkin's hurband, who
Is employed in the Joliet steel works, was
absent
The upper floor OF 70. was occupied by
William Hahn, Jr., and his family. His
father, an aged man, lived with them. The
Hahns all escaped except the old man, who
was last seen at az upper window appealing
for help but it was too late He persisted
On the lower floor of 73l lived John Nc
CURE. a grocer, and his family. They all
escaped
1t is alleged that the fire is the work Of
an incendiary. The brewery Waterman
who made the discovery says that be saw q
strange man running away from the burn
ing buildings, but doubts il he could identify
him should he see him again. 1t was the
third time the property had been set afire.
There was strong smell of kerosene
about the burned premises and in the base
ment of 1873, in the middle OF which a tub
filled with napkins, towels, table cloths, and
other articles was left Sunday night by
one of the families preparatory to wash
ing These articles were completely
saturated with kerosene. The tub in
which they were placed Is burnt to
ashes, but they remain almost intact, and
the stencil of the inllammatory liquid which
they emit is almost overpowering. Several
eye witnesses Of the fire affirm that from the
way the flames played along the front of the
building, particularly round the doors and
windows, athe door.jams and window
sills must have been smeared over with the
kerosene in order TO shut off all avenues of
escape.
Another evidence which Mr.. Raleigh cites
as pointing to incendiarism is the fact that
he locked his basement door upon retiring
Sunday night, and upon the discovery Of
the fire 1t was found to have been broken
open, as the iiend had entered by that way
to accomplish his deadly work. The follow
Ing are the names Of the victims:
Mrs. Mary Durkin, aged 30 years, face
and breast badly burned, also her clothing;
Patsey Flavin, years old a son of Mrs
Durkin by former husband, smothered to
death; Agnes Durkin, aged 10 months;
Michael Murphy, aged IS years, sufocated: