St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-06-08
SEVEN LIVES LOST.
An Incendiary Fire at Chicago At
tended With Terrible Results.


CHICAGO, June IA fire occurred in a
frame building at No. 731 South Canal
street, at o'clock this morning, which is
thought to have been of incendiary origin.
Seven of the sleeping inmates were burned
in their BEDS They were:
MICHAEL MURPHY and WIFE and TWO
DAUGHTERS, aged and IL years.
MRS. MARY DURKIN.
PATSY LAWN, years.
WILLIAM HAND, 6S years.
The fire broke out in the cellar of 733
Canal street. The flames shot upward and
quickly burned through the first floor, and
the next floor was soon ablaze. The fire
soon spread through the wooden walls of
the basement, and No. ISL was soon
wrapped in the flames which enveloped
the adjoining number. Both houses were
filled with smoke before any of the occu-
pants were aroused. The flames followed
rapidly after the smoke, and burned
the bodies until they were I'M
recognizable masses of black and
CHARRED BONES AND FLESH.
The lower floor of 1888 was occupied by
John Raleigh, Jr. He and his family es-
capped with difficulty. The second floor of
No. 733 was occupied by the Durkin and
Murphy families. The fremen in search
ing the ruins of the house found some of
the victims lying in half-burned beds;
others, who were awakened before death
came upon them, were clutching each other
on the floor. They were all evidently over
come by smoke before an effort could be
made to escape. The upper floor was oc-
cupied by William Hand. Jr. His father
lived with him. They were aroused by the
smell OF the smoke. The young man caught
up the children and jumped from the seq,
ond-story window with them, after assist
ing his wife to the street. He wanted to
help his father down, but the old man in
sisted on his jumping with the children.
The aged and decrepit form of the old gen.
tleman was seen at the window moment,
and then disappeared just as he was about
to leap. The raging fire prevented the
making Of an effort for his rescue. The
lower floor of No. 731 was occupied by
man named Mcclure, who kept a grocery
store. Al his family was saved.
John Welch, a teamster, said he was at
the scene of the fire five minutes after it
started. He rendered what assistance he
could and helped in caring for the suffo-
Gated victims. WEIGH said that great de-
lay was made in sending in the alarm. This
was caused by the man who pulled the box
lay had much to do with the fatal results.
The origin of the fire was at first mystery
until tub containing clothes
SATURATED WITH COAL OIL
was discovered in the basement The arti-
cles in the tub burned from the top and a
strong smell of oil could be detected on
raising the contents. The scene of the fire
is in that quarter occupied by the poorer
ala w
poorlv-clad men, women and children stood
around the place discussing the tragedy.
But few persons were allowed to enter the
house unless they were friends of the
former occupants. Little Johnnie Durkin,
aged 6 weeks, lay in ward 10 at the county
hospital to-day. The physician refused to
say whether the child would recover or not.
but he thought If he had not inhaled too
much heat the chances were in his favor.
His worst external burns are about the head
and feet, which were not protected as well,
when found, as the rest of his body. John
Raleigh, who is landlord of both the
burned houses. told his story as follows:
When heard the shouting jumped out of
bed and dressed myself. When 1 went out
found three or four boys trying to get a
ladder up to one of the 'Sl-5ows of Murphy s
room. The heat was IcS intense; nobody
could stand it. I tbea grabbed the ladder
and made round to the back window. placed
it to the sill and climbed up, but was met at
the window by sheet of flame that nearly
knocked me down into the yard. I shouted, but
got no response. I did not even hear a Cry or
moan. In a few minutes the engines came,
and 1 told the men there were two families
inside. They said they could not do anything
until they had Subdued the fire. When they
got in the only member of the two families
they found alive was little Johnny Durkin, a
child of about six weeks. In my opinion the
fire was the work of incendiaries, though
what their object could have been I cannot
divine.
The houses have been fired twice before
within a year, but the fire each time was
discovered before it had made any head
way.