Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-06-29
PITIFUL.
Two Little Girls Burned 10 Death In a
Frame House Not Far From the
City Of sherman.
Heroic Conduct of n Noble sister, Who
Burned and Biosding, saves
Little Sister OF -Four.
An AwrrL Nlanr.

special 70 the Gazette
SnERMAS, Tx, June 2s.--Seldom has
a reporters pen been employed TO chron-
icle more sickening and tgrible tragedy
than happened at the farm house Of Will
lam Miller, seven miles southwest OF
Sherman, between 10 and IL o'clock last
night. II was the work Of the flre-hend,
and never did that grim, CHASTITY and re-
morseless demon do Il crueler deed. Sun
days SUI set on happy house
hold; its next beams shone down on
black and smoking ruins, and worse than
all, revealed with horrid distlnctness the
bodies OF two little girls, on whom the
remoTseless flames took no pity, burned
to death
From the unfortunate father OF the
children the following details were
CLEANED; The family consists Of
Miller, an invalid wife and
four daughters, the eldest sixteen,
and the youngest about four
years OF age. A travelling man
had sought the hospitality OF the Millers
and was to spend the night. He was
given n room on the FIRST floor where the
father and mother also slept, the chill
dren occupying room up stairs They
sat up until about 10 IN the evening,
chatting pleasantly, when the oldest
daughter, taking charge of her younger
sisters, started for their apartment. AT
the head OF the stairway she
struck match TO light lamp
she carried, throwing II down without
noticing to see II il was extInguished.
! This act was the probable cause Of the
horrible catastrophe.
IL could not have been more than an
hour later when Mr.. Miller was hurriedly
awakened 10y his guest, who asked II
there was not something on fire. Instant
| ly roaring sound was heard and both
rushed out OF the room. An appalling
sight burst ON them The stairs were
a sheet OF fame Like lightning
the thought of his children passed
| through Miller's mind. Flying to the
outside, he speedily climbed post sup.
| porting an awning on level with the
apartment Of the Inflated girls. He lost
no time, but bursting Ia window
snaiched one Of the children from her
bed and retraclng his steps let her dror
into the outstrotched arms OF the
stranger, Even then the child was in the
AGoNIEs OF DEATH,
But while engaged In this the oldest
daughter had been aroused to sense Of
the peril, and frantlcally catching up her
youngest sister, also broke through the
glass out upon the awning, and the two
were lowered tenderly to the earth. Tn,
fire had by this time gained such head
way that II was almost impossible *
stand the fierce heat, yet there was still
another one TO be saved, AS Miller wen
back for her the room, which up to thi
| had attl Ia
came lit up with luri,
glare, showing the remaining child lying
motlonless In her bed, beyond all human
aid. BY the time she was let down th,
last spark OF life was extinct.
Later reports show that the horribl
holocaust might have been averted ha,
the windows OF the room In which tn,
girls were, been open. They looked gu
ON piazza which was not owe
ten feet from the earth, and al
Of them might lave escaped
AS II was, the eldest Miller girl mad
/ desperate but futile attempts to raise tn
, sashos before rescue came. In the ter
rlble emergency, with the noble spirit 0
q true heroine, she thought more OF say
' ing the lives OF her little sisters than he
own. In getting out OF the window
which she finally broke through
in her desperation the glass cut her LEI
cruelty and she came near bleeding 4
death She was also painfully burned, bu
her wounds are not fatal. The little on
+ who owes Its life 10 her got of with onl
! a few slight burns, The dead sisters wer
) named Minnie and Mary, aged twelve an,
4 ten years. Minnie fingered till @ o'clocI
this morning, but death ended Mary
I agonies ere she was taken from tn
/. fatal room, DIR, Neshitt, who wen
10 the scene stated that they were Victim
Of the intense heat and smoke aud tina
!. flames did not actually reach them. Boil
( were placed In one grave, anC
sadder burial was never seer
IN Sherman AS the house wit
all its contents was destroyed, the miser
able family were bereft OF everything
Recognizing their needs subscription
. was started and liberal donations wcr
made The father and mother have tn
sympathy OF everybody who has heard Ia
I story OF their awful bereavement.
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