Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1888-02-14


Liquor. Begin to Fight-A Lighted
Lamp is Thrown and Six Persons Are
Turned to Death.
HAzLEToN, Pa, Feb IA large boarding
house near Silver Brook, seven miles from
this place. was burned to the ground at about
IL O'Clock Sunday night, and six persons were
burned to death in it, being unable to escape,
and others were seriously burned.
The dead are John Elias, 20 years of age;
John kobinko, So years, and married; Paul
SiskowitZ. 81 years, married, whose family
are in the old country: John Seddo, 23 years,
single: Michael Yankovitsch, aged 30, mar
ried, and has family, and Mary Manlck,
aged 16.
The injured are Lawrence Manlick and his
wife and child, all seriously burned about the
face and bodies; Peter Manski, burned and
:ut about the head by jumping through a
window; Joseph Brasko, face, limbs and body
badly burned.
The boarding house was large double
frame building. One side of it was occupied
by John Deicher and his family, and the
other side by Lawrence Manlick. The latter
kept twenty boarders. They were all Hunga-
rians who worked in the mines and breaker
of j. S. Wertz & Co. at New Silver Brook.
In the afternoon the whole number Of them
came to this place and took part in the dedi-
cation of the new St Peters Polish Roman
Catholic church. Polish and Hungarian
societies from various towns were here,
and after the church services many of
them went to the Hungarian drinking places
and became intoxicated. OF this number
were the dozen or more from Silver Brook.
At about p. M. they left here and went
back to their boarding house What occurred
there is only known by the statements of
those who escaped from the burning building.
They say that they had mixed together a
large lot of beer and alcohol, making q very
intoxicating beverage, which the Hungssians
i:all "Pelinki." The drank this until they
cad all become beastly drunk, and then
they began to fight among themselves. In
the melee one of their number, John
Seldo, picked up the lighted lamp and
throw it at one of his opponents. The
lamp struck the wall, and was exploded
Instantly the whole room was in q
blaze, and a wild scramble for life ensued
Manlick and his wife, after throwing their
infant child out of the window to the frozen
ground he,ow, jumped out, and were followed
| by Peter Manski and Paul Sisllowitz The
latter, however, was SO badly burned that hc
died at noon yesterday. The other three meI
in their fright ran up stairs, where they re
manned several minutes, when they rushed
down again, only 10 ma themselves sur
rounded by the fierce flames, and all mea,l
of exit cut OF. Together with Mary Manlick
| they were roasted alive in the building
Their companions who had escaped were 81
wild with drink, pain and fright that they
made no effort to save them, and before Other
hep arrived from the village all had perished
| Yesterday Justice of the Peace O'Donnel
called a jury together to investigate the caus
of the catastrophe. The jury met in the after
! noon and heard the testimony of the survi
vors, but adjourned without making up
verdict. 1t was learned last evening that
! man answering the description of JOIN
! Seddo, who was said to be one of the victims
was seen at Lofty. He was severely burned
and his clothes were b,oodstained. From thi
fact and others in the possession of the actin.
coroner, there is a suspicion of foul play ant
! that terrible crime was committed by SOM
of those who survive. Acting Corone
| O'Donnen will thoroughly sift the matter
and expects to have much additional evi
dence to-day. The remains of the victim
were removed from the ruins yestertla
aud taken in charge by Undertaken William
McNulty. They will be buried to-day il
the poorhouse cemetery, as none of the me-
have relatives here to claim them.