The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-05-10
The Father, Mother and "a Little Baby
the Only Survivors.

The house Of Charles Williams. on the Otter
Point road, in the outskirts Of Abingdon. was
burned down, on Thursday night OF last week,
aud four OF his children pcrished in the flames.
They were Anastasia. aged 10 years, Cecilia,
years. Joseph f.. : years, aud Thomas, years
Mrs Williams was shockingly burned on the
face. head, breast and arms. II is believed she
VIII recover but viii pTooaSiy lose me SIGHT OF
verely burned about the face, hands ana arms
An infant II months old was the only child 10
csca pc and 1t was also burned about the face
The house an old frame building, two
stories and a half high, and was situated about
thousand yards from the nearest dwelling.
The family went TO bed at or 10 o'clock, Mr.
Williams having first looked at the stove, in
which there were only few smouldorinE Goals,
which he left there, thinking they would soon
10 out. He retired to his room, his wife and
five children occupying room adjoining
About hali past eleven Anastasia' me eldest
daughter, was awakened by smoke in the room
aud aroused her mother Mrs. Williams found
tnat the smoke was pouring IN from the stairway
leading 70 the kitchen. She ran into the next
room and woke her husband. He went down
into the kitchen, and upon opening the door was
met by great rush OF smoke and flame. which
leAped up the stairway aud prevented him from
returning for his family, and also cut of their
means OF escape by that way.
cscarc by jumping out Of the window and made
his own way out through window in the sitting
room. The flames from the kitchen soon set the
main portion of the house on fire.
Mrs. Williams was completely bewildered and
frantic. Her daughter Anastasia, or Annie as
she was called, appears to have been the only one
who retained any presence OF mind. She led
her mother to a window which she raised. Then
the mother, brcathinHH prayer, dropped her b1by
ont of the window. Tho child fell unhurt upon
The soft earth. ten feet below. The mother fol-
lowed aud also reached the ground safely.
What took place in the burning building after
her escape Will never be known, as the four re-
naming inmates are dead, but from circum-
stantial information II Is surmised that Annie
must have have acted the part of martyr
When she saw that her mother and the baby
were safe she turned her attention to her sister
and two brothers and tried to save them, but 1t
is thought that she was overcome by the smoke
and that all were suifOcaeh before the fire roast
cd their bodies into the charTed remains that
were taken from the debris the next morning.
1t was not until the house was hopeessly en-
vcoppd ia flames that the village people arrived
upon the scene The first to see that the build
ing was on fire was ColOred woman, whose
house is ABOUT a quarter of mile away. She
was saying goodbye to her beau when she saw
the flames and gave the alarm. Mr.. Thomas Me-
Cpmgs, who was one of the first to arrive, says
that when he got there II was too late TO save
anything inside the building. Mrs. Williams was
standing in front of the house crying aloud for
somebody to save her children. Her head, face
ana body were covered with blood. She and the
infant were sheltered in the home of George
Bradford colored man. for the remainder of
the night. Mr. Williams was not about the place
when the people began to put in an appearance.
II is said that he lost complete control Of him
self and ran about yelling for assistance,
The remains of the four children were recOv-
cred from the ruins in the cellar about O'Clock
saturday morning.; They were recognizable by
but for the spinal column and the heart OF each,
which were intact, the remains would not have
been taken Tor those OF human beings. lhCy
all placed in coffin and buried in the al
ternOOn in the graveyard of st. Francis CathO- /
lie Church, Abingdon, Rev. Don Luigi Sartori. |
the pastor, conducting the funeral ceremonies in |
the presence OF a large number of the villagers. |
Mr.. and Mrs. Williams had no medical atten. |
tiOH until SIX O'Clock in the evening. Then Dr. |
Richard Oppermann, of Abingdon VINO had been |
away from home until that hour, made an exam /
inHtIon of their injuries. He said the chances |
that Mrs. Williams would recover. but /.
would be MANNED tor the rest of her life. Hus-
band, wife and baby were removed to the resi- |
dence of Mr.. Charles Dixon, whose wife is the |
oldest child of the afflicted family. Mr.. Will |
iams is - years old and his wife is 40. He was |
employed as trackman on the Baltimore and |
ohio Railroad and has a good reputation. The |
people of Abingdon have already started plans |
for the relief OF Mr.. Williams family. Rev. ,
Father Sartori opened subscription list, head |
ing the paper with g, and Mr.. George CARING |
ton the seclun.bOss under whom Mr. Williams !
worked, also started a subscription among the |
unfortunate mans fellow wOrkmen.
The house that was destroyed was the proper /
Is Ui Mr. Benjamin Swart, and was insured