The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1889-11-08
DEATH IN THE FLAMES

Death IN THE FLAMES
King Alchol Sends Frank McI<instry to
an Untimely Grave by the
Fire Route
At $50 on Sunday evening the cry OF
fire rang out On the frosty air followed
by the warning notes OF the
alarm bell. A glance over the city show
ed the fire to be in the thickly built part
OF the city which fact lent wings to the
feet OF the hundreds OF hurrying men who
instantly realized the Importance OF
quick work to prevent a wide spread
connagration. With the promptness
that always characterizes them the
members OF the fire organizations turned
out and in less time than it takes to
write about it had laid two lines OF nose
and began playing on
THE BURNING BUILDING
which proved to be small stable stand
ing in the rear OF Vann's confectionery
store, and occupied by Frank
N1ckinstry, a teamster. To the west
some thirty feet is Howard Worth's
livery barn, and just east only about
four feet away stands a store house oc-
cupied by Behrens, just across the alley
is another small stable and q few feet
further south are the gables OF the frame
business houses fronting on the north
side Of Main street.
THE FLAMES
enveloped the stable entirely when tht
firemen arrived and were streaming VI
from the inside which was atire from enc
| to end and had burned large holes in TIN
roof. On the inside OF the stabl
were two mules and IL horse and quite
quantity OF hay Soon alter the fir
wac discovered one OF the mules broli
out OF the barn, but in a terribly burnc'
condition and it was killed to end it
suffering,
THE HOSE COMPANIES
soon lessened the flames on the outsid
sufficiently to allow the hook and ladde
men to pull off portions OF the sides c
the burning building and then the worl
OF extinguishment was quickl.
accomplished.
| FRANK NcKINSTRY,
the man who owned the animals no
having made his appearance during til
, progress OF the fire it was feared he wa
in the barn, as soon as the fire was PIT
out sufficiently to allow a search OF tt
interior to begin Chief Boyd entered tt
, room. At the first step he stumble
, over mans body and summoning al
, sistante carried it into the open al
where it was quickly identified as thu
5 OF the missing teamster.
THE BODY
lay on the left side iustinside the door an
was terribly burned in places; the boo
y were burned off, leaving the feet bal
. the clothing was burned off the lim
}, and part OF the body, but the face hf
- escaped with only q comaratively lig
4 scorching. Life was completely extint
HOW II HAPPENED.
d AS soon as the remains were identifi
l. number OF people told Of see1
d McKinstry only q little while previo
st and all agreed that he was lntoxicatt
re When last seen he was making his W
% toward the stable and had a light
cigar in his mouth. He probably ent
80 ed the stable, where he had a bed, a
e struck q match to see his way and
- his drunken carelessness threw it do
h. among the hay between his bed, VIII
=, was in the east end Of the stable, a
- the door, which was in tbs west er
~ Being drunk he probably did not not
the fire untilit was well under headv
and the building filled with smoke, t
he probably attempted to escape
'ill was overcome by the heat and snl
IT'S just as he gained the door and fell WI
5he he was found. Another theory is t
": the loose mule might have pushed
a down in It's frantic efforts to escape.
rd, this as it may two facts remain: He
'hn drunk and was burned to death.
tee. were placed in coffin at once and
,od veyed to the Gate City hose house
all from there removed to undert
of Behren's store.
,ter THE INQUEST.
AS Rnmors OF foul play began to b
ling culated the evening Of the fire and
ngs time looked rather suspicious. Sc,
,lla. persons heard pistol shots in that Y
one ity only short time before the fire
ring discovered, and the landlady OF a
told ttaurant, wherethe deceased ate di
stated that he had quite a roll Of
when he paid for his meal. On
'user day morning Coroner Whitfield inn
aper ed q jury consisting OF nessrs Kl
aa.of Conrad and Foster. DR.. Davis an
gspa Whitfield made a thorough examin
been OF the body but no MARKS Of VII
nge- were found. In the pockets were
PAPER two old jack knives, two keys, two
n%clu- % les and an empty wallet. The iu
ppear turned q verdict Of accidental dea
9 - burning,
orc y THE CITY $ ESCAPE
pears from extensive damage is another
that of good luck Il 1T has attended all Il