St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-27
kH0L0GAUST HORROR
fatality again 0vertakes a
Doomed West ST. Paul
Building.
tIrs. Catherine Clifford Was
Burned to Death in a
Close Prison.
Siekening Sight That Met the
Eyes Of the Firemen to
the Rescue.
Serious if Not Fatal Accident
to Chief Cook in a DPiv-
ing Smash.

Itwould seem that horrible fatality
hangs over dwellerS in the twO-St0ry
frame dwelling at 1876 Edward street,
West St. Paul. In that house little Ida
Burmaster and Mrs. Lee were burned
to death on the morning of June 26,
1888. Another shocking death occurred
there last night. Mrs. Catharine Cliff
ford. the aged occupant and owner of
the house, was literally roasted by
flames. Patrick Foley, a car
penter living at 1917 Edward
street, discovered the house to
be on fire shortly after o'clock. but on
running to the door he found 1t locked
and could arouse no one on the inside.
The natural supposition was that no one
was within. Addison E. PrOSser, of 95
West Indiana avenue, was also attracted
by the blaze that could be plainly seen
through the windows, and turned in the
alarm from 4 neighbOring store. Upon
the arrival Of fire brigade the fasten-
ings Of the door were forced. but for
some strange reason It could not be
opened but few inches.
4 SICKENING SIGHT
met the gaze of fireman who first
squeezed through the opening. The
lower step of the flight Of stairs leading
to the second story was directly in front
Of and about five feet distant from the
door. The body of woman envel0ped
In flames lay directly in front of him,
her feet against the stair and her head
damned up against the door. The sight
was CHASTITY. The efforts Of his COM
eades on the outside to force the
door had bent the body almost
tOnble, and every time the force was
thrown npon Is the mass of burning,
sizzling flesh raised and lowered before
his eyes. As quickly as possible they
were given to understand the situation,
axes were brought and the door was
Bhopped from its hinges. A chemical
gas turned on and the dead body was
dragged from the flames. One hand
Ras burned entirely away, the
flesh was burned from both arms
and shoulders, and the whole
upper part of she body was literally
cooked. The face was not badly
disfgHred, as she lay face downward
upon the WOOlen hail carpet. After the
body was removed to the street. the fire
was extinguished, with almost no loss
upOn the building. Perhaps the real
cause Of Mrs. CliffOrd's
SHOCKING DEATH
WiIl never be known, but from the
position In which she was found and
Sther circumstances, a theory is easily
advanced. A shattered kerosene lamp
lay beside her, and the carpet near the
door was saturated with oil. 1t would
appear that she must have tripped in
descending the stairs, falling headfOre-
most to the bottom and Shatterlng
the lamp that she carried In her hand.
After the body was removed to Cad
bouts mOrgue on South Robert street, a
bad wound was discovered on her fore
head, indicating that she must have
been knocked insensible by the fall.
Her clJthing was almost entirely burned
from her body, only a few fragments
upon which she lay not being consumed,
and it is apparent that she did not
move after falling to the floor. Mrs.
Clifford was a widow woman about
fifty-fVe years of age. and lived with her
son, John Clifford, drayman. She was
possessed of considerable property,
owning the house in which she lived, a
large house adjoining, and vacant lot
or two in the vicinity. Her son was not
at hOme and had not been informed of
his mothers frightful death when a
GLOBE reporter called at the house last
night. He went home shortly before
5O'clOck and put up his horse, but did
not go into the house. His action is eX-
planned by the neighbOrs, who stated
that The dead woman had been drinking
heavily during the day; that she was
intoxicated at the time, and that she
was generally quarrelsome when in
that condition.