Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-19
NINE BURNED TO DEATH.
Disastrous Results OF a Fire I'm q New
York Tenement House.

New YORK, Aug ia small fire at sos 9TH
avenue at i45 this morning proved very dis
astrous to the lives of the sleeping people in
the tive-story brown-stone tenement
The following are the names of the victims
who met their death; VIM. Glennon. aged
sixty; Nellie Geoban. aged twenty; Mary W ales,
aged thIrty-one; Jane Wales, aged forty; Thos.
Wales, aged two Bertha LustIng, aged four;
VIM. McRae. aged forty-seven; James Jeffrey,
aged ffty-hve; also, an unknown woman, aged
about forty-fiye.
VIM Glennon aged about eighteen was badly
burned about the face aud feet aud was taken
to the New York hospital.
The building occupied by thirteen fami-
lies who have been made temporarily home
less by the fire. The flames did not do very
much damage in the various apartments, but
burned out their strength in the Railways.
The pecuniary loss will not amount to more
than $4,000.
THE FIRE ORIGINATED
in the rear of John Snyder's restaurant at an
hour when all the people in the house were
sleeping soundly. just how the fire started is
as yet a mystery, but as the restaurants cook
Is missing II IL fair TO presume that accident
occurred while he was making the fire in the
big range. The awful speed with which the
flames swept up through the building suggest
the use OF kerosene by the cook. The door
leading from the kitchen TO the hallway
out into the passage and swept up the staIrwAys
so rapidly that families living ON the hrst floor
must inevitably have perishcd without even so
much as a warning, but II 30 happened that
the rooms directly over the Restaurant were
unoccupied Oh account OF the heat which
seemed to
sIFT THROUGH THE FLOORING FROM THE RANGE
UNDERNEArH.
Less than half block away on the corner OF
2sth street and the avenue stood Policemen
Warner and McCulagh of the 30th-street
station. They received a warning from n cry
OF pain which came from the building and
looking IN the direction whence II came saw a
wall of fire beating against the front windows
OF the restaurant. BY the time that they real
lied what the trouble a forked tongue Of
flame shot out from the roof and lighted up the
neighborhood With their clubs the two ofncers
beat in the front door but spiteful blaze shot
out and drove them back. They tried the next
door and IN that way found an entrance.
There were no signs OF life IN the building and
the officers hurried from one room TO another,
rapping on the doors with their clnbs and CALI
ing to the inmates to
FLY FOR THEIR LIVES.
Murmurings at first were heard, then a buzz
of many voices. which finally changed into q
wall of terror and agony from the women and
children struggling for their lives in the
death trap.
Fire escapes leading from the burning build
ing 10 the as yet untouched tenement next door
were speedily filed up with half-naked people.
In the meantime alarms has been sent out and
the fire department was soon at work on the
flames and assisting the frightened inmates.
| The flames were extngushed easily enough by
the firemen and all the people on the Dire
escapes safely landed. Not one person
escaped down the stairway, and the names OF
the few who tried it are found in the list Of the
dead as given above.
As soon as possible
THE SEARCH FOR THE DEAD REaAS.
The first body found was that of old w. Glennon.
The remains were discovered by the side Of the
bed in his room on the second floor. He had
risen to hy with his Sons, but his old legs were
not nimble enough aud he perished. The boys
were taken 10 the hospital. They were burned
on the feet, caused by walking on hot iron bars
OF the FIRE escape. In the rooms of the Wells
family was a signt which cannot easily be for
gotten. In the middle of the door knelt the
mother, Mary Wells, and in her dead embrace
were her children, Jane and Thomas. They
had been smothered, and not burn or blister
defaced the pallor of their countenances The
nine dead bodies were placed in the ambulances
and taken TO the 30th-street station. Coroner
Hanly gave friends permits for the removal Of
the dead.
SUSPICIOUS CIRCCMsANCEs
Acting Capt. Schmittzerger of the 30th-street
police station said: The circumstances under
which the fire occurred are, TO say the least,
suspicious. / have questioned the three men
separately and there are certain discrepancies
which they should be called upon TO explain.
Snyder has kept the place four or five years
and his reputation is none too good. Il was
open day and night and occasionally some very
lively scenes have taken place in it. The col
ored cook says that they have not done much
business lately. Snyder had Sl 900 insurance
on his fixtures, which, / think, is more than
they are worth. The policy expires on Sep
tember "a. and, strange TO say, he had the policy
in his pocket when arrested"
From Wall Street Today.
NEw YORK Aug. l9-Tbe bad bank etate-