Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1890-04-01

enough 10 pun nie uut Ut the iuSt niu
ment. II was but u moment NOR
before the others were dead and
never heard Mr.. McGehco speak afte
] got out.
THE SCENE ON THE OUTSIDE.
When the building fell there wa
no one nearer than 100 yards. Mr.
McGehee's house was about 100 yard
to the east and Hon. II. B. Clark
probably 800 yards to the west. Mrs
N. F. Cox lives across the field to thu
east, several hundred yards. At Mr.
McGehee's were his wife and Miss
Sudie Meacham. At the other houses
were several young men. In the roac
near the store were two colored mer
named Lee Wood and Bob Coleman
who were the only parties who had
an opportunity to give immediate
help, but they were too badly fright
ened to do anything and made no at
tempt to rescue the victims. The first
persons to reach the scene were Mrs
McGehee and Miss Meacham. While
the latter was rescuing Warren the
former, frantic with grief, was within
a few feet OF her imprisoned husband
talking to him and wildly calling fol-
help. She could not see him, but in
answer TO her cries he said: Here j
am, Mollie. l can do nothing. Save
me il you can"
The fire was even then making its
way between the two floors, as through
a fue, and it is doubtful if ten men
with sharp axes could have cut
through in time. The window in the
gable was barred with strong irons.
The roof was of shingles and might
have been penetrated but the second
floor was a strong one built for heavy
goods and joist would have had to
be cut or sawed before the ceiling I'M
derneath could be knocked off. 1t
is hardly possible that they could
have been saved in the short space of
Is minutes, during which they
were alive. To have raised the
house filed with heavy goods was out
of the question, Several parties ar
rived by the time.Warren was rescued,
but then it was too late for work
The wreck was in flames and the vic
tins were silent forever. No one but
Warren knew their location and he
was in no condition to point them
out. Tho elimination had been
reached and the drama was even then
closing with triple tragedy and .
holocaust that made the stoutest
hearted turn sick at the sight. A
father was being literally roasted in
the presence OF his wife and little
chih--s little girl of seven years hav-
ing followed her mother to the scene
and her cries of anguish were min
gled with those of her bereaved parent.
REscUINa THE BODIES.
The neighbors, attracted by the
flames, began to arrive in half an hour,
but could only watch and wait for the
fire to die down. As soon as the bod
les became visible an iron hook was
placed ON long pole and one by one
they were pulled out of the devouring
flames. The first taken out was that
Of Mr.. McGehee. Nothing remained
but the charred trunk. When the
body was moved the head, arms and
legs fell away and crumbled into ashes.
1t was lying on the back and was
identified by the scissors, watch and
some silver money which the dead
man had had in his pockets. The
melancholy work of taking out the
body was done by j. p. Meacham and
VIM. Smith, two young men who were
the first to arrive. They ex-
the burning flesh by pour
ing water on it and had the body Ia
ken to the dead mans house.
The bodies of the colored men were
still nearer consumed. They were
both placed in one box and buried by
their friends the following afternoon.
SKETCH OF JOHN Q. McoEHEE.
In the year 1874 Jas. W, McGehee,
a young virginian, came to Christian
c,uu:y and began clerking at mod
crate salary in a country store at
Belleview. He saved his money and
soon became partner in and finally
sole owner of the business. Then he
sent back to Virginia and brought out
a brother to help him. The business
continued to grow and another brother
came out and a branch store was es-
tablished. Then another came and
another and few years ago the five
brothers formed a partnership and
opened a large house in GAINESVILLE.
Jas. w. and Thomas, the two older
brothers, located in GAINESVILLE.
Jno. Q. was at Montgomery, Ky,
Sam at Belleview, Albert at Newstead
and still another store was in charge
of a relative at Longview.
All OF these stores were run under
the same firm name and all were in a
condition.