New-York tribune., 1891-05-15
DEATH IN THE FLAMES.
A YOUNG GIRL KILLED AND TWO PEOPLE
INJURED.
BRIDGET cLARK's SONG WAS NEVER FINISHED
SHE WAS FOUND cRoUcHED IN A CLOSET
MAURICE COLBERT LEAPED FROM THE
FoURTH-sToRY, WHILE HIS WIFE
HUNG BY HER HANDS UNTIL
HER GRASP RELAXED.


HER GRASP RELAXED.
fire which late last night broke out at No.
l040 Third-ave., one Of row of store and nao
houses, caused the death Of young girl ana
SC rious injury to two other persons. The burned
building was four stories in height, the ground
floor being occupied by Jacob Munck, a baker,
who, with his wife. three children and servants
lived on the second floor On the third and fourth
floors lived three other families. The
fire broke out in the kitchen Of the
third floor, which occupied by two
aged women, Margaret Meyler, widow, and
Mary Meyler, her sister-in-law.
Shortly after 10 o'clock, while Mrs. Bridget
Kenney, her daughter Mary, and her niece, Bridget
Clark who lived together in the rear Of the fourth
floor and worked as dressmakers, were sitting in
their paror singing, strong smell OF smoke was
noticed. Mrs. Kenney started up in the middle
Of her song and rushed out into the hall, but was
beaten back by great volume Of smoke which
burst into the she opened the door. Blinded
and choked by the smoke, she staggered down
the stairs calling to the girls to follow her.
Mary Kenney tried to follow her mother, but the
smoke was too thick. She rushed to the front
window opened it, and got out on the fire.
escape Screaming to her cousin, Follow mel"
she made her way along the escape to the next
house and by way of window reached the apart
ments occupied by G.. Dobbins. Bridget was seen
to follow her. and then calling TO Mary, / am
going to get something / have saved up"
went back into the burning room, and
was seen alive more. In the meantime the
fire had made quick headway, leaping up the dumb
waiter that ran through the rear of the house. and
spreading through the third and fourth floors.
The front of the fourth floor had been occupied
by Maurice Colbert and his wife, Mary. Maurice,
on the first alarm, rushed through the hall to an
escape which runs down the of the building.
The flames had burst out of the rear windows and
had almost enveloped the escape. Crazed
by fright, Colbert leaped from the fourth
floor into the yard below, and when
he was picked up insensible it was
found that he had broken his leg. His wife
made her way out of window on the top
floor in tho front of the house. She let herself
down until she hung by her hands from the
window ledge Then she looked down to the
crowd below and called, Save me. I'm going
to drop!" The crowd shouted to her to hold on
If only for moment
Two boys Robert Schultz and Harry Liebert,
who are employed by A. W. Lakey, ieweller
at No. 1,03S Thirdave rushed into their bed
room and dragged out two mattresses, which they
placed under the point where the woman hung.
In the same moment Mrs Colbert's grasp relaxed
and she dropped to the ground In her fall she
struck and carried away the awning over Munck's
bakery store and then bounded off it on TO the
mattresses. But for the promptness Of the two
lads she would probably have been fatally in
jured. AS it was, she escaped with broken arm
and severe shaking
Poor old Margaret Meyler, who has passed her
SEVENTEEN year, was in bed and asleep when the
fire broke out in the kitchen Of her rooms. BY
some unknown means her sister managed - es
cape by the front stairway, but Margaret was too
weak and too panc-stricken TO move from her
bed In answer to her sisters wild shrieks Fore
man Farrell of Truck No. 16, and John D. Horn,
who lives at No 1,O39 Third-ave., rushed upstairs
through the flames and smoke and carried her
down in safety. -
When the flames were under control the fremen
made their way through the fourth floor in search
of the missing Bridget Clark They found her
down in the s Ca baS GoseS Son S"
into her room, and then, trying to make her way
out again, became Blinded and choked in the
smoke She staggered into the closet and there
sank down and died. When her body was found
burned. Otherwise she had escaped disfgurement
To the presence of mind and GOODNESS of Mrs.
Elizabeth Lakey. wife of the Jeweller next door,
is probably due the preservation of many more
cries of fire." She rushed out into the hallway Of
the house which was full Of SNAKE, and
opening the street door pulled the bells OF
sReryone sRe srfn' in the Roase The senans % upstas
who had been all asleep. were slow
in realizing the situation However, choked and
frightened, they somehow found their way into
the street.
Tie total loss on the building and the furniture
is estimated at $4,000. The house was owned
by c. A. Cruikshank, real estate broker In
Broadway. At time it belonged to the Goelet
estate. of which Elbridge T. Gerry is trustee.