Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-10-08
BURNEDIN THEIR own HOMES
Four Lives Lost In a New York
Tenement Fire.
INMATES FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES
Fire Escapes Save Half a
Hundred People.


NEW York, Oct. 5.--Three persons
! were burned TO death early this morning,
in fire in five-story brick tenement,
at the corner of Hudson and Dominic
streets, and two others were very badly
burned, one of them so seriously tn
recovery is not expected.
The dead are Mrs. Annie Murphy
years old; Miss Katie Bum, 90 yea.
old, q dressmaker, boarder with Mrs.
Murphy, Josephine Ryan, five years old,
of Washington, u. c., Mrs. Murphy's
niece. The injured arc Martin d.
Toohey, IL years old, Mrs. Murphy's
son by her first husband. His injuries
are pronounced fatal. John Toohey,
nine years old, Mrs. Murphy's second
son. Ills injuries are perhaps fatal.
The fire was discovered at 2.20 o'clock
this morning when Policeman McGrath
heard sound of breaking glass which
he thought was caused by burglars. Run
ming up to the store on the ground floor
of 1862 Hudson street he broke a pane of
glass in the window when there i'm
mediately poured out a heavy volume
of smoke. The police raped for Rounds
man Ryan and Detectives Coy and
Gargman fastened to his assistance.
They sent out an alarm and then broke
III lllG uOOIS Vi luC Iltlu tutTuuCC 10 INC
house on the Dominic side. Flames and
smoke rushed out and drove the police
men back.
The stairway leading to the upper
floor was winding one, the centre
forming shaft that was filled with
column of flames. 1t was evident that
it would be impossible for the inmates
of the house, so in number, to escape by
the stairs. The policemen fastened to
the fire escapes of the building and
shouted to the panic. striker occupants
not to attempt to descend by the stairs.
Then they clambered up the fire escapes
and aided the men, women and children
to descend.
In this they were aided by the fifemen,
who had quickly answered the alarm.
Fireman Lucas, on reaching the fifth
floor, found in the rear rooms Matthew
Ryan, box maker, who is widower,
and his 3-years-old child almost over
powered by smoke and unable to help
themselves. He dragged them to the
window, and, with the aid of his com.
rades, succeeded in getting them down
the fire escape safely.
Just then Hook and Ladder No. 8
drove up and one of its firemen, Matthew
Murphy, sprang to the ground, shouting,
"Great God, its my house; where are my
wife and childrenY' Before any one
could stop him he dashed through the
flames and smoke and fought his
way up the stairs to the fifth
floor. There he found the body
of his vito burnt almost beyond
recognition lying In the hallway just,
outside her apartments. A little further
away was the burned form of little
Josephine Ryan, the dead woman's
neice. She was still living, but died
soon after. The body Of Miss Kate
Bum was found at the foot of q short
ladder leading TO the roof. She had
evidently been overpowered by the
smoke and burned to death while seek
ing escape. The two boys, John and
Martin Toohey, were found in the room.
They were removed to the rooms of
the Monticello Club, across the street,
where the half-drcssed tenants had
found refuge, thence the boys were
taken to st. Vincent's Hospital. Martin
Toohey was terribly burned all over his
body and cannot survive. His brother
feared he may be fatally injured by in
haling smoke.
Mrs. Murphy was married to Fireman
Murphy only one month ago. She was
then the widow of Policeman Toohey.
Nine families resided in the house
and each family had an average Of three
boarders,
The fire broke out In an unoccupied
wood house in the cellar, and the poles
said this morning that it was Of incen-
diary origin, but they would not say ON
what this opinion was based.
The actual damage done to the build
ing will not exceed $500.
Martin Toohey died at o'clock in
great agony.