The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-10-13
PERISHED IN FLAME.
THREE BURNED TO DEATH AND
OTHERS INJURED.

Police and Ffromsn Aided the Inmates
Down tho Fire Es,ape-Firsman Murph,
Finds HIS wife's Corpse in tho Burn,
ing House.
NEW YORK, Oct. 5.-Three persons
were burned to death early this morn
ing In a fire in hve.story brick tene
ment house at the corner of hudson
and Dominck streets, and two others
very badly burned, one so seriously that
recovery Is not expected. The dead are
Mrs. Annie Murphy, 80 years old, of So;
Hudson street; Miss Katie Dunn, ~
years old, a dressmaker who boarded
with Mis-. Murphy; Josephine Ryan,
years old, of Washington, ID. g., Mrs
Murphy's niece. The ajured are: Martin
ID. Toohey, III years old. Mrs. Murphys
son by her first husband; his injuries
are pronounced fatal; John rooney {
years o'I. Mrs. Murphy's second son; his
injuries perhaps fatal.
The tire was discovered at 2:2O O'Clock
this morning, when Policeman Nc
Grath heard II sound of breaking glass
which hs thought was caused by burg
lars. Running up to the store on the
ground floor of 262 Hudson, occupied by
terry, hebroke pane of glass In the
window when there eimmediately poured
out heavy volume of smoke. The DO.
liceman raped for help and RouIdsmau
Ryan and Detectives Cox and Gargan
fastened to his aid. They sent out an
alarm, then brOke In the doors of tn.
main entrance to the house on the Dom
mick street side. Flames and smoke
rushed out and drove the policemen
back. The stairway leading to the up
per floor vas a winding one, the centre
forming a shaft that was liled with q
column Of flames. 1t was evident that
1t would be impossible for the inmates
OF the house, fifty in number, to escape
by the stairs. Policemen hastened to
the fire escape OH the front of the build
ing and shouted to the panic. stricke Ell
occupants not to attempt to descend by
the stairs. Then they climbed up the
escape and aided men, women and chill.
dren to descend. In this they were aid.
ed by the fireme1, who had quickly an
swered the alarm. Fireman Lucas OIL
reaching the fifth floor found in the rear
room Matthew Ryan, box maker, who
is Il widower, and his three children al
most overpowered by smoke and unable
to help themselves. He dragged them
to the window and with the aid of his
comrades succeeded in getting them
down the fire escape safely. just then
the hook and ladder truck No. 8 drove
up and one OF its tiremen. Matthew
ing "Great God! Its my house; where
are my wite and child?" Before any
one could stop him he rushed through
the flames and smoke and fought hi.
way up stairs to the fifth floor. There
he found the body Of his wife burned
almost beyond recognition, lying in the
hallway just outside her apartment. A
little further away was the burned form,
of litde josephine Ryan, the dead wo
mans neice. She was still living. bu,
died soon after. The body of Miss
Kate Dunn was found at the foot Of d
ladder leading to the roof. She had
evidently been overcome by smoke and
burned to ieath while seeking to csca pc
Two boys John and Martin Toohry
Mrs. Murphy's step sons, were found III
the room. They were removed to the
rooms Of the Monticello Club across the
street where the half f-dressedtenants Ii ad
found refuge. Thence the boys we're
taken to st. Vincent's Hospital. Mar.
tin TOohey was terribly burned all over
his body and cannot survive. His broth
er John Is not 80 badly burned, but II
Is feared he may be fatally injured by
inhallng smoke. Mrs. Murphy was
married to Fireman Murphy only one
month ago. Sne was the widow of Pol.
iceman Tuohey.
Nine families resided In the lous" and
each family had an average Of three
boarders. The fire broke out in an un
occupied wood house in the cellar, and
the police said this morning that it was
OF incendiary origin, but they would
not say or what tins opinion was based
The ac' 'ual damage to the building viii
not excetd 81 500. John Toohey died
ut o'clock in great agony.