New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-26
YOUNG MOTHER'S HEROISM.
on FIRE HERSELF SHE TRIES TO SAVE HER
CHILD.
BEATING THE FLAMES OUT OF THE BABYr
CLOTHING WHILE SHE is BLING
FATALLY BURNED.

FATALLY BURNED.
Until O'Clock last evening happy family lived In
East Elcventh.st composed Of Charles Hoffman, his
young wife Minnie and their twoycar old child,
Willie fire broke out In their house at that hour
and on two beds side by side, at Bellevue Hospital
last night lay the mother and child fesrfully burned
Hoffman born and grew up in that neiglborhood
He was always thrifty and industrious and his atten-
ton to the trade which he had learned, that Of paper
hanging placed him before he was old In an nde-
pendent condition. Four years ago lie put the
capital which had resulted from his steady earnings
into n paint and paperhanging store. No yOunS man
about to start in business met with warmer more
hearsy good wishes than young Hoffman when he put
his sign the door OF No. 631 East Eleventh-st
lie prospered and year later married. boy was
born 10 the couple. Trade good and a bright
life seemed to stretch itself before them.
Their store was on the ground floor Of No. 631.
1t is about l0x15 feet size the three rooms
running back the little family lived The building
is tenement-house and contains nine families.
Young Hoffman was away on business yesterday
afternoon. His wife had been accustomed to attend to
the store in his absence and followed her custom yes
terday. The little tot Willie. tramped around the
counter, hanging to her skirts. At 80 O'Clock
customer came In to buy benzine. The benzine was
In a five gallon can. How much in the can at
the time is not known. gasiet hangs down from
the ceiling to within two feet of the centre of the
the can to bottle the counter and near the Jet.
The vapor from the benzine caught fire and there was
a teerifc explosion. The woman was thrown Vio-
lently back her clothing fire. The exploded ben
zinc went in every direction. 1t went into open
paint cans, the rolls Of wall paper, on the wood
work Of the building The little shop was furnace
in five minutes. Shrieks rang from the store. Tho
mother took her child in her and rushed from
the building. She looked like burning beam falling
from building as she staggered tOm the door and
fell with her baby in her arms 10 the
pavement. Both mother and child were in flames.
While the fire licked around her neck and arms
and burned the hair from her scalp and destroyed her
clothing and burned the flesh to the bone she
frantcaly beat out the flames which were burning the
life out of the baby. She succeeded in putting out
the flames, but the poor little thing was mass OF
burns and the woman was still on fire.
Just a little way up the street is the station OF
Engine Company No. %. The fremen had seen the
flames burst from the store. In little while they were
on the spot Fireman Mcknight first saw Mrs. Hoil-
man carry her child into the street lie rushed
toward the place taking off his coat as he ram lie
placed it around Mrs. Hofmans body and in few
moments had the fire extinguished. The engines came
to the fire in short order Two streams OF water were
played on the flames. They had not gone far had not
even touched any of the rooms. In a
little while the fire was out A number of
bystsnders carried the charred form OF Mrs.
Hoffman into the liquor store OF Ballanthe
stra,is next door, and laid her on billiard table An
alarm for an ambulance rng and the surgeon was
soon at hand trying to alleviate the womans iearui
pain She was taken to Bellevue Hoslital where shs
died In great agony. a, x...
of (;ustayus Seelbach, Avenue B and Elcventst Inc
baby was frightfnlly burned stnnge TO say, II was
consciois and did not Ii feared, 60 into con
yulsons Seellach put plaster OF bcarbonate OF soda
on the burned spots and the baby was taken TO Bellevue
In another ambulance. . -
" Hoffman returned home Just the ambulance con
tanning his wife drove away. lie had heaid OF thc
calamity that iad befaen his home The ambulances
went Changing up the street to the hospital Holman
followed them blocks running with all speed
while he shouted in his grief Then he called
| cab and followed them , ,,,,
The damage caused by the flc was 10 tie Duliiing
$500, to the stock $500.