The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-04-11
fRlGHTFUl CALAMITY

Nine Lives Lost by Tenement Fire In
Rochester. Pam Italian Family of
Seven, with the Exception of One Young
Girl, Among the Dead-The Charred Re-
mains Of the Victims Found la the
Ruins.
ROCHESTER, Pa. April THE most
frightful calamity that has ever be-
fallen this place occurred early this
morning. and as a result nine lives were
lost. Between the Rose building, cor
ner of Brighton and New York streets,
and the railroad crossing. were n row
of cheap frame tenement houses, the
first floors of which We're occupied as
business houses. Shortly after mid
night fire was discovered in the lower
building. and an alarm was given.
The fire gradually spread to the
second and third houses, and in
few minutes all were in flames
But few of the citizens were on
the scene until the fire was well under
headway and efforts were made to save
property, but with poor effect, as the
buildings being of highly inflammable
material burned rapidly. In the midst
of the hottest part of the fire an Italian
girl. about 16 years of age. appeared at
the window of one of the burning build
ings and leaped toward the ground, two
of the firemen catching her before she
struck the ground. Between her sobs
she stated that all her fathers
family were yet in the burning house,
but as the flames now had full control
of the building il was impossible to
save them. and seven persons persisted
in the Italian family. The rooms occu-
pied by the Italians were in the center
of the building, and when IT was found
that lives had been lost a careful in
quiry was made regarding the occupants
of the first building to take fire.
IT was inhabited by a shoemaker
named Edward J. Keene, with a
family consisting of a wife and
three children. None of the family
could be found for time. but during
the height of the excitement Mrs keenc
with two of her children arrived from
Pittsburgh on train No. 1. 1t was then
feared that Mr.. keene and his eldest
son Walter. aged S years. .twcre lost
Brave men at once went To work among
the burning timbers and soon discovered
the charred remains of father and son
close together. but burned to an M
recognizable mass. The cOrpses with
those of the Italians that have been re-
covered are lying in a stall at Hayes
livery stable. The names of the VIC
tins are as follows:
Edward j. Keene. 30 years of age.
Walter Keene, o years.
Rutteito Ceapio. IS years.
Annie Ceapio. wife of above. 35 years.
John Ceapio, II years.
Rose Ceapio. years.
Victoria Ceapio, a brother of Rutteito;
age unknown.
Joe Romio, age unknown.
The nine bodies are 81 badly burned
that they are unrccognizable. There
has also been $500 in gold found among
the ruins which belonged to the Ital-
ians. The Italian girl. the only one
saved. says there is still $500 in the
ashes.
II is thought that the Italians became
so confused that they could not find the
stairway. which was narrow one, and
to reach it required the opening Of two
doors in the rear of the building. and
they were burned to death. The ltal-
ians were very intelligent. and worked
in the Rochester tumbler works. The fire
originated in Kcene's kitchen. All the
household goods, together with Ed
wards tea store. Halls millinery store
and Keene's 'shoe-shOp. are destroyed
There is insurance on all the stores.
The buildings belonged to John i.
Smith, and were not insured.