The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-06
ANOTHER FIRE DISASTER.
Four Lives Lost and Others In
jured.
Now York Again visited by a Terrible
MISUNDERSTANDING Scenes In burn
ing Tenement-A Fireman Finds His
wifo and Niece Burned to Death.


NEW YORK, Oct 6.-[Speciall-T
persons wero burned to death early this
morning in fire in five-story brick tene-
ment house at the corner OF Hudson and
Dominick streets, and two others very
badly burned, one so seriously that re-
covery is not expected. The dead are:
Mrs. Annie Murphy, 80 years old, of 2e2
Hudson street; Miss Kate Dunn, %
years old, dressmaker who boarded
with Mrs. Murphy; Josephine Ryan, s.
years old, of Washington, d. c., Mrs.
Murphy's niece. The injured are: Mar
tin D. Toohcy, IL years old, and Mrs.
murphy's son by her first husband. His
injuries are pronounced fatal. John
Toohey, years old, Mrs. Murphy's Gee
ond son. His injuries are perhaps fatal.
The fire was discovered at ago O'Clock
this morning when Policeman MoGrath
heard tho sound of breaking glass,
which he thought was caused by bur-
glar. Running up to the store on the
ground floor of 262 Hudson street, occu-
pied by j. Kratzenstein, furniture and
upholstery, he broke pane of glass in
the front window, when there imme-
dlately poured outs heavy volume of
smoke. The policeman raped for help,
and Roundsman Ryan and Detectives
Cox and Gargan FASTENED to his aid.
They sent out tho alarm, and then
broke in tho doors of the main entrance
of tho house on tho Domini TX
street side. The flames and smoke
rushed out and drove tho policemen
back.
Tho stairway leading to the upper
floors was winding one, forming
shaft that was filled with 4 column of
flame. 1t was evident that it would bs
impossible foi the inmates of the house,
fifty in number, to escape by tho stairs
The policemen FASTENED to fire escape
on tho front and shouted to the panic
stricken occupants not to attempt to de-
scend by the stairs. Then they climbed
up the fire escape and aided men, women
and children to descend. In this they
wore aided by the frcmen, who had
quickly answered the alarm. Fireman
Lucas, on reaching the fifth floor, found
in rear room Matthew Regain, box
maker, who is q widower and has three
young children, almost overpowcred by
smoke and unable to help themselves.
lie dragged them to window and, with
the aid of his comrades. succeeded in
getting them down the fire escape
safely.
Just then hook and ladder truck No.
drove up and one of it's firemen,
Matthew Murphy, sprang to tho ground
shouting: "Great God it's my house,
whore are my wife and childreno" Be
fore any one could stop him he rushed
through tho flames and smoke and
fought his way up stairs to the fifth
floor. There he found tho body of his wife
burned almost beyond recognition lying
in the hallway just outside her apart
ment. A little further was tho burned
form of little Josephine Ryan, the
woman's niece. She was still living,
but died soon after. The body Of Miss
Kate Dunn was found at the foot of
short ladder leading to the roof.
She had evidently boon overcome by
the smoke and burned to death while
seeking escape there. Two boys, John
and Martin Toohey, Murphy's STEP
sons, wore found in a room. They were
removed to the rooms of the Monticello
Club, across the street, where the half
dressed tenants had found refuge.
Thence tho boys were takon to st.
Vincent's Hospital. Martin Toohey
was terribly burned all over his body
and cannot survive. His brother John
is not SO badly burned, but it is feared
may be fatally injured by inhaling
smoke. Mrs. Murphy was married to
Fireman Murphy only one month ago,
and was then the widow of Policeman
Toohey.
Nine families resided in the house.
Each family had an average Of three
boarders. Fire broke out in an unoc-
cupied wood house in the cellar and the
police said this morning that it was of
incendiary origin, but they would not
say on what this opinion was based.
Actual damage to the building will not
exceed $4,000. John Toohcy died at
o'clock in great agony.
AN INnUANJ